Five members of the Senate Education committee killed four of their colleague’s bills aimed at increasing Indigenous educational opportunities.
Assistant Senate Minority Leader Sen. Shawn Bordeaux (D-Mission)’s bills that were killed in the committee Thursday morning included the following:
- Senate Bill 155, to permit the playing of an Honor Song at graduation ceremonies. He brought similar bills in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
- Senate Bill 157, to establish the nonbeneficiary student scholarship program and make an appropriation therefor. He brought similar bills in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.
- Senate Bill 159, to prohibit school districts from using certain mascots and team names that are derogatory toward Native American peoples or culture. He brought similar bills in 2016, 2020 and 2022
- Senate Bill 161, to incorporate the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings in the social studies curriculum. He brought similar bills in 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2023.
Bordeaux, a citizen of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, wasn’t immediately available for comment after the committee hearing Thursday.