With the end of 2023 almost here, that means the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) team is already active educating members, lawmakers and the public about SDAHO advocacy priorities and the upcoming 2024 legislative session.
Over the past several years, Tim Rave, President/CEO of SDAHO along with the advocacy team has used the last few weeks of every year to connect with policymakers and members in or near their hometowns to focus on advocacy and the upcoming legislative session. “Being able to connect not only with our state legislators and our members right before session is helpful, but to have all of us in the same room to talk about the issues that really matter in the healthcare industry is important before we all head off to Pierre.”
The 2024 Legislature will begin on January 9, 2024, with Governor Kristi Noem delivering the State of the State Address. This year will mark the state’s 99th legislative session with Rave feeling positive with the direction healthcare is moving. “Governor Noem delivered her budget recommendations on December 5 and we feel good about what we heard during the speech. The Governor is recommending a 4% across the board increase for all providers, and we appreciate that recommendation.”
The SDAHO Advocacy team has scheduled 5 legislative forums across the state.
- Sioux Falls – December 11
- Aberdeen – December 12
- Rapid City – December 18
- Mitchell – December 19
- Pierre – December 19
Attendees can expect to hear a review of the 2023 legislative session in addition to the top healthcare issues expected to take center stage during session. Rave says he is pleased with the attendance at this year’s legislative forums so far which could be a good indication for the upcoming session, “We’ve held 2 in-person legislative forums so far, one in Sioux Falls and the other in Aberdeen and both had great attendance from our members and policymakers. Those who attended were engaged in the issues we brought, asked good questions, and seem genuinely interested in the future of healthcare in South Dakota.”
SDAHO’s advocacy team will deliver a 2024 Legislative Preview webinar exclusive to SDAHO members on Wednesday January 3, 2024, at 12pm CT / 11am MT. To learn more and to register, click here.
To learn more about SDAHO’s state advocacy efforts, visit our webpage here. There you can also access our Bill Tracker, which provides real time updates and information on the bills SDAHO is actively following.
To learn more about the 2024 legislative session, visit the South Dakota Legislative Research Council webpage.
