SGA Unanimously Passes Senate Bills 84 through 90
On Sept. 26, SGA held their sixth meeting of the year. During the meeting, SGA members unanimously voted to pass a total of seven “old business” Senate Bills (SB), as well as approved the further revision and discussion of a singular “new business” SB.
The old business bills passed at this meeting included all bills listed as under revision, those bills being SB 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89 and 90. These Bills can also be found listed on the SGA website located within the google doc.
SB 84, was an act modifying the standardization of the at-large selection process. This bill states that the regulations regarding filling vacant SGA positions, ors the bill regards the process in which an individual is accepted to hold a position within the Student Government Organization.
SB 85, was a budget request submitted by the Dermatology Interest Group, in which the group requested a total of $249.90 in SGA funding only to be approved by the association for a total of $150.00 per the 23-24 fiscal year.
SB 86, was a special appropriation request submitted by Yotes for Life, in which the group requested a total of $3875.00 in SGA funding only to be approved by the association for a total of $200.00 per the 23-24 fiscal year.
SB 87, was an internal revision in regards to the President Pro – Tempore Leadership Clarification, in which it is now amended that “the President Pro – Tempore cannot serve as both President – Tempore and as chair of an SGA standing committee.
SB 88, was a special appropriation request submitted by the South Dakota Association for the Education of Young Children, in which the association requested a total of $675.00 in SGA funding only to be approved for a total of $150.
SB 89, was a special appropriation request submitted by USD Esports, in which the group requested a total of $5,500 in SGA funding only to be approved for a total of $550.
SB 90, was an act modifying the purpose of special appropriation funds. This bill now states that “student organizations requesting funds must attend a meeting of the SGA senate and indicate how Special Appropriation funding will impact the student experience.”
The bill also states that, “special appropriation funding is intended to offer supplementary financial support to student organizations with inadequate funding to effectively host a specific event, provide general budgets for newly established student organizations, and provide general budgets for reactivated student organizations that did not receive funding in the previous fiscal year. Special appropriations funding should not serve as a replacement for the formal budgeting process for student organizations.”
The new business consisted of SB 91 was approved by SGA for further review and revisions as it regards SGA audits, in which from now on the committee will conduct an annual audit of student organization constitutions, evaluate their eligibility for SGA funding and designate members to serve on the audit committee. The committee will also hold a campus leaders conference once a semester, as well as designate a member to act as a committee liaison for better communication.
By passing these bills the SGA will be able to either implement new regulations and standards in regards to specific bills, as well as further revise and make changes to bills that have not yet been approved.
SGA’s next meeting will be held on Oct. 3 in the Freedom Forum Conference Room in the Al Neuharth Media Center.
