SB 55 South Dakota Senate · 2025 Regular Session

revise property tax levies for school districts and to revise the state aid to general and special education formulas.

SB 55 proposes changes to how property tax levies are calculated for school districts in South Dakota. The bill also adjusts the state funding formulas used to distribute aid for general and special education programs. These revisions aim to modify the financial structure supporting public education without specifying exact dollar amounts or implementation details. The legislation directly impacts school districts and state education funding mechanisms.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
House Passage
Mar 2025
Signed into Law
Mar 2025
Introduced Jan 14, 2025 Signed Mar 31, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Joint Appropriations Engrossed Enrolled · 6 edits · Mar 13, 2025
MODERATE
This bill updates property tax levies for school districts and revises state education funding formulas. It increases the maximum tax levy for general funds and adjusts specific rates for agricultural and owner-occupied properties, while also refining how fall enrollment is calculated for state aid purposes.
Scope change
The bill applies to school districts for taxes payable in 2026 and each year thereafter, with specific provisions for agricultural and owner-occupied properties.
FISCAL

Maximum general fund tax levy increased to $21.10 per thousand dollars of taxable valuation for taxes payable in 2026 and beyond.

Maximum tax levy on agricultural property set at $12.50 per thousand dollars of taxable valuation.

Maximum tax levy for owner-occupied single-family dwellings set at $51.80 per thousand dollars of taxable valuation.

DEFINITION

Fall enrollment calculation now includes a 10% adjustment for students participating in high school interscholastic activities while receiving alternative instruction.

ELIGIBILITY

Nonresident students in state custody attending public schools may now be included in the receiving district's fall enrollment count.

REQUIREMENT

School districts must maintain proportional levy relationships between general, agricultural, and owner-occupied property levies when levies are below maximums.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 13, 2025 · House Mar 13, 2025

How they voted

332
Passed
Total votes 35
Mar 13, 2025
D Democratic3
3 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican32
30 Yea 2 Nay
93% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
12
Key actions
6
Committee
4
Amendments
1
Mar 31, 2025
Signed into law
Signed by the Governor on 2025-03-31 S.J. 539
executive
Mar 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by the President S.J. 534
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by the Speaker H.J. 549
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
House of Representatives Do Pass Amended , Passed, YEAS 58, NAYS 12 H.J. 547
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Introduced
First read in House and referral to committee waived pursuant to JR 6D-1 H.J. 547
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate Do Pass Amended , Passed, YEAS 33, NAYS 2 S.J. 531
upper
Mar 11, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee on Appropriations Do Pass Amended , Passed, YEAS 16, NAYS 1 J.J. 46
upper
Mar 11, 2025
Introduced
Committee on Appropriations Motion to amend , Passed, J.J. 46 Amendment 55A
upper
Jan 15, 2025
Committee
Referred to , Passed, S.J. 31
upper
Jan 14, 2025
Introduced
First read in Senate and referred to S.J. 11
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.