Week 1 Legislative Update
Norman and Don give a brief recap of week 1, and highlight a few pieces of legislation we expect to see this year, including:
Homeschool Restrictions – This year the public school lobby is positioning to attempt the addition of several new regulations on homeschool families, including new reporting requirements and the ability for a public school to revoke a families ability to homeschool in certain situations. To learn more about these efforts, CLICK HERE.
Charter Schools – A piece of legislation will be introduced to enable public charter schools as another option for families.
Partners in Education Scholarships – This scholarship program has served hundreds of families in South Dakota, and opened new doors for students. This session, through SB84, the legislature will consider expanding the student eligibility parameters and give additional opportunities to SD families.
App Store Age Verification – Did you know: each time you check the “I agree” box underneath the “terms of service” agreement you are essentially signing a legal agreement? This practice has become common across the digital world, but here’s the deal: 8-yr-olds can’t sign contracts. This legislation would require that before a child can download an application their parent’s phone receives a notification asking if they agree to the terms of service. through enforcing this nuanced aspect of contract law, we can help empower parents to remain active participants in their child’s digital activities. To learn more about this concept, CLICK HERE.
Conscience Protections for Medical Professionals – Should a doctor every be forced by a corporation to engage in something that is harmful to the patient in their exam room? The Hippocratic Oath clearly says no. We anticipate seeing legislation this year to protect the Hippocratic Oath and the conscience rights of doctors, and ensure that a medical professional is never forced to choose between their job and doing what’s right for patients.
Parental Rights – This year we expect to see legislation on the topic of parental rights, adding further clarity to the fact that parents are responsible for the direction and upbringing of their child.
Stay tuned for further updates, and details on additional legislative efforts!
Join us January 27 for our Day at the Capitol – Bus transportation is provided, and we’d love to have you join us. Come explore the Capitol, meet your legislators, watch legislative proceedings, and learn more about how we as Christians can advocate for Biblical truth in the public square. CLICK HERE for full event details!
Team Updates:
Don Haggar has joined our lobbying team this year, and will be lending his voice to the pro-family cause alongside us at the Capitol.
Brian Gosch was not able to lobby for us this year, but we look forward to future opportunities to partner together and advance family values.
Grace Sargent has completed her internship with us, and is currently serving as a Legislative Intern for Representative Scott Odenbach. We look forward to future opportunities to work with Grace after her Legislative Internship is completed.
