Governor Kristi Noem today signed HB1087, a bill to increase intellectual diversity on college campuses.    

“Our university campuses should be places where students leave their comfort zones and learn about competing ideas and perspectives,” said Noem. “I hope this bill lets the nation know that in South Dakota, we are teaching our next generation to debate important issues, work together to solve problems, and think independently.”

The bill directs the Board of Regents, which oversees our state universities, to ensure that each and every state-run institution of higher education is maintaining a commitment to the principles of free expression and encouraging the discussion of topics in an environment that is intellectually and ideologically diverse. The Regents are also required to submit a report to the governor and legislature on the topic. 

Noem signed the following bills today:  

• SB3 – An act to create the Special Education Interim Legislative Committee
• SB4 – An act to revise certain provisions regarding the classification of agricultural land for property tax purposes  
• SB16 – An act to establish certain provisions regarding financial security for the decommissioning of wind turbines 
• SB48 – An act to authorize certain improvement districts to issue convention facility on-sale licenses to sell alcoholic beverages
• SB54 – An act to regulate the use of care and maintenance funds by perpetual care cemeteries
• SB56 – An act to revise certain provision regarding the regulation of fireworks
• SB61 – An act to provide certain provisions regarding nursing facility closures
• SB64 – An act to require certain wind energy facilities to include aircraft detection lighting systems
• SB66 – An act to establish an interim legislative committee to study issues related to electric services in an annexed area 
• HB1022 – An act to revise certain provisions regarding the limitations on indemnification by the state
• HB1034 – An act to revise certain provisions regarding unemployment insurance contribution rates
• HB1035 – An act to rename the unemployment insurance program to the reemployment assistance program
• HB1046 – An act to revise certain provisions regarding the attorney recruitment assistance program
• HB1087 – An act to promote free speech and intellectual diversity at certain institutions of higher education
• HB1090 – An act to repeal certain provisions regarding the exercise of certain powers over certain property
• HB1110 – An act to establish a penalty for certain persons who fail to file a birth certificate or who fail to provide the notice required for the filing of a death certificate