SD Advocacy Network for Women

01/18/2026

Legislative Essentials Part II - January 20, 2026

The 2026 Legislative Calendar
Presenter -- Kitty Kinsman, former Secretary, SD Dept. of Health, and public policy consultant. Understand how a bill becomes law in our state and review key dates in the upcoming legislative session. Here is the 2026 SD Legislative Calendar:
https://mylrc.sdlegislature.gov/api/documents/284593.pdf

Communicating with Your Legislator
Presenter -- Casey Murschel, former Representative, SD District 12 and President, South Dakotans for Healthy Families. Learn how to build effective relationships with your legislators, regardless of their political affiliation.

This training series is back by popular demand. Zoom meetings are recorded and posted on Goggle drive for those who can’t attend in person. Each session is one hour long and begins at 7:00 PM Central and 6:00 PM Mountain.

https://zoom.us/j/99332819529?pwd=5p05vWly8C2EZqU8Fyi2daJUgdWbPn.1

Did you miss last week’s training? Go to https://drive.google.com/file/d/16NV5Wa-LhLB6g7DqjrHBeRjXRtxY2qlr/view?usp=sharing to see How to Use the LRC and My LRC+

Thanks to South Dakotans for Healthy Families, a sponsoring organization of SDANW, for coordinating this series.

12/19/2025

A mesage from Representative Kadyn Wittman

December 17 at 9:01 AM ·

📢Friends, I know local politics can feel like pushing a boulder uphill. But today, I’m asking for your help.

For the first time, we have TWO Republican co-sponsors on my school lunch bill: Rep. Roger DeGroot and Sen. Carl Perry. This is my fourth year bringing this bill to expand free school lunch in South Dakota, and this momentum matters.

🥗House Bill Draft 219 would make school meals free for students who currently qualify for reduced-price lunch. That’s 7,000-9,000 kids across the state (1.5 million meals each year!) for just $650,000.

✅This bill is backed by school boards in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and across SD,

🍽Helps working families keep their kids fed,

🏫Supports student health, attendance, and learning.

And yes, investing in kids should be part of a healthy lunch! (See graphic 👇)

Please email your legislators and ask them to sign on to HB Draft 219. Let them know you support feeding kids, plain and simple.

Let’s feed kids, not bureaucracy. 💪🍎

12/16/2025

Sioux Falls Area Meet-Up tonight!

Tuesday, Dec. 16
4:30 – 6:00 PM
2212 E. 54th Street

Gather with SDANW members, friends, and guests to celebrate whatever holiday you’re observing this season – just be prepared to share a toast to your favorite end-of-year event!

We’ll be joined at 5:00 PM by Pastor Chris or