AARP Eye Center
A group of AARP South Dakota volunteers will head to Pierre next week, and we'll be hosting two events where they will be able to talk with state lawmakers.
Please take a moment to send a message to your legislators and encourage them to attend these events to learn about issues that are important to South Dakotans like you.
Then, keep reading below for your weekly update of what happened in Pierre this week.
HJR 5001 - Medicaid Expansion
AARP South Dakota opposed House Joint Resolution (HJR) 5001, which will ask voters to allow the legislature to end Medicaid expansion if the Federal/State funding partnership goes below the 90/10 percentage ratio.
Unfortunately, HJR 5001 passed through the House State Affairs committee on an 11-2 vote and 59-7 in the House of Representatives. The resolution now heads to the Senate for consideration and, if approved, will be placed on the November 2026 ballot.
AARP South Dakota has been fighting to preserve Medicaid expansion since voters overwhelmingly approved it in November 2022 by passing Amendment D.
In the 2023, 2024 - and now 2025 - sessions, lawmakers have introduced legislation related to Medicaid expansion that goes against the will of the voters. The legislature had 10 years (2013-2022) to implement Medicaid expansion and now claim they are “clarifying the will of the voters.” The reality is that the legislature is changing Medicaid expansion that voters approved, and they are defying the will of the voters.
Under HJR 5001, if the federal funding match goes to 89%, the legislature will have the ability to undo Medicaid expansion. If this happens, tens of thousands of low-income, hard-working South Dakotans will lose health insurance. As we know, access to health care keeps our residents healthier and in the workforce longer.
Retirement Updates
The South Dakota Retirement System (SDRS) has introduced four bills this legislative session. House Bills (HB) 1029, 1030, 1031 and 1032 have passed through the House Retirement Laws Committee and the House of Representatives. They now move over to the Senate for consideration.
- HB 1029 updates provisions of the SDRS
- HB 1030 updates SDRS member information protection provisions
- HB 1031 updates the SDRS member identity verification system
- HB 1032 updates a reference to the Internal Revenue Code in SDRS statutes.
AARP South Dakota reviewed these bills and determined they offer no major significant changes to how SDRS benefits are administered. We will continue to monitor these bills as they make their way through the legislature.
Legislative Cracker Barrels – Your Chance to Meet Lawmakers at Home
South Dakota has a "citizen legislature," which refers to the fact that the members of our legislature are residents of the state who often have full-time occupations in addition to being a legislator.
AARP South Dakota often provides opportunities for you to contact lawmakers on important issues through our action alert emails. And certainly, you can call or email your legislators any time during the session.
Another great way for you to make your voice heard is to attend local legislative coffees or "cracker barrel" sessions held on the weekends when legislators are back in their home districts [Fun side note - the term "cracker barrel" comes from the days back when townspeople would gather around a barrel of soda crackers in country stores to share informal conversation].
The Associated School Boards organization keeps an ongoing list of legislative cracker barrel events currently scheduled in South Dakota communities. If you don’t see your community listed, talk with your legislators or your local Chamber of Commerce to see if any cracker barrels will be scheduled during this legislative session.
Stay tuned for more updates from Pierre!