Name

Michaela Seiber (she/her)

City

Sioux Falls, SD

Good morning Mr. Chairman and members of the committee.

My name is Michaela Seiber. I am a tribal member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate. I grew up in Sisseton and have called SF home for 9 years. I have a master’s in public health and have worked in public health and healthcare for almost ten years.

I am here on my own behalf, but I’m also an executive board member of the Transformation Project, a SD non-profit that exists to support trans youth and young adults in our state. I would love to be here providing testimony in support of a bill that aims to make life better or easier for trans people in South Dakota, but instead I’m here in opposition of House Bill 1076. I’m privileged that this bill will not personally impact my life. I’m here, though, because it will impact people I love. People who are just trying to live their lives quietly in our state. People who are constantly discriminated against by bills such as this. House Bill 1076 lists many inaccurate and cherry-picked facts to justify its purpose.

As a public health professional, I can tell you this bill will absolutely not make it easier to conduct public health surveillance, measure trends, or collect data, as it states. In fact, it may lead to inaccurate and underreported data. There are clear rules, processes, and procedures already in place in our state and federal government to ensure accurate updated government documents and this bill does not clarify or streamline anything, but instead results in government sponsored discrimination.

Please vote no.