HB 1224, sponsored by Representative Rehfeldt and Senator Tobin, would “require the creation of an informational video and other materials describing the state’s abortion law and medical care for a pregnant woman experiencing life-threatening or health-threatening medical conditions.” The Secretary of Health estimated the project will cost under $50,000 and the funds have already been set aside from the Department of Social Services’s budget.
Senator Nesiba, the sole senator who stood in opposition to the bill at the hearing, argued that because the video would not provide insight on how doctors should respond in all possible circumstances, it would not be helpful in alleviating confusion. He peppered Senator Tobin with questions about conjoined twins, cases of ruptured membrane, and other complications that can occur during pregnancy, wondering if all of those specifics would be included in the informational video.
Senator Tobin responded to his inquiries by explaining, “There will not be specific circumstances in this video. That’s the problem with healthcare, there are so many different circumstances that you have to allow doctors’ discretion and in that case [of conjoined twins], if that was threatening the life of the mother, then that’s something the doctor would be able to handle under current law.”
There are thousands of unique situations that will arise during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, and HB1244 will help explain to doctors that they are able to use their own judgment when it comes to doing what is necessary to save the life of the mother.
“In an emergency, you save the mother,” Tobin stated. “This is the way it has been in medicine since medicine’s inception. In an emergency, you do what you need to do. It’s as simple as that. This video would provide clarity only on the current law. Before this trigger law, if a mom was losing blood and was going to die, they would do what they needed to save her. After the trigger law, it is exactly the same.” (emphasis added)
The issue at hand is not altering current SD abortion laws – it’s simply making the laws that already exist easier to interpret. This bill can do nothing but benefit doctors and patients by allowing their care providers to fully understand the options at their disposal when it comes to saving the life of the mother. The bill easily passed committee with a sweeping majority of 8-1.
]]>HB 1257’s multifaceted approach to protecting children from harmful content while also ensuring the privacy of adult users is described in Rep. Soye’s press release. The bill:
If you are as disappointed as we are, contact your Senator today and ask them to fix the mistake of the Senate Judiciary Committee. There is a procedural vote called a “smoke-out” that can be moved on Monday morning to force the legislation to the floor.
Read the legislation HERE
Listen to the Senate Judiciary hearing HERE
South Dakota Legislators were on track to implement one of the strongest bills in the nation for protecting children from pornography exposure, until a Senate committee sidelined the idea. Requiring explicit websites to implement an age-verification system is a legislative idea gaining steam across the nation, as there are 8 states with laws on the books and 25 more considering legislation in 2024.
The bill (HB1257) would have required that explicit websites implement an age-verification system, similar to the systems used by online sports betting companies in other states. The user visits a secure third-party system, obtains validation, and continues to the website. The process has become mainstream, and happens millions of times every day across the U.S..
The idea behind HB1257 was simple: If we have age validation systems that are used for things like sports betting, and we have laws defining pornography as “harmful to minors,” then we should start using the systems to keep children off of these websites.
These laws have been successful in other states, and we’ve seen sites like PornHub and others cease operation in those states. Because the Louisiana law was one of the first to be implemented, the porn industry has had the most time to adjust their practices. At least one of the major porn websites has begun complying with the law and has “re-opened” business in the state.
The porn epidemic is rampant in our nation, and we need to protect children from it. If we look back to 2017, the South Dakota Legislature passed SCR4 which declared porn a “public health crisis” and this year’s age verification legislation would have finally helped to address it. The bill passed through the House of Representatives with incredible momentum, receiving a bipartisan 62-6 vote. A Senate committee however, killed the bill.
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We know that routinely watching pornography at any age leads to sexual aggression, anxiety, depression, interpersonal relationship problems, and dangerous sexual behaviors. This is not an issue to take lightly, and it is not a victimless problem. Rep. Bethany Soye, the author of HB 1257, testified in committee that watching pornography “produces chemical changes in your brain like an addictive drug that can quickly take over your life.” Why would we place a device in our childrens’ hands that has such a capacity for evil and wrongdoing and then fail to implement common-sense safeguards on dangerous content?
HB 1257’s multifaceted approach to protecting children from harmful content while also ensuring the privacy of adult users is described in Rep. Soye’s press release. The bill:
One witness at the committee hearing on HB 1257, Hollie Strand, a forensic examiner for the Internet Crimes Against Children division of the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, told story after story of children who became addicted to extremely violent and perverted pornography, oftentimes because they were exposed to it from a young age. You may think cases of kids addicted to pornography are few and far between, but data shows that 73% teenagers between 13 and 17 years old have watched pornography online at some point in their lives, and over half of them reported that they first saw pornography by the time they were only 13 years old. Take a look at the statistics from Common Sense Media below:
A bill to protect our children from online pornography is long overdue. We must fight back against the perversion of the porn industry and stop them from stealing our childrens’ innocence.
