KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to South Dakota

HB1216 • 2026

revise the list of mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse or neglect.

revise the list of mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse or neglect.

Children
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Healy
Last action
2026-02-11
Official status
Scheduled for hearing
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

revise the list of mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse or neglect.

revise the list of mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse or neglect.

What This Bill Does

  • revise the list of mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse or neglect.
  • Official keyword topics: Child Abuse Minors Religion Official sponsor note: Representatives <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4759/Detail">Healy</a> (prime), <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4749/Detail">Emery</a>, <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4791/Detail">Muckey</a>, and <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4834/Detail">Wittman</a> and Senator <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4781/Detail">Larson</a>

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-11 House Judiciary

    Deferred to the 41st legislative day

  2. 2026-02-11 House Judiciary

    Do Pass

  3. 2026-02-11 House Judiciary

    Scheduled for hearing

  4. 2026-02-03 House of Representatives

    Referred to House Judiciary

  5. 2026-01-29 House of Representatives

    First Reading House

Official Summary Text

revise the list of mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse or neglect.
Official keyword topics:
Child Abuse
Minors
Religion
Official sponsor note: Representatives <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4759/Detail">Healy</a> (prime), <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4749/Detail">Emery</a>, <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4791/Detail">Muckey</a>, and <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4834/Detail">Wittman</a> and Senator <a rel="noopener" href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/4781/Detail">Larson</a>

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
26.626.9 101st Legislative Session 1216

2026 South Dakota Legislature
House Bill 1216

Introduced by: Representative Healy

Underscores indicate new language.
Overstrikes indicate deleted language.
An Act to revise the list of mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse or neglect. 1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA: 2
Section 1. That § 26-8A-3 be AMENDED: 3
26-8A-3. Any physician, dentist, doctor of osteopathy, chiropractor, optometrist, 4
emergency medical technician, paramedic, mental health professional or counselor, 5
podiatrist, psychologist, member of the clergy, religious healing practitioner, social 6
worker, hospital intern or resident, parole or court services officer, law enforcement 7
officer, teacher, school counselor, school official, nurse, licensed or registered child welfare 8
provider, employee or volunteer of a domestic abuse shelter, employee or volunteer of a 9
child advocacy organization or child welfare service provider, chemical dependency 10
counselor, coroner, dental hygienist, or any safety-sensitive position as defined in § 3-6C-11
1, who has reasonable cause to suspect that a child under the age of eighteen has been 12
abused or neglected as defined in § 26-8A-2, shall report that information in accordance 13
with §§ 26-8A-6, 26-8A-7, and 26-8A-8. Any person who intentionally fails to make the 14
required report is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. 15
Any person who knows or has reason to suspect that a child has been abused or 16
neglected as defined in § 26-8A-2 may report that information as provided in § 26-8A-8. 17
Section 2. That § 26-8A-15 be AMENDED: 18
26-8A-15. The privilege of confidentiality set forth in §§ 19-2-3, 19-19-503, 19-19
19-504, 19-19-505, 19-19-508.1, and 36-26-30 may not be claimed in any judicial 20
proceeding involving an alleged abused or neglected child or resulting from the giving or 21
causing the giving of a report concerning abuse or neglect of a child pursuant to §§ 26-22
8A-3 to 26-8A-8, inclusive. 23