Native child welfare bills return after federal law upheld

Three bills were introduced last year at the South Dakota Legislature to address Native American child welfare reform. All of them were defeated, with opponents citing concerns about the U.S. Supreme Court’s impending case addressing the Indian Child Welfare Act, known by the acronym ICWA.

The court has since upheld the constitutionality of the federal law, and another batch of bills has been introduced during the 2024 legislative session.

“I have to bring this back,” said Rep. Peri Pourier, D-Rapid City, who sponsored the bills last year, has two new bills this session and is a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. “We all have to believe that we can come together on something.”

https://ictnews.org/news/native-child-welfare-bills-return-after-federal-law-upheld