Victory! SB 57 was defeated.

You can listen to the entire hearing here, click on the blue bird: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/23573

Proponents and opponents each got 30 minutes to provide testimony and then the Committee was allowed to call people back up for questions. After that, there are two options, the Committe can vote to send the bill through to the entire Senate floor to vote on, our they can vote to send it to the 41st day, which kills the bill since we only have 40 legislative days. 

Senator Pischke made the motion to send the bill to the 41st day and Senator Steve Kolbeck seconded it. After the motion was made we needed a majority vote. People who voted to send the bill to the 41st day were Chairman Schoenfish, Vice Chair Kolbeck, Senator Pischke, Senator Castelberry, and Senatory Bordeaux. Two voted to keep it alive: Senator Reed and Senator Davis. 

The crux of our argument was that homeschooled students have the right to open enroll, once they have been accepted as an open enrolled student they have the same rights as a homeschooled student who physically resides in that district. Those rights includes taking classes and participating in activities. 

The proponents of the bill argued that open enrollment should be for academic purposes only, and they floated several ideas that separated academic and athletic open enrollment, but that would have resulted in a major change in how the open enrollment statutes read and would have potentially had unintended consequences for many South Dakota children. 

We are very happy to have defeated this bill with a strong vote. We had many other Senators express their support of us and our efforts and we're willing to help us fight if this came to the Senate floor. 

Governor Noem and her staff were supportive of our efforts and the newly appointed Secretary of Ecucation Dr. Graves testified against this bill, bringing up some excellent points. 

To thank our supporters please send hand written thank you notes the the people below. 

Senate Education Committee Chairman Senator Kyle Shoenfish: 

42472 Maxwell Rd.

Scotland, SD 57059

Senate Education Committee Vice Chair Senator Steve Kolbeck: 

713 S. 5th Ave.

Brandon, SD 57005

Assistant Minority Leader Senator Shawn Bordeaux 

PO Box 283

Mission, SD 57555

Senator Jessica Castleberry

1010 9th Street #14

Rapid City, SD 57701

Senator Tom Pischke 

503 E. 12th St.

Dell Rapids, SD 57022

You can thank them for their "no vote on SB 57" or for supporting homeschoolers. You can tell them a bit out your family and include pictures or drawings from your kids. 

Questions? Feel free to contact us at action@FAIRSD.org 

Senate Education Committee

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Senate Bill 57

Make sure you're following FAIRSD on Facebook. And if you're interested in a private discussion group about this and other issues join us at Homeschooling South Dakota Discussion Group.