“When it comes to kids and pornography, failure simply cannot be an option,” Strand said.
Although we are hopeful HB 1257 will be enthusiastically passed by our legislators, you, as parents, are not helpless in this cause. One of the most important things you can do to stand in the gap is make sure you get to your kids first, before the world steps in and takes over – teaching them all the wrong things about sex, gender, relationships, and the other uncomfortable topics parents sometimes shy away from, but the world never does. It is your right and responsibility to raise your children up in the ways of the Lord, and teaching them about sin and how to resist it is absolutely essential in the world we live in.
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Age verification (HB1257)
The bill which requires explicit websites to implement an age verification system has passed the House on a vote of 62-6. Many of you contacted your Representatives, but now we need you to email your Senator and ask for their support! Our email campaign system makes it quick and easy.
Partners in Education (SB72)
This bill increases the donation amount allowed for the partners in education scholarship program. This scholarship program enables low-income families additional options for their child’s education. The bill has passed 3 legislative hurdles, but is still waiting on a vote in House Appropriations Committee and the House floor. Please contact your Representatives and ask for their support of SB72!
Signature Removal (HB1244)
We know that the pro-aborts have been deceiving citizens during the signature gathering process. Currently, those who were tricked into signing the petition (by being told it was the food tax petition) or those who were lied to (and were told that it was a pro-life petition) have no legal pathway to remove their name from the petition. HB1244 gives them a pathway. The bill has passed the House on a vote of 59-9, and now heads to the Senate. Contact your Senator today and ask for their support!
Obscene Live Performances (HB1178)
We may finally see a victory on the “obscene live performances” legislation. During the previous discussions about children being invited to inappropriate events (which was largely remedied by the Board of Regents) we realized that there is a need to clarify that no obscene live performances be allowed on college campuses. The obscenity line is not just something that is inappropriate or sexual, but extreme in nature. HB1178 clarifies that no events that cross this extreme line will ever be allowed on college property.
Legislative Report Events
Mark your calendars, our legislative report lunch events will be March 27 in Sioux Falls and April 2 in Rapid City! RSVP details coming soon.
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There is a lot to report after week 6 of the legislative session! Here are a few highlights.
Age verification (HB1257)
The bill which requires explicit websites to implement an age verification system passed out of committee unanimously, and heads to the House floor. If you haven’t already, please write an email to your Representatives! Our email campaign system makes it quick and easy!
Signature Removal (HB1244)
We know that the pro-aborts have been deceiving citizens during the signature gathering process. Here’s the problem: those who were tricked into signing the petition (by being told it was the food tax petition) or those who were lied to (and were told that it was a pro-life petition) have no legal pathway to remove their name from the petition. HB1244 gives them a pathway. If you haven’t already, please contact your Representatives and ask for their support of this bill!
Anti-Abortion Resolution (HCR6008)
The resolution expressing the legislature’s disapproval of the proposed amendment to the constitution has passed the House and Senate with flying colors! The resolution points to the fact that the amendment is far too extreme for South Dakota, removes health and safety standards for mothers, and allows for late term abortions.
Healthcare Sharing Ministries (HB1207)
A bill which would have undermined the ability of healthcare sharing ministries to operate in South Dakota was killed in a committee this week. We were glad to offer our opposition against the bill which would have placed these ministries under the Department of Insurance (even though these plans are not insurance). We were grateful to be joined in our opposition by Mr. Larry Deiter, the President of the Division of Insurance. He led the charge against the bill and explained why these ministries should not be subject to the burdens that HB1207 would have placed on them.
Total Abortion Repeal (SB210)
One Democrat Senator attempted to completely repeal all of the abortion regulations we have on our books. The bill would have allowed for abortion for any reason before viability, and after viability when the doctor can give a “health” reason for the abortion. The bill died in a Senate committee. This bill was one of several that showed the Democrat’s true colors. You can read more about this bill and two other extreme ideas HERE.
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That’s where HB 1244 comes in; it would allow for a person who was deceived into signing a petition an avenue to remove their name from the list of signees. The summary of the bill explains that it would “provide a process to withdraw a signature from a petition for an initiated measure, constitutional amendment, or a referendum on a law in certain situations and to declare an emergency.”
If this bill is passed, anyone who signs a petition, then finds out later they were given false information, would be able to submit an affidavit requesting that their signature be invalidated.
