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The Legislative Session is two thirds done with the completion of Week Six. I was the Senate Prime for Senate Bill 1035 which modifies license requirements to obtain a Certified Public Accountant License. The accounting profession is experiencing a declining workforce and an increasing demand for services. HB 1035 provides another pathway to obtain a CPA license by allowing applicants to sit for the CPA exam if they have two years of relevant experience and a degree in accounting. Currently 150 credit hours and one year of experience is required to sit for the CPA Exam; that will also remain an option. HB 1035 also allows allows CPAs to practice across state lines. This is a big first step to addressing accounting shortages in South Dakota. SB 1035 passed the House and Senate unanimously. The legislature has passed various bills over the years to remove red tape and promote workforce development in a number of professions; I was glad for the opportunity to do the same for the CPA profession that I work in. Senate Bill 218 would have provided for the establishment of charter schools. Charter schools would be tuition free schools that would run on state funding operating separately from current public schools. Schools are generally funded on a per student basis which means opening more schools across the state would dilute resources to fund education. Charter schools would have more flexibility than public schools on a number of aspects such as funding and accountability measures which would put public schools at a disadvantage. After an hour and a half hearing in Senate Education, SB 218 passed out of committee, 4-3; it failed on Senate floor, 17-17, and a reconsideration vote to hear the bill again failed, 17 to 16; I voted against all three times. Tuesday, Feb. 24, is Crossover Day which is the last day for Senate And House bills to pass out of their respective chambers.