Reviewing Bills from this Week- February 14 -February 17

SB 211: An act to require COVID vaccine exemptions by employers. This does not apply to CMS regulated facilities such as hospitals or nursing homes. This does not apply to the National Guard. The exemptions include: medical, religious, and active immunity. I has a sunset clause, or is repealed, in June of 2023.

This is the Governors bill but I carried it on the Senate floor. During this pandemic, I felt as though there was too much mistrust and the virus became too political. We are also learning new things all the time and the virus has changed so much since this started. I feel like it is a nice compromise to allow for these exemptions. This will now go to the House.

SB 137: An act to establish gestational surrogacy arrangements and agreements. Surrogacy in SD has been occurring for decades and there is currently no regulation of this. This bill was brought forward by surrogacy groups in the State to improve and make safer the surrogacy process. The bill would have really created a solid surrogacy program in the State.

Some opponents of the bill believe that surrogacy is wrong and that people should only have an adoption option. I have a really hard time understanding this way of thinking. I feel like surrogacy offers a family, who has dealt with all the terrible hardships of infertility or repeat miscarriage, a chance at having a biological child. Surrogacy creates life and families.

The bill died on the Senate floor. I will continue to support the surrogacy groups in this State because ultimately they want to make the process safer, more transparent, and legally sound.

Crossover day is coming up this week. We will likely have some later nights trying to get all bills heard prior to the deadline. Please reach out to me if you are coming up to Pierre so I can try to arrange a time to meet with you. The days simply aren’t long enough as we get busier, but if you are from my district I want to prioritize you.

Have a great weekend!

Senator Tobin