(SDBA – Pierre, SD) South Dakota House members failed to override Gov. Larry Rhoden’s veto of a childcare assistance bill today (Thursday), with the vote falling short of the required two-thirds majority.
The House voted 27-43 against the override during the 37th legislative day of the 100th legislative session, sustaining the governor’s veto of House Bill 1132.
The bill would have expanded childcare assistance eligibility for workers at licensed childcare facilities with incomes up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level, compared to 209 percent for other applicants.
House Minority Leader Erin Healy, D-Sioux Falls, urged colleagues to override the veto.
“I rise in support of overriding Governor Rhoden’s veto on House Bill 1132 because South Dakota families, businesses, and childcare workers cannot afford for us to let this bill die,” Healy said.
Healy emphasized empty classrooms result from staffing shortages.
“We have empty classrooms because we don’t have enough staff to open them,” she said. “Those staff already can’t afford childcare, and that’s why we’re here trying to help them.”
Rep. John Hughes, R-Sioux Falls, opposed the override.
“If we override the governor’s veto, in my opinion, we’re setting a really really bad precedent,” Hughes said. “When we start carving out and subsidizing individual sectors of the economy, it’ll never be enough.”
Rep. William Shorma, R-Dakota Dunes, supported the measure, citing economic development needs.
“I’ve got a company with 60 employees in a small community of 800 and there’s no childcare available,” Shorma said. “There needs to be something to make that happen.”
Rep. Jack Kolbeck, R-Sioux Falls, outlined specific financial concerns about expanding the program without additional funding.
“The bill expands the program by increasing income guidelines specifically for applicants working in a childcare setting,” Kolbeck said. “Creating a unique qualifying criteria based on where an applicant is employed creates equity issues with other employers.”
The bill would have allowed a family of four earning up to $93,600 annually to qualify for assistance, compared to $67,000 under current guidelines.
Rhoden’s veto message claimed the bill shifted the program from its core mission and could jeopardize assistance for currently eligible families.
Veto Day is scheduled for March 31.
