Majority leader: Education savings account bill wouldnt pass South Dakota Senate

Some Republican leaders are pushing for legislative action on school choice this year, but the state Senate majority leader says his chamber doesnt have the votes to support it.

Gov. Larry Rhoden, who assumed the position last month upon the exit of former Gov. Kristi Noem for a post in President Trumps cabinet, is kind of getting his legs under himself, according to Sen. Jim Mehlhaff, R-Pierre.

Based on discussions with the governor, Mehlhaff said, we decided we just dont want to go down that bunny trail over in the Senate this time.

Were going to move on to other priorities, the majority leader said during a legislative leadership press conference on Thursday at the Capitol in Pierre.

The push for education savings accounts took a major hit last Wednesday when two separate bills one backed by the Governors Office and another, more expansive proposal, were defeated in the House Education Committee.

The governors bill was rejected in a 9-6 vote. It proposed a $4 million allocation for education savings accounts. The more expansive plan, estimated at $142 million, failed 8-7.

Support within the Senate Republican caucus is slim, Mehlhaff said.

There was zero love for it, Mehlhaff said, citing budget constraints and competing priorities. Were cutting PBS, were cutting the state library, were cutting maintenance and repair on our public buildings, were cutting veterans service officers were cutting all over the place. Theres just a lot of members in the Senate that didnt think it was appropriate to dig up $4 million to start a new program.

House Majority Leader Scott Odenbach, R-Spearfish, said the fight will continue. House leaders are considering alternative approaches, including tax credit-based solutions that might garner broader legislative support.

Theres also a lot of people saying, Well, gosh, President Trump is jumping into this now, lets wait and see what he is wanting to do in that space, he said.

President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order directing the U.S. Department of Education to explore new funding opportunities for such programs at the state level.