With the legislative session quickly coming to a close we are running out of time. We need your help again, Friday February 24th to get the word out and stop two pieces of damaging legislation: HB1185 and HB1255.
Both of the following bills are up for consideration in front of the Senate Health and Human Services committee Friday morning.
HB1255 is an anti-surrogacy bill that makes it extremely difficult to build a family for those that face infertility disease. The bill bans contracts for any form of surrogacy and thus removes any protections intended parents and surrogates have under the law. Proponents argue this bill is necessary to prevent baby selling, which is already illegal in South Dakota. The only thing this bill accomplishes is create questions and doubts for parents who want to complete their family.
Contact the committee members listed below and your State Senators and tell them this is the wrong path for South Dakota to take on surrogacy, and ask them to vote against HB1255.
Also up tomorrow is HB1185. In its current form the bill goes beyond federal and state restrictions already in place by prohibiting private insurance companies from offering coverage for abortion services as part of a regular health insurance policy inside health care exchanges created under the federal health care reform; the restriction remains even if paid 100 percent out of pocket. It creates additional burdensome government regulations that would likely stop any, including voluntary, coverage for abortion in health care policies.
Regardless of how you feel about abortion coverage in health care exchanges, the bill is premature as South Dakota and the governor have taken a wait and see approach on health care reform.
Tell the committee members to follow the Governor’s advice and vote to stop HB1185.
We need your help to contact the committee members below and voice your concerns about these bills.
Sen. Jim Bradford
Sen. Ried Holien
Chair Sen. Jean Hunhoff
Vice Chair Sen. Elizabeth Kraus
Sen. Shantel Krebs
Sen. Bruce Rampelberg
Sen. Todd Schlekeway
You may also call your Senators at 605-773-3821 to voice your opinion or email them using the following link:
http://legis.state.sd.us/email/LegislatorEmail.aspx
Don’t know your Senator? Find them here:
http://legis.state.sd.us/who/index.aspx