This is a necessary bill not only to remedy the problem created by the pro-abortion lobby, but to dissuade any groups, on either side, from attempting similar tactics in the future. This bill protects the public from manipulation by lobby groups, and every elected official in our legislature should stand behind it.
Would you please consider contacting your representatives, and asking your friends in your district to do the same?
We know the voice of constituents has power to enact real change in the legislature – your representatives want to hear from you on these issues. We encourage you to use this action alert to contact your local representative and voice your strong support for HB 1244.
Thank you for your dedication to civic activism and preserving our fundamental rights in South Dakota. Your actions are shaping the future of our state.
]]>Three bills in particular have unveiled the agenda of many of our Left-leaning elected officials – to repeal all pro-life laws, allow for parents to sign their kids up for chemical castration, and establish “non-consensual pregnancy” as an injury. Let’s dig into these bills and see just how far the left has gone:
Senate Bill 210: “Establish An Individual’s Right To Make Autonomous Decisions About The Individual’s Reproductive Health Care, And To Repeal Provisions Related To Abortion.”
This bill removes not some, but ALL abortion restrictions in our state, leaving the door wide open for radical interpretation and implementation. It has the same pitfalls as many other abortion bills we’ve seen, exemplified in Section 4 of the bill.
“A health care practitioner may provide abortion care in accordance with the practitioner’s professional judgment and scope of practice. If the health care practitioner determines that there is fetal viability, the health care practitioner may provide abortion care only if, in the exercise of professional judgment, the practitioner determines that an abortion is necessary to protect the life or health of the pregnant patient” (emphasis added).
This section grants full authority for abortion doctors – who are in the business of making money when abortions are performed – to determine when or if someone needs an abortion, with absolutely no oversight. It is left to their “professional judgment,” which has caused irrevocable harm to countless women over the years, not to mention the millions of babies they have slaughtered without a second thought.
Senate Bill 216: “Modify Provisions Related To Prohibited Medical Interventions On Minors.”
This bill would amend the South Dakota law that prohibits minors from receiving “gender affirming care” such as puberty blockers and hormone treatments – because they are unsafe – to instead allow for those treatments to be implemented if the parents provide permission.
We KNOW that these medical interventions at a young age have disastrous consequences on these individuals, both mentally and physically, for the rest of their lives. Detransitioners are speaking out en masse to testify just that – but the Left wants to silence them for disagreeing with their money-making agenda.
Parents do not have the right to allow their children to harm themselves – no one has that right. This bill is irresponsible at best, and grossly negligent at worst. We must protect our children from the radical LGBT agenda at all costs.
House Bill 1204: “Establish A Civil Action For Nonconsensual Condom Removal.”
This bill does exactly as the title states, but also adds a new legal concept into our code: “Nonconsensual pregnancy.”
“A person who commits nonconsensual condom removal upon another is liable to that person for damages, punitive damages, reasonable costs and attorney fees, and any other relief the court deems proper. Damages awarded pursuant to this section may take into account the emotional impact on the person bringing the cause of action due to the risk of nonconsensual pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease,” the bill reads.
The legislative sponsor was looking to clarify that this act is illegal, but current SD law already addresses the issue. In addition to being duplicative of current laws, the bill would have added into code the term “nonconsensual pregnancy.” Weaved into the legislation was a clear assumption: A person can consent to intercourse without consenting to the possibility of a baby. We know this is fundamentally impossible.
In addition, it placed pregnancy into the category of an injury or direct harm. Things like rape and sexual violence are clearly wrong and clearly a form of harm, but a pregnancy should not be regarded by our laws as an injury.
We are thankful for the many good bills that have come out of the 2024 session thus far, but there are others just as radical as the ones listed above that we need your help pushing back against. If you’re interested in joining the fight, please click here for several ways you can do so, or reach out to us at: office@familyheritagealliance.org.
]]>HB 1257, introduced by Representative Bethany Soye, is a deeply important bill that we stand firmly behind. The bill’s multifaceted approach to protecting children from harmful content while also ensuring the privacy of adult users is described in Sen. Soye’s press release below. The bill:
This bill sends a clear message: our top priority is protecting kids.
“We need to protect kids in South Dakota from this predatory industry,” Rep. Soye said. “We know this multi-billion-dollar monster is targeting our kids, and it’s time to say, ‘No more’ by making pornography hard for children to access. Together, we can join the growing number of states who are standing up to the porn industry as we demand that they stay away from our kids.”
The seven other states who already adopted this critical legislation have seen one of two responses: either the pornography platforms cease to operate in that region, or they attempt to implement the new age-verification requirements.
