HB 1143 allows students with diabetes to possess and self-administer nasal glucagon (a medication for severe low blood sugar) on school property or at school events. It directly affects students diagnosed with diabetes who require this specific treatment. The bill requires a licensed healthcare provider’s diagnosis, written parent authorization, and a physician’s statement detailing the medication’s purpose, dosage, and administration guidelines to be kept on file at the school. Schools must maintain these documents in the student’s health record or with the school nurse. This change expands existing provisions for asthma and anaphylaxis medications to include nasal glucagon for diabetes management.
South Dakota would join the Physician Assistant Licensure Compact, allowing physician assistants (PAs) licensed in other participating states to practice in South Dakota without obtaining a separate state license. This directly affects PAs - especially active-duty military personnel and their spouses - who can use their existing license from another participating state to practice in South Dakota. The key mechanism is the "Compact Privilege," which permits PAs to provide medical services where the patient is located, while maintaining patient safety through existing state licensing board oversight. This reduces licensing barriers for PAs and improves access to medical care across state lines.
HB 1279 permits technical college employees in South Dakota to join the state health plan, directly affecting permanent staff working 20+ hours weekly at least six months yearly. The bill requires the technical college’s local education agency (LEA) to pay equivalent monthly contributions instead of the state, and removes previous restrictions preventing these employees from enrolling. Key provisions include defining "technical college employee" and ensuring LEAs cover the same cost as the state does for other plan-eligible employees. The law takes effect July 1, 2027, and applies only to technical college staff, not other state workers.
SB 220 directs South Dakota's Department of Corrections to conduct a study evaluating juvenile correctional and residential facilities. The study must examine best practices, therapeutic housing models, vocational training combined with mental health services, and staff-to-youth ratios, including inspections at three facilities outside South Dakota. The bill appropriates $50,000 from the general fund to cover study costs and requires a written report to the Legislative Research Council by September 1, 2026. This is a procedural study bill with no direct policy changes or new requirements for facilities, solely aimed at gathering information for future decisions.
HB 1073 requires every public and accredited nonpublic school in South Dakota to create a cardiac emergency response plan. The bill mandates schools to develop these plans with local emergency services, including forming response teams, placing accessible automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in schools and athletic venues, and training staff in CPR and AED use. Schools must conduct annual drills and maintain AEDs, with specific training requirements for coaches, athletic trainers, nurses, and response team members. This law directly affects all South Dakota schools and aims to improve emergency response for heart-related incidents during school activities.
HB 1043 allocates $978,294 to reimburse 12 specific rural healthcare professionals (4 family physicians, 2 physician assistants, and 6 nurse practitioners) who met requirements under §34-12G-3 for rural recruitment programs. It also allocates $370,000 to reimburse other eligible healthcare professionals meeting requirements under §34-12G-12. The funds come from the state general fund and are intended to cover costs incurred by providers who participated in designated rural recruitment initiatives. The bill declares an emergency to expedite funding, with unspent funds reverting per standard procedures.
HB 1105 prevents property owners in specific areas from using contracts or declarations to block healthcare services on commercial property. It applies to municipalities/townships under 3,000 people (per federal census) or areas officially designated as medically underserved by South Dakota’s Department of Health. The bill invalidates any contract or declaration that restricts the use of commercial property for healthcare services like clinics, diagnoses, or treatment in these areas. This directly affects property owners and developers who previously could impose such restrictions, while enabling healthcare providers to operate in underserved communities.
SB 8 allows South Dakota public schools to stock and administer epinephrine nasal spray (in addition to auto-injectors) for students experiencing severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) during school hours. It requires schools to adopt clear policies for storage and use, notify parents about these policies, and train designated staff (like school nurses) to recognize allergic reactions, administer the nasal spray, and provide emergency care. The bill also provides liability protection for schools and staff who follow the protocol, shielding them from ordinary negligence claims when acting in good faith during emergencies. This directly affects all public school districts, students with allergies, and school personnel authorized to respond to allergic emergencies.
HB 1153 protects healthcare providers' right to refuse participation in or payment for medical services that conflict with their moral, ethical, or religious beliefs (Section 2). It applies broadly to all healthcare professionals (like doctors, nurses, pharmacists), healthcare entities (hospitals, clinics), and organizations arranging medical payments (Section 1). The bill prohibits discrimination against providers who exercise this right, engage in protected speech about it, report violations, or disclose conscience-related concerns to authorities (Section 3). It clarifies that employers may accommodate this right through reassignment or schedule changes but cannot retaliate, while not affecting existing duties to provide non-conflicting care.
HB 1112 modifies South Dakota's definition of "electronic smoking device" to explicitly include any device containing or delivering nicotine (or other substances with nicotine) intended for human consumption. This change clarifies that e-cigarettes, vape pens, e-cigars, and similar devices delivering nicotine fall under the definition, regardless of other substances they may contain. The amendment directly affects tobacco businesses selling these products and enforcement of existing laws regulating electronic smoking devices. The bill does not create new restrictions but ensures the definition aligns with how such devices are commonly used and marketed.
