The South Dakota legislative session for 2024 began on January 9, with Governor Kristi Noem presenting the State of the State Address. During her address, the Governor shared the “Top Ten List” of the state’s Freedom Works Here campaign, which had healthcare as number #3. The Governor emphasized the importance of living a healthy life in South Dakota and announced the statewide EMS efforts that are providing the latest technology to patients with a $20 million investment. Over 150 pieces of legislation have been filed, and many anticipate that 2024 will be a record year for the number of bills introduced in South Dakota. To read the full 2024 State of the State Address, click here.
The South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) advocacy team is currently following 21 bills, and more are expected to be added in the coming weeks. The SDAHO Bill Tracker allows you to take a closer look at the bills that the association is following and their position on these bills.
On January 11, members of the House and Health and Human Services Committee approved House Bill 1015, which will adopt the social work licensure compact. The purpose of this Compact is to facilitate interstate practice of Regulated Social Workers by improving public access to competent Social Work Services while preserving the regulatory authority of States to protect public health and safety through the current system of State licensure.
If you’re interested in attending a legislative coffee or cracker barrel, the latest information on when and where to attend can be found on the SDAHO advocacy page.
Upcoming Legislative Coffee/ Cracker Barrels:
- Jan. 26, 2024 | 8am CT – Mitchell, Chamber of Commerce 601 N. Main Street, Mitchell SD.
- Jan. 27, 2024 |10am CT – Aberdeen, Kessler’s Champions Club, 2nd Floor NSU Barnett Center, Aberdeen SD
- Jan. 27, 2024 | 9:30am CT – Sioux Falls, Hamre Recital Hall, Augustana University 2001 S. Summit Ave. Sioux Falls
- Jan. 27, 2024 | 9am MT – Western Dakota Tech Event Center, Live Stream Available on the Elevate Facebook page
Each week the SDAHO advocacy team will provide a weekly podcast update. Here is the SDAHO Legislative podcast for week 1.
To learn more about the 2024 legislative session, visit the LRC webpage at sdlegislature.gov. The legislature provides live and archived audio of committee hearings plus Senate and House floor debates. To access both the live audio feed or archived audio files, visit sd.net.
