Members of the state legislator’s largest committee have a full week – including an extra meeting with the South Dakota High School Activities Association. The Joint Appropriations committee has a 3 p.m. Tuesday.
The Joint Appropriations Committee is already spending 12 hours this week with the state’s department of Education, and the panel has added another hearing that’s related to the field. The South Dakota High School Activities Association is under public scrutiny because isn’t following state laws on public meetings and isn’t releasing financial records.
Appropriations Chair State Senator Deb Peters says lawmakers want to know why those laws aren’t applying to the association.
"They initially are started by tax payer-funded schools, and the schools haven’t had to pay dues, but they still get profit off of tax payer-funded facilities, i.e. the arenas and they charge a gate fee, etc., etc. So they should be a public entity to begin with," Peters says.
Peters says the committee wants to know why the South Dakota High School Activities Association isn’t a public entity and what lawmakers need to do to make it one.
"So the school districts are trying to get additional information, and I think the High School Activities Association is trying to become more public. I just don’t know if they know exactly how to do it, so I think that’s going to be part of the conversation," Peters says. "'Who’s making decisions? Why are they making the decision that they’re making?' And then, 'What’s their process in building their budgets and stuff?'"
People are asking questions after the association added 2 dollars to ticket prices last year and diverted half of that to a foundation. Last week, the High School Activities Association said areas that host events have deficiencies, but the organization isn’t releasing the report.
SDPB has reporters in the capital city providing insight into the 89th legislative session. SDPB’s Nate Wek is in Pierre. This afternoon during All Things Considered, he brings you details on the hearing between lawmakers and the South Dakota High School Activities Association.