Governor Kristi Noem says she has a few concerns about the bill that criminalize doctors that provide sex change operations for children, or provide puberty blocking medication.
She says her staff is watching House Bill 1057.
“When you try to take public policy and try to fill parenting gaps with more government, you have to be careful about the precedent you’re setting,” Noem says. “That’s really the viewpoint that I’m looking at it through and I’ll continue to watch and listen to the hearings and debate when it goes through the legislative process.”
The ACLU of South Dakota says it will challenge the bill if signed by the governor.
The organization says it’s unconstitutional to single out one group of people and categorically ban care, no matter how medically necessary.
Both Noem, and republican leadership say they consider the merits of a bill when deciding how to vote. They say potential lawsuits don’t sway their decision making.