This common-sense bill would push us several steps forward in protecting our children from lascivious online content. We know the digital world we live in is a difficult place for parents to navigate. If passed, this bill would reduce the possibility innocent kids stumbling upon explicit websites, giving parents one less thing to worry about.
]]>“This is a stepping stone to having everybody be able to access doula support,” Renee Forred, who owns a doula business, said. “We need to be able to extend this support to everybody – not just those who can pay privately.”
But what functions do doulas provide that doctors and nurses, even midwives, do not? Doulas are certified professionals who provide physical, emotional, and informational support during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. They can help mothers create a birth plan and articulate their needs and desires to medical professionals, provide support during labor, and act as a resource for evidence-based information. However, doulas are not equipped to give medical advice or diagnosis, and they do not perform medical procedures or births, as midwives do.
“Doulas are an integral part of the safe and efficient care of our laboring patients,” OBGYN Emily Abele said. “Doulas help patients with support during their labors which helps decrease anxiety and helps patients do effective position changes to help expedite their labor course.”
In the hearing on Thursday, January 25th, the Obstetrics Director at Brookings Health System,
Michelle Sand, testified in favor of HB 1081. She has been a key stakeholder in the initiative due to her 12 years of experience as a Labor & Delivery nurse.
“It is apparent that the current state of our maternal outcomes, both nationally and locally, are far from where they should be,” Sand explained. “Recent maternal morbidity and mortality are rising and more likely to impact populations for marginalized and low income communities, which does include those on Medicaid. These disparities stem from barriers to access, differences in healthcare quality, underlying chronic conditions and the impact of negative social determinants of health.”
Sand went on to note that in South Dakota, one in 12 mothers have limited access to maternal care services. Some birthing centers have shared that 30-40% of their mothers on Medicaid do not receive prenatal care – a critical factor in ensuring a healthy birth.
“This is a huge problem that will continue to grow and negatively impact the families and communities and state of South Dakota if not fixed,” Sand stated.
Additionally, evidence shows that the presence of doulas at births can reduce costly procedures, such as epidurals, C-sections, the use of Pitocin, premature births, as well as other complications. Other states have found that due to the improved outcomes of births where doulas are present, costs to their medicaid programs are either insignificant, or they even find a cost savings thanks to the preventative measures of the doulas’ work.
The only opposition to the bill came from Matt Althoff with the Department of Social Services, because he believes that in partnership with the governor, who has already expressed interest in the initiative, they can enact the provisions the bill lays out without going through the legislature.
Ultimately, Rep. Heerman tabled her own bill as a gesture of goodwill toward the governor’s office and their request, which showed her commitment to the cause even if the path forward is different than what she asked for. We look forward to seeing what Representative Heermann and DSS are able to accomplish together in the months ahead.
]]>Although we’re thankful recent legislation has been effective in outlawing “gender affirming care” experimentation on children, we know that statistics based on medical claims in our state only scratch the surface of the underlying problem.
The reality is individuals are transporting children across state lines so they can undergo these horrific procedures and obtain treatment in states that still allow it. There are even groups making funds available to cover the cost of travel. Similar to the wave of “abortion tourism” we saw after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, we are now seeing “gender-affirming medical tourism” for adults and children alike.
Although the drop in “cases” in SD is a good sign, we shouldn’t assume that this ideology has lost its grip on our children. If the past few years have shown us anything, it’s that the overwhelming surge in LGBT-affiliated individuals is not a matter of them being “born this way,” but a matter of social contagion. Through social media, parental influence, school curriculum, and many other social outlets, children are being indoctrinated to think gender is fluid, heterosexuality is just an option to consider, and exploring these concepts is not only beneficial but necessary. It is unnatural and inexplicable for some states to have witnessed gender confusion growth rates of over 100% and up to 274% in only five years, aside from the clear answer that this is a social problem, not a medical one.
“I’ve always observed that the increase in gender dysphoria cases isn’t a natural phenomenon, it’s a social phenomenon,” Rep Daniel Crenshaw noted. “It has become a bandwagon to jump on and a diagnostic catch-all for depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders. This isn’t to say some people don’t actually have it, but it would be much rarer if it weren’t such a popular label for progressives to seek out and slap on any vulnerable patient.”
It is unthinkable that we are allowing children caught up in a social trend to permanently alter their bodies through elective double mastectomies, gender reassignment surgery that will render them infertile, and heavy doses of hormones that can lead to cancer, strokes, and other life-threatening conditions. It’s time to put a stop to “gender affirming care” treatments for children, not just in South Dakota, but across the US. It’s time to boldly speak truth to children, and offer true help instead of permanent harm.
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