Legislative Coffees and Cracker Barrels Help You Get Answers in Real-Time

Ask your pressing legislative questions at one of these open forums in your community.

February 15, 2022 - 9:00am

This list is updated frequently, if you see we're missing some details please email southdakota@aclu.org promptly. Please be aware that the organizations hosting these legislative coffees and cracker barrels are not affiliated in any way with the ACLU.

Swipe through the graphic below for some sample questions! Email southdakota@aclu.org for assistance.

Looking for sample questions to bring with you? Keep scrolling!

Legislative Coffee - Huron area
Saturday, Feb. 26 at 9 a.m. CT
Fine Arts Center on the Huron Community Campus
939 Ohio Ave. SW, Huron

Legislative Coffee - Vermillion area
Saturday, Feb. 26 at 9 a.m. CT
Vermillion City Hall
25 Center St., Vermillion

Legislative Coffee - Brookings area (District 7)
Saturday, Feb. 26 at 9:30 a.m. CT
City/County Government Center, 3rd Floor Chambers
520 3rd St., Brookings

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Newell area
Saturday, Feb. 26 at 9:30 a.m. MT
Newell City Hall
108 3rd St. Newell

Legislative Coffee - Sioux Falls area (Districts 10, 12, and 25)
Saturday, Feb. 26 at 10 a.m. CT
Southeast Technical College
2320 N. Career Ave., Sioux Falls

Legislative Coffee - Belle Fourche area
Saturday, Feb. 26 at 1 p.m. MT
Crossroads Restaurant
16 N. 5th Ave., Belle Fourche

Legislative Coffee - Wall area
Saturday, Feb. 26 at 10 a.m. MT
Wall Drug
501 Main St., Wall

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Sturgis area
Saturday, Mar. 5 at 9 a.m. MT
Meade County Erksine Building
1300 Sherman St Sturgis

Legislative Cracker Barrel - Aberdeen area (Districts 1, 2, 3, and 23)
Saturday, Mar. 5 at 10 a.m. CT
Kessler’s Champions Club in the Barnett Center on the campus of Northern State University
1200 S. Jay St., Aberdeen
Listen live with the Aberdeen Area Chamber of Commerce
Want to submit questions ahead of time at the Aberdeen area Legislative Cracker Barrel? Text yours to 605-216-2045.

Legislative Coffee - Yankton area (District 18)
Saturday, Mar. 5 at 10 a.m. CT
City Commission Room at the CMTEA Building
1200 W. 21st St., Yankton

Legislative Coffee - Britton area
Saturday, March 5 at 4 p.m. CT
Event Center

Anti-trans Legislation Related Questions

How do you as an elected official plan to protect the well-being of your transgender constituents when they are targeted by anti-trans bills every single year?
How many transgender people, or families with transgender kids who are targeted by anti-trans bills have you spoken with?
A couple of weeks ago the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Mark Miller, compared the need for legislation banning trans girls from playing sports on the girl’s team to the need to prevent terrorism. Are you concerned that this type of legislation is inspiring comments like that, which cast your transgender constituents as people to be feared?

Classroom Censorship Related Questions

The language in Hb 1012 and Hb 1337 is vague and open to many interpretations that could chill important discussion about systemic racism in classrooms. If passed, how can teachers facilitate a free an open exchange about our history while also ensuring compliance with such subjective criteria?
How many Black, Indigenous, and other students of color have you spoken with about HB 1012 and HB 1337 – bills that would limit what and how they can be taught about American history and systemic racism?
Do you believe the ability to discuss and debate ideas, even those that some may find uncomfortable, is a crucial part of our democracy? If so, where do you stand on Hb 1012 and Hb 1337?

Reproductive Freedom Related Questions

We hear a lot about the need for personal freedom in South Dakota, but we continue to see bills like House Bill 1208, 1318, and 1326 which aim to severely restrict or entirely remove a pregnant person’s freedom to choose what their future and family looks like. How do you reconcile these two ideas?
Studies show that people who are denied an abortion are more likely to experience subsequent poverty, to have insufficient funds to pay for basic living expenses, to have poorer health, and are more likely to be in violent romantic relationships. With these stats in consideration, do you support anti-abortion bills like House Bill 1208, 1318, and 1326?