Action Alert: HB 1080
House Bill 1080 is a piece of mean-spirited legislation that will be on the South Dakota Senate floor tomorrow: Thursday, Feb. 9th. We need your help to let your legislators know why this bill is bad for South Dakota.
HB 1080 will prevent doctors from providing life-saving medical care to transgender, nonbinary, and Two-Spirit youth in South Dakota. This legislation would create a hostile legal environment for healthcare providers who provide gender-affirming care for LGBTQ youth. Finally, HB 1080 would negatively impact the lives of young people, requiring any minor currently receiving gender-affirming care to abruptly terminate that care by the end of this year.
As Democrats work hard to ensure South Dakota is a place that welcomes and supports everyone, this piece of Republican legislation will push even more young people to leave our state.
How You Can Help
- Find Out Who Represents You in the South Dakota Legislature
You can find out who your Senator is by visiting the South Dakota Legislature website and entering your address. Each Legislative district has two Representatives and one Senator. You want to find your Senator.
- Contact Your Senator by Phone or Email
Each Legislator will have their name, district, Capitol phone number, and email listed in their profile. From there, you can call your Legislator or leave a message before their vote on February 9th.
You can also contact them by email. Emailing your Senator is a great opportunity to tell your story, urge them to vote against HB 1080, and include any additional information.
What Your Legislators Need To Hear:
- Share your story – speak from your own life experience when possible.
- Transgender kids deserve the same chance to thrive as their peers. LGBTQ+ youth are especially vulnerable to mental distress and suicide.
- Gender-affirming care saves lives. Access to appropriate medical care is proven to improve the mental health and well-being of transgender youth, including depression and suicidal ideation.
- Why do Republicans want to put the government between patients and their doctors?
- Patients, their doctors, and parents should be making these decisions; not politicians.
- This bill strips South Dakota parents of their right to follow the evidence-based advice of doctors to provide the best care for their child.
- HB 1080 may be unconstitutional, triggering lawsuits against the state that could cost South Dakota taxpayers millions of dollars.
- Always end your phone call or email with “I hope I can count on you to do the right thing and vote NO on HB 1080.”
If you or someone you know is experience suicidal thoughts or crisis, dial 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.