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 and well-being.
The South Dakota State Senate passed SB190 on February 17, 2026 by a vote of 19 to 15. 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.
