Week 1 Legislative Update
Norman, Don & Dawson give a brief recap of week 2, and highlight a few pieces of legislation for this year, including:
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.
Worship Disruption – Looking over to our neighbor state of Minnesota, we can see what happens when citizens lose their respect for the practice of worship. A number of legislators as well as the Governor are examining our current laws to see if additional changes are needed.
Birth Centers – There are many areas in South Dakota that can be categorized as “maternity deserts.” These areas, with no nearby hospitals, offer no maternity options to mothers in South Dakota. HB1127 could help remedy this problem, by enabling certified professional midwives (CPM’s) to supervise birth centers in the state.
Abortion Pills & False Advertising – This year we saw an out-of-state organization place ads at gas station pumps, pointing women to a company that would mail them abortion pills. The Governor, Attorney General and a number of our pro-life legislators are examining our South Dakota laws to see if changes are needed to combat future attempts to mail these dangerous pills into our state. To read more about the dangers of the abortion pill, CLICK HERE.
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.
