HB 1212 repeals a provision that previously shielded women from criminal liability for unlawful abortions. It removes the exception that prevented homicide charges when an abortion caused an unborn child's death, making such cases subject to standard homicide laws (Class B felony). The bill directly affects women seeking abortions and medical providers performing them, as it eliminates prior legal protections for abortion-related deaths. Exceptions for lifesaving procedures to preserve the mother's life or spontaneous miscarriages remain unchanged.
HB 1085 requires South Dakota health insurers to cover nonopioid prescription drugs for pain treatment when prescribed by a doctor, without denying coverage in favor of opioids. Insurers cannot impose stricter approval steps (like prior authorization) or higher cost-sharing tiers for nonopioid drugs compared to opioids or narcotics. This directly affects patients seeking pain management and insurers operating in South Dakota, ensuring equal coverage treatment for nonopioid options when clinically appropriate. The law applies to all health insurance policies sold or renewed in the state.
This bill appropriates $500 million in federal funds to the South Dakota Department of Health to implement the rural health transformation program, authorized under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Pub. L. No. 119-21). It directly affects rural healthcare providers and facilities by funding program implementation. Key provisions include requiring the health secretary to approve vouchers for payments and mandating unspent funds by June 30, 2031, to revert per state law. The bill also declares an emergency to expedite its implementation upon passage.
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to remove South Dakota's legal requirement to provide expanded Medicaid coverage. It specifically targets Section 10 of Article XXI, which currently mandates that the state provide Medicaid benefits to adults aged 18-65 with incomes at or below 133% of the federal poverty level. If approved by voters, the amendment would eliminate this constitutional obligation, allowing the state to potentially modify or discontinue the expanded eligibility rules. The change directly affects low-income South Dakota adults who currently qualify under the existing Medicaid expansion.
South Dakota's Senate Concurrent Resolution 603 supports the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in establishing a federal working group of nutrition experts to develop evidence-based national standards for foods and beverages that can be purchased with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The resolution does not create new law but urges Congress to pass legislation implementing the working group’s recommendations, which would align SNAP purchasing rules with current nutrition science and dietary guidelines. It directly affects the federal SNAP program, which provides food assistance to millions of low-income Americans, including South Dakota residents. The resolution emphasizes that national standards require federal action to ensure consistency, avoid state administrative costs, and prevent future policy reversals. This is a supportive measure for federal policy development, not a direct change to SNAP benefits or eligibility.
HB 1039 requires all students participating in school sports to undergo a pre-participation physical exam within one year of the season start. The exam must include heart health questions about the student's personal and family history, documented on a state-approved form signed by a licensed healthcare provider. Schools must collect these forms before students can join athletic activities. Additionally, the Department of Health must create and distribute educational materials about sudden cardiac arrest to all school districts and healthcare providers, outlining screening guidelines and symptoms requiring specialist referral. This bill directly affects minors in school sports, their schools, and healthcare practitioners conducting these evaluations.
HB 1053 requires terminal care facilities (hospitals, inpatient hospice, or residential hospice) to permit terminally ill patients with a medical cannabis card to store and use medical cannabis within the facility. It mandates that patients provide their registry card and a physician's note documenting the need, while prohibiting smoking or vaping on-site. Facilities must establish policies for administration and storage but are not required to procure or administer cannabis. This applies only to patients with a terminal condition (life expectancy under one year) and excludes emergency departments. The bill does not override federal enforcement actions against facilities that comply with federal law.
