HB 1101 prohibits insurers from denying or limiting life, disability, or long-term care insurance coverage solely because someone is a living organ donor. It specifically bans insurers from: (1) refusing coverage based on donor status, (2) requiring donors to stop donating to maintain coverage, or (3) charging higher premiums or imposing other restrictions due to donor status alone. The bill ensures that living organ donors cannot face insurance discrimination without evidence of actual increased health risk. This directly protects individuals who donate organs while alive from unfair treatment by insurance companies.
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.
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'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.
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.
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 1170 requires South Dakota's Department of Public Safety to make the state's organ donation registry accessible online 24/7, allowing registered donors or authorized individuals to verify their status anytime. It directly affects South Dakotans who are organ donors or considering donation, as well as organ procurement organizations and donation agencies that need to access registry information. The bill mandates that the registry must allow online registration, amendment, revocation, and verification of donor status, while ensuring personally identifiable information is protected and only used for determining donation status near death. This change streamlines access to the registry without altering the underlying donation process or eligibility rules.
