PIERRE, S.D. (AP) – A measure that would require South Dakota high school students to pass a civics test to graduate is headed to the Senate.

The House voted 38-31 Thursday for the bill. It would mandate that high school students score at least 70 percent to get a diploma.

The exam would include 10 questions from the U.S. citizenship test. The bill, proposed by Gov. Kristi Noem, was changed in committee in part to reduce the number of questions from at least 50 to 10.

Noem said in her State of the State address that it’s only fair that young people demonstrate a basic knowledge of the nation’s institutions and history before graduating from high school and taking on their responsibilities as citizens.

Democratic Rep. Ryan Cwach, an opponent, says government teachers are teaching civics right now.

AP-WF-02-15-19