Latest news with #HB1259
The Independent
21-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
South Dakota governor signs anti-transgender bathroom bill
A new law in South Dakota will restrict transgender people's use of communal facilities in public schools and state-owned buildings starting July 1. Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden signed bill HB 1259 into law on Friday, which prohibits transgender people from using changing rooms and restrooms that align with their gender identity. The bill also allows people who encounter transgender people in these facilities to seek declaratory and injunctive relief against the school or state if officials did not take reasonable steps to prevent the transgender person from using that facility. 'South Dakota is a place where common-sense values remain common,' Rhoden said in a statement, adding that the bill promotes 'freedom from the 'woke' agenda like what has happened in too many other places.' This is the first time South Dakota has had a state law restricting transgender people's bathroom access, thanks to the overwhelmingly conservative state legislature this session. A bill had previously passed through both chambers of the state legislature in 2016 before it was vetoed by then Gov. Dennis Daugaard. Samantha Chapman, advocacy manager at the ACLU of South Dakota, said the organization is exploring its options against the law. 'This is a really painful law,' Chapman said. 'It's really disheartening and kind of heartbreaking, frankly, to see Rhoden take this position and sign this bill into law." South Dakota is at least the 13th state to adopt a law barring transgender girls and women from girls and women's bathrooms at public schools, and in some cases other government facilities. A similar measure was sent Thursday to the governor in Tennessee; a bill is also on the governor's desk in Montana. Most of the bans in other states face court challenges, but those haven't had final rulings. Courts have struck down some school district-level bathroom bans across the country. But this week, a federal appeals panel ruled 3-0 that a district judge was not wrong to allow Idaho's ban to be enforced while the case is considered. Since he returned to office in January, President Donald Trump has signed a series of executive orders intended to curtail the rights of transgender people. President Joe Biden's administration had sought to apply the federal barring of gender discrimination at schools to gender identity, but the courts put the brakes on that. ___
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
South Dakota governor signs anti-transgender bathroom bill
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A new law in South Dakota will restrict transgender people's use of communal facilities in public schools and state-owned buildings starting July 1. Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden signed bill HB 1259 into law on Friday, which prohibits transgender people from using changing rooms and restrooms that align with their gender identity. The bill also allows people who encounter transgender people in these facilities to seek declaratory and injunctive relief against the school or state if officials did not take reasonable steps to prevent the transgender person from using that facility. 'South Dakota is a place where common-sense values remain common,' Rhoden said in a statement, adding that the bill promotes 'freedom from the 'woke' agenda like what has happened in too many other places.' This is the first time South Dakota has had a state law restricting transgender people's bathroom access, thanks to the overwhelmingly conservative state legislature this session. A bill had previously passed through both chambers of the state legislature in 2016 before it was vetoed by then Gov. Dennis Daugaard. Samantha Chapman, advocacy manager at the ACLU of South Dakota, said the organization is exploring its options against the law. 'This is a really painful law,' Chapman said. 'It's really disheartening and kind of heartbreaking, frankly, to see Rhoden take this position and sign this bill into law." South Dakota is at least the 13th state to adopt a law barring transgender girls and women from girls and women's bathrooms at public schools, and in some cases other government facilities. A similar measure was sent Thursday to the governor in Tennessee; a bill is also on the governor's desk in Montana. Most of the bans in other states face court challenges, but those haven't had final rulings. Courts have struck down some school district-level bathroom bans across the country. But this week, a federal appeals panel ruled 3-0 that a district judge was not wrong to allow Idaho's ban to be enforced while the case is considered. Since he returned to office in January, President Donald Trump has signed a series of executive orders intended to curtail the rights of transgender people. President Joe Biden's administration had sought to apply the federal barring of gender discrimination at schools to gender identity, but the courts put the brakes on that. ___ Associated Press writer Geoff Mulvihill contributed from Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
Associated Press
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
South Dakota governor signs anti-transgender bathroom bill
