The South Dakota House State affairs Committee Monday narrowly passed a bill limiting school bathrooms, showers and sleeping rooms to a person’s gender at birth.
District 4 Representative Fred Deutsch of Florence brought the bill. He says HB 1005 mirrors his 2016 measure that was vetoed by Governor Dennis Daugaard. Deutsch says this bill is needed because of a new policy in the Vermillion School District that he says allows transgender students to use the bathroom matching their gender identity…
Opponents of the bill say it’s unconstitutional. Lobbyist Dick Tiezen of Pierre asked if anyone had actually read the Vermillion policy…
Tiezen also says HB1005 will open school districts to lawsuits.
Representative Jon Hansen of Dell Rapids made the motion to pass the bill…
The bill passed 7-5 and now moves to the House floor.
