SB190 would have codified certain parental rights in state law, including the right of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and healthcare of their minor children. The bill also would have restricted school employees from withholding or concealing certain information from parents, especially information related to a child's health, well-being, or social transition.
The South Dakota State House of Representatives rejected SB190 on March 3, 2026 by a vote of 30 to 36. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because the upbringing, education, care, and control of children belongs to—and is a fundamental right of—parents, not the government. The State of South Dakota has a duty to uphold the right of parents to raise their children. Parental rights are retained under the Ninth and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
