Senate Committee Restores Birth To 3 Program

A South Dakota Senate committee has recommended restoring funding to the Birth to 3 program that provides therapy to infants and toddlers whose development is delayed.

Parents in the audience applauded as the State Affairs Committee voted unanimously to fund the program in the next budget year.

Governor Mike Rounds had recommended eliminating funding for the program because of the state budget deficit. But state Education Secretary Tom Oster testified in support of the funding bill, saying services provided to infants help them later in life.

SB203 next goes to the full Senate.