News & Commentary

ACLU of South Dakota policy director Libby Skarin's testimony in opposition to HB 1145, a bill that would have allowed the government to target speech arising out of "community organizing efforts".

This year our legislators have introduced a bill that would allow state-funded adoption and foster care placement agencies to discriminate against families based on the agency’s moral convictions or religious beliefs. This could prevent LGBT couples, interfaith couples, divorced people, and many otherwise qualified, loving people from adopting children.

[UPDATE: The sponsors of SB 115 have withdrawn the bill. It's gone!] I worked hard to fight anti-transgender legislation last year, and I'm asking you to stand with me again for transgender teens. Because transgender youth deserve to go to school on equal terms with their peers and go about their days in peace.

South Dakota legislators introduced SB 115, a bill that targets transgender students in public schools, forcing them into isolated spaced and preventing them from participating in school activities on equal terms with their peers.

South Dakota is fighting to rise from the dubious title of last in the nation for education – so why are our politicians spending so much of their time trying to undermine science education around the state?  

Plan now to attend a Legislative Coffee or Cracker Barrel: Legislative Coffees and/or Cracker Barrels are held in communities across the state and are attended by the Senators and Representatives who represent that district. These events are a great opportunity to show up and ask questions of your legislators throughout the session. Attend your Legislative Coffee or Cracker Barrel to let your elected officials know that you're paying attention this session!

In Alabama, Texas, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington, and more, bills have been pre-filed or lawmakers have announced their plans to file bills that target transgender individuals for discrimination. Unconstitutional, unenforceable, and harmful, these bills send the message to trans people that our very existence is a problem for the lawmakers charged with protecting us.

Sign up to volunteer with the ACLU of South Dakota, and commit to showing up in Pierre, at local legislative coffees, and school board meetings!

Today, Human Rights Watch announced the launch of a report "Like Walking Through a Hailstorm: Discrimination against LGBT Youth in US Schools" which documents problems facing LGBT students. Both the ACLU of South Dakota and the Center for Equality were invited to speak at the press conference.