Lawmakers in Huron express concern about school voucher proposals and budget impact
February 01, 2025 | Huron, Beadle County, South Dakota
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HURON, S.D. — Residents and legislators at a Huron Chamber forum discussed several pending bills that would expand private‑school scholarships or education savings accounts, with lawmakers warning the proposals could worsen an existing state budget shortfall and reduce funding for public schools.
Tim Van Burgum and other attendees asked legislators whether school vouchers were “dead” for the session. Representative Van Diepen said she had attended multiple hearings and that voucher proposals had been postponed in some committee actions but were not necessarily finished. She said the bills raise fiscal and accountability concerns and noted the legislature already faces large budget shortfalls.
Van Diepen cited two bills by number at the forum and estimated their fiscal effects: she said House Bill 109 would have added about $157 million to the state deficit and that another proposal, House Bill 1020, could add from roughly $0 up to about $64 million. Van Diepen and Senator Wheeler said introducing a new voucher program while legislators were pursuing small teacher pay raises would worsen budget pressures.
Nut graf: The discussion at the forum emphasized fiscal and accountability concerns: lawmakers asked how public dollars moving to private or home schooling would be tracked, what materials or devices families would receive under the programs, and whether low‑income families would be the intended beneficiaries or whether the program would create opportunities for “double dipping.”
Senator Wheeler said he was not a fan of ESAs without accountability provisions and urged that any program using public dollars include reporting on outcomes. Representative Van Diepen said past committee testimony left key details unresolved — for example, whether families could receive multiple devices or how supplies would be monitored — and she expressed concern some issued technology could be resold.
Ending: Legislators at the forum said voucher bills were likely to return in some form during the remainder of session and encouraged constituents to watch committee calendars and contact members before final votes. No formal votes were taken at the forum.
Tim Van Burgum and other attendees asked legislators whether school vouchers were “dead” for the session. Representative Van Diepen said she had attended multiple hearings and that voucher proposals had been postponed in some committee actions but were not necessarily finished. She said the bills raise fiscal and accountability concerns and noted the legislature already faces large budget shortfalls.
Van Diepen cited two bills by number at the forum and estimated their fiscal effects: she said House Bill 109 would have added about $157 million to the state deficit and that another proposal, House Bill 1020, could add from roughly $0 up to about $64 million. Van Diepen and Senator Wheeler said introducing a new voucher program while legislators were pursuing small teacher pay raises would worsen budget pressures.
Nut graf: The discussion at the forum emphasized fiscal and accountability concerns: lawmakers asked how public dollars moving to private or home schooling would be tracked, what materials or devices families would receive under the programs, and whether low‑income families would be the intended beneficiaries or whether the program would create opportunities for “double dipping.”
Senator Wheeler said he was not a fan of ESAs without accountability provisions and urged that any program using public dollars include reporting on outcomes. Representative Van Diepen said past committee testimony left key details unresolved — for example, whether families could receive multiple devices or how supplies would be monitored — and she expressed concern some issued technology could be resold.
Ending: Legislators at the forum said voucher bills were likely to return in some form during the remainder of session and encouraged constituents to watch committee calendars and contact members before final votes. No formal votes were taken at the forum.
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