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A new law in South Dakota will restrict transgender people's use of communal facilities in public schools and state-owned buildings starting July 1. Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden signed bill HB 1259 into law on Friday, which prohibits transgender people from using changing rooms and restrooms that align with their gender identity. The bill also allows people who encounter transgender people in these facilities to seek declaratory and injunctive relief against the school or state if officials did not take reasonable steps to prevent the transgender person from using that facility. 'South Dakota is a place where common-sense values remain common,' Rhoden said in a statement, adding that the bill promotes 'freedom from the 'woke' agenda like what has happened in too many other places.' This is the first time South Dakota has had a state law restricting transgender people's bathroom access, thanks to the overwhelmingly conservative state legislature this session. A bill had previously passed through both chambers of the state legislature in 2016 before it was vetoed by then Gov. Dennis Daugaard. Samantha Chapman, advocacy manager at the ACLU of South Dakota, said the organization is exploring its options against the law. 'This is a really painful law,' Chapman said. 'It's really disheartening and kind of heartbreaking, frankly, to see Rhoden take this position and sign this bill into law.' South Dakota is at least the 13th state to adopt a law barring transgender girls and women from girls and women's bathrooms at public schools, and in some cases other government facilities. A similar measure was sent Thursday to the governor in Tennessee; a bill is also on the governor's desk in Montana. Most of the bans in other states face court challenges, but those haven't had final rulings. Courts have struck down some school district-level bathroom bans across the country. But this week, a federal appeals panel ruled 3-0 that a district judge was not wrong to allow Idaho's ban to be enforced while the case is considered. Since he returned to office in January, President Donald Trump has signed a series of executive orders intended to curtail the rights of transgender people. President Joe Biden's administration had sought to apply the federal barring of gender discrimination at schools to gender identity, but the courts put the brakes on that. ___
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
South Dakota Senate OKs bill segregating restrooms by sex assigned at birth
South Dakota senators voted 27-6 Monday afternoon to pass a bill segregating restrooms in public schools and state-owned facilities such as the Capitol, university buildings and prisons by sex assigned at birth. With House Bill 1259 as amended Monday, those institutions must designate multi-occupancy changing rooms, restrooms and sleeping quarters as use exclusively by females or males as defined by the bill, and people of one sex can't enter the space of the other sex. Similar legislation has come before the South Dakota Legislature at least five different times — once in 2016 and 2017, twice in 2018 and once in 2022 — but never became law. HB 1259 previously passed in the House State Affairs committee on an 11-2 vote, in the House on a 49-21 vote and in the Senate State Affairs committee on a 7-2 vote. Since it was amended, the House may need to concur in the amendments, and then the bill will likely head to Gov. Larry Rhoden's desk. More: SD Senate committee advances bill segregating restrooms by sex assigned at birth Sen. Mykala Voita, R-Bonesteel, sponsored HB 1259 in the Senate and said simply that 'men do not belong in women's private spaces.' She was supported by Sen. John Carley, R-Piedmont, who said he also didn't want 'boys coming into girls' rooms.' Meanwhile, Sen. Liz Larson, D-Sioux Falls, rebutted their statements and said there are already laws on the books in South Dakota for people entering a restroom for a crime, and added schools already have mechanisms in place to handle situations that come up like this. Larson added she feared the bill would result in litigation, which is another expense to taxpayers. Sen. David Wheeler, R-Huron, said he was concerned with the 'breadth' of the bill and said it 'sweeps in more than it was intended to sweep in.' He and Larson questioned if dorm rooms would be included in the bill. Wheeler added that the bill 'goes too far in trying to tackle an issue' and said it needed more work. The bill has been opposed by the Transformation Project Advocacy Network, South Dakota Youth Activism, the South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources and Administration, South Dakotans for Equity, the South Dakota Municipal League, the ACLU of South Dakota, and other South Dakota residents who've called it anti-trans and said it invites discrimination and litigation to the state. This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: South Dakota Senate passes bill segregating restrooms by sex
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sioux Falls residents protest 'anti-trans' HB 1259, which would segregate restrooms by sex
More than two dozen people rallied in Sioux Falls on Saturday morning in protest of House Bill 1259, which would segregate restrooms in state-owned facilities such as the Capitol, prisons, university buildings and public schools by sex assigned at birth. HB 1259 passed in the South Dakota House of Representatives in Pierre on Wednesday afternoon on a 49-21 vote and is awaiting a hearing in the Senate State Affairs committee. Similar legislation has come before the South Dakota Legislature at least five different times — once in 2016 and 2017, twice in 2018 and once in 2022 — but none have become law. More: South Dakota House votes 49-21 to segregate bathrooms by sex assigned at birth Everett Palmer, a legislative intern with the Transformation Project Advocacy Network and an organizer for the rally, said HB 1259 targets transgender people of all ages and said it's important to 'be present and fight these bills.' He said it would make transgender people 'visible and vulnerable,' and that they have a constitutional right to be 'free from discrimination.' Frida Ramirez, a Sioux Falls resident, said the bill would affect people she knows, and said they're 'losing the same rights we have, and it just isn't fair.' Everett Smith, 18, a senior at Jefferson High School and the Queer & Trans Liberation