Healthcare

failed · South Dakota · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 1160: repeal the medical marijuana oversight committee.

HB 1160 repeals the legal requirement for a medical marijuana oversight committee in South Dakota. The bill ends a committee that was mandated to meet twice yearly to evaluate the medical cannabis program, including patient access, dispensary operations, testing facilities, and regulatory safeguards. This change removes the committee's structure and duties, which included making recommendations to the legislature about the program's effectiveness and regulations. The repeal applies to the medical cannabis program established under existing law.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRepeals committee evaluating medical marijuana program's patient access and safety, removing oversight mechanism for healthcare service.60% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Healthcare

Track

signed · South Dakota · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 1143: authorize the possession and self-administration of diabetes medications by a student on school property and at school-related events and activities.

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllows diabetic students to manage health emergencies at school, ensuring continued educational access and safety through explicit health protections.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables diabetic students to access emergency glucagon treatment at school, improving patient access to critical health services under public health guidelines.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · South Dakota · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 1146: adopt the physician assistant licensure compact.

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables out-of-state PAs to practice without additional licensing, expanding healthcare access for patients and military personnel in South Dakota.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 9, 2026

SB 87: clarify and establish requirements related to forensic medical examinations.

South Dakota's SB 87 ensures counties cover the full cost of forensic medical examinations for victims of sexual assault or rape, eliminating out-of-pocket expenses for victims. The bill specifies covered costs include physician services, necessary tests (like STD screenings and pregnancy tests), supplies, and medications, with payments capped at Medicaid rates. It allows minors aged 16+ to consent to exams without parental permission and permits exams for protected persons without guardian consent, provided informed consent is obtained. Hospitals and clinics cannot bill victims beyond these Medicaid-based limits, and must notify victims of their no-cost access regardless of cooperation with law enforcement.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEliminates victim costs for forensic exams, aligning with victim rights and access to justice reforms in sexual assault cases.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEliminates out-of-pocket costs for forensic medical exams, covering essential services like STD/pregnancy tests, improving access to healthcare for sexual assault victims.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

passed · South Dakota · House Mar 5, 2026

HB 1279: permit technical college employees to join the state health plan.

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands health coverage by allowing technical college employees to join state health plan, removing prior enrollment restrictions for eligible staff.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRemoves enrollment restrictions for technical college employees to join state health plan, expanding access to employer-provided benefits and aligning with worker benefit expansion indicators.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

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passed · South Dakota · Senate Mar 4, 2026

SB 220: authorize a comprehensive study of juvenile correctional and residential facilities, to make an appropriation therefor, and to declare an emergency.

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates $50,000 from general fund for juvenile facility study, directly funding a state budget item per its 'Appropriation' subject.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill funds study to evaluate juvenile facilities, therapeutic models, and mental health services - directly advancing rehabilitation-focused criminal justice reform in juvenile system.92% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates study of mental health services integration in juvenile facilities, directly aligning with healthcare support indicators for mental health services.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

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signed · South Dakota · House Feb 25, 2026

HB 1043: make an appropriation to reimburse health care professionals who have complied with the requirements for rural recruitment assistance programs, and to declare an emergency.

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $1.35M from state general fund to reimburse rural healthcare providers, directly funding a public health program through budget appropriation.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $978,294 + $370,000 to reimburse rural healthcare providers for recruitment program costs, directly funding access to underserved areas per §34-12G-3/12.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

passed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 24, 2026

SB 211: prohibit certain billing practices by ambulance service providers and establish reimbursement standards for out-of-network emergency medical services.

SB 211 prohibits ambulance providers from billing patients for out-of-network emergency services beyond required coinsurance, copayments, or deductibles. It requires health insurance plans to reimburse out-of-network ambulance providers at local rates (or 325% of Medicare rates if no local rate exists) within 30 days, and mandates clear billing explanations for patients. The law also establishes a complaint process through the Division of Insurance for violations and requires the division to post reimbursement rates online by 2027. It excludes self-funded employer plans, Medicaid, Medicare, and other federally regulated programs from these rules.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits excessive patient billing for ambulance services, mandates timely insurance reimbursement, and requires clear billing explanations, protecting patient rights and improving emergency care access.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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signed · South Dakota · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 8: permit a school district to administer epinephrine using a nasal spray.

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill enables schools to administer emergency anaphylaxis treatment (epinephrine nasal spray), improving student access to critical health care during school hours and aligning with public health safety protocols.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · South Dakota · House Feb 9, 2026

HB 1023: establish requirements and liability protection for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses serving on ambulance crews.

This bill (HB 1023) allows registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) to serve on ambulance crews in South Dakota under specific conditions. It requires nurses to demonstrate competence in emergency care skills to medical or program directors before working on ambulances, and mandates that their care must stay within their license scope and be supervised. The bill also provides liability protection for RNs and LPNs for routine ambulance care, shielding them from most civil lawsuits unless the care involved gross negligence or willful misconduct. This directly affects ambulance services seeking to employ nurses and the nurses themselves who wish to provide emergency care on ambulances.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables RNs/LPNs on ambulance crews with liability protection, expanding emergency care access and strengthening provider participation in public health services.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare