PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has sent back HB 1217 to Legislators, one of the more controversial bills passed through this year’s session.
On Friday afternoon, Gov. Noem announced she is sending House Bill 1217 back to the lawmakers for suggested “style and form changes.”
In a news release, Gov. Noem said “the proposed revisions limit the bill to elementary and secondary school athletics, which are primarily conducted among South Dakota schools and at the high school level are governed by the South Dakota High School Activities Association, a creature of South Dakota law. The proposed revisions will also remedy the vague language regarding civil liability and the use of performance-enhancing drugs.”
She said she supports HB 1217 with changes that show “empathy for youths struggling with what they understand to be their gender identity.”
The bill called ‘fairness in women’s sports’ passed in both the House and Senate. Critics have raised questions about potential fallout for South Dakota being able to host future NCAA events and stopping other businesses from coming to the state.
Opponents of HB 1217 have directly pointed out HB 1217, while not mentioning transgender women specifically, is mainly targeted at discriminating against them. The bill specifically requires anyone looking to participating in sanctioned sports to provide an annual signed waiver confirming a student’s age and the student’s “biological sex, as ascertained at or before birth in accordance with the student’s genetics and reproductive biology.”
