The South Dakota House yesterday narrowly approved a bill that requires public school administrators in South Dakota to designate any multi-occupancy shower room, changing room or rest room located in a public school for use exclusively by members of the same sex.
The 38 to 29 vote sent it to the Senate for further action.
Representative Fred Deutsch of Florence says he didn’t plan to offer the bill this year. However, he got dozens and dozens and dozens of phone calls from the Vermillion school district, after the school board adopted a policy allowing transgender boys and girls to be able to use the restroom in which they identify.
House Speaker Spencer Gosch amended the bill to hold individual school districts harmless.
Local Representative Sydney Davis of Vermillion during debate said she will have people angry at her no matter how she voted, because the Vermillion school district is in her legislative district. Then she announced she would vote no.
Local Representative Mike Stevens and Ryan Cwach of Yankton both voted no on the bill as well.