Committee Leader for South Dakota Youth Activism, said the only thing the 'discriminatory' bill would do is 'put trans kids and adults in harm's way.' It's already difficult enough for trans people to use the bathroom, and the bill would 'put trans children at a higher risk than they already are," Smith said. From 2021: 'We are your neighbors': How does it feel to be transgender or nonbinary in South Dakota? The rally was held outside of and before a legislative coffee meeting or 'cracker barrel,' an event traditionally held on weekends around the state during the legislative session that gives constituents a chance to ask their legislators questions about bills they voted on in Pierre the week(s) prior. Saturday's event was for legislators from the Sioux Falls area and was held at Southeast Technical College and sponsored by the nonpartisan League of Women Voters and other local organizations. League member and event moderator Betty Oldenkamp noted legislators from Districts 9-15 were invited to attend, but not all of them came to Saturday's meeting. Only the three lawmakers from District 15 — Democrats Sen. Jamie Smith, and Reps. Eric Muckey and Kadyn Wittman — attended. Muckey and Wittman both voted against the bill. She said some of them may have legitimate reasons for not showing up, and added they could attend the next coffee meeting at 10 a.m. March 1 at STC. 'I'm going to ask that you join me in not going down that rabbit hole of conjecture and conspiracy theories as to why the remaining legislators are not attending,' Oldenkamp said. 'Let's give them the benefit of the doubt.' District 9, which is west of Interstate 29 and reaches out to Hartford, includes Sen. Joy Hohn, R-Hartford, and Reps. Tesa Schwans, R-Hartford, and Bethany Soye, R-Sioux Falls. Both Schwans and Soye voted in favor of HB 1259 in the House. District 10, which covers the northeast parts of Sioux Falls, includes Democrats Sen. Liz Larson and Rep. Erin Healy, and Republican Rep. Bobbi Andera. Andera voted in favor of, and Healy voted against, HB 1259 in the House. District 11, which covers a part of Minnehaha County west of Interstate 29 and south of 12th Street, includes Republicans Sen. Chris Karr and Reps. Brian Mulder and Keri Weems. Both Mulder and Weems voted in favor of HB 1259 in the House. District 12, which spans Minnehaha and Lincoln counties from south of 18th Street in central Sioux Falls past 85th Street, includes Republicans Sen. Arch Beal and Reps. Amber Arlint and Greg Jamison. Both Arlint and Jamison voted in favor of HB 1259 in the House. District 13, which spans across Minnehaha and Lincoln counties mostly from the intersection of 33rd Street and Minnesota Avenue southward, is represented by Republicans Sen. Sue Peterson and Reps. John Hughes and Jack Kolbeck. Hughes voted in favor of, and Kolbeck voted against, HB 1259 in the House. District 14, which covers Minnehaha County in the southeastern part of Sioux Falls, is represented by Republicans Sen. Larry Zikmund and Reps. Tony Kayser and Taylor Rehfeldt. Both Kayser and Rehfeldt voted in favor of HB 1259 in the House. The lawmakers answered more than a dozen questions on bills — ranging from education savings accounts and libraries, to funding a new prison and child care — from an audience of more than 75 constituents who wrote questions down on postcards for the moderator to read. On HB 1259, when asked about how the bill would be enforced, if there was recourse for people falsely accused of being transgender, and if the bill was directed at 'furthering control of women's bodies, trans or cis,' Wittman said she also had those same questions. She said at the rally, and again in response to the question, that 'this was a tough week' as she and legislators voted on 'two anti-trans bills in one day,' referring to HB 1259 and House Bill 1260, which would prevent transgender South Dakotans from getting a birth certificate or driver's license that accurately reflects their gender and keeps only their sex assigned at birth on those documents. HB 1260 failed a vote on Wednesday and failed to be reconsidered on Thursday. 'We're heading down a dangerous road' with HB 1259, Wittman said. If the bill had been about 'protecting women and girls,' then 'maybe we would have passed ending child marriage earlier this week,' she said, referring to Senate Bill 156. The bill would have increased the minimum age for marriage from 16 with a parent's consent, to 18. 'I do firmly believe that this is a further attack on our trans community members and bodily autonomy as a whole in South Dakota,' she said. 'And, it's just weird. I'm sorry, this is so weird. Who cares what bathroom somebody wants to use? … This is a thinly veiled attempt to further harm a vulnerable group of people, single them out and make them feel othered.' More: A decade of hate: How South Dakota's anti-LGBTQ+ bills have grown in the last 10 years Muckey said Wittman 'sealed the deal' for 15 representatives on the other side of the aisle to vote against HB 1259. He said the House Democratic caucus 'fought this very hard.' 'We had a very specific strategy that we tried to unveil, and it actually brought people along with us,' he explained. He said as an appropriator, he sees HB 1259 as a 'bad bill' because it 'subjects every single subdivision of state government to lawsuits that cost you as taxpayers.' As a former teacher and a teacher of students who are transgender, Smith said, 'Schools did a great job of managing this issue without any laws and making people feel safe, and their dignity kept in place.' He said HB 1259 is another example of legislators making laws that don't increase people's freedom, and he added that he admired his friends in the transgender community for their bravery in standing up to the bill. This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Sioux Falls residents protest HB 1259, the 'anti-trans' bathroom bill
