Legislative Updates
When our legislature is in session (Jan-Mar), South Dakota Families for Vaccines monitors vaccine-related legislation and informs our partners and volunteers about opportunities to participate in the lawmaking process.
You can join our email list to be notified about our activities. We submit testimony, organize volunteers, and work with leading medical, public health, and community partners to educate South Dakotans about vaccine science, public health, and why safe communities are so important.
Learn how to get involved and make a real difference!
2024 SD LEGISLATIVE SESSION UPDATE
The following is a list of the 2024 anti-vaccine legislation with brief explanations and our concerns. All were defeated in committee!
Senate Bill 100: An Act to prohibit the imposition of additional immunization requirements on children.
Concerns that this bill would have increased exemptions to vaccination when rates are already decreasing, and would have made it impossible to add any vaccine to the school schedule, leaving our community susceptible to preventable diseases as new vaccines are developed.
House Bill 1166: An Act to clarify determinations regarding the wearing of face masks.
House Bill 1167: An Act to clarify determinations regarding the injection of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Concerns that both of these bills collectively would restrict employers from requiring face masks or COVID-19 vaccines for their employees. These restrictions would hinder employers' efforts to ensure the safety of both customers and staff, as well as to reduce absenteeism.
House Bill 1248: An Act to prohibit a person from coercing an individual to submit to certain vaccinations.
Concerns are the definition of 'coerce' and ensuring children and adults get vaccinated although it is sometimes an unpleasant experience, without fear of penalty for educating and encouraging.
House Bill 1221: An Act to enhance right to work laws and provide a penalty therefor.
Concerns are employer and school rights to require working and learning in an environment for everyone that is safe from vaccine preventable diseases, without penalty.
House Concurrent Resolution 6012: Acknowledging the challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and committing to accountability and action.
Concerns about the legislation using information that is not evidence-based or factual.
2024 DAY OF ADVOCACY
What a fun and productive day we had in Pierre on Wednesday, February 21 for our first ever South Dakota Families for Vaccines Day of Advocacy at the Capitol in Pierre! We had members of Immunize South Dakota, among others, join us as we stood up for public health, promoting fact-based public policy and encouraging recommended vaccinations to keep our South Dakota communities healthy and safe from vaccine-preventable diseases.
We served lunch to our legislators in both chambers and thanked them for their important work in Pierre. We are grateful for the many lawmakers that helped defeat 6 bills that would have decreased our immunization rates even further and put our families, schools, and workplaces at risk. We had great conversations with them about the importance of vaccines and the need to increase awareness of our dropping rates and to raise confidence in vital public health.
We had a productive meeting with our SD Secretary of Health, Melissa Magstadt, and were recognized from the floors of both the House and the Senate, complete with standing ovations! Thanks to our very supportive sponsors of the day, Senator Reynold Nesiba, Senator Sydney Davis, and Representative Linda Duba.
THANK YOU to everyone that joined us as we advocated in our Capitol for healthier South Dakota families and communities. Our group had so much fun together, and we hope you will join us next year for our 2nd Annual Day of Advocacy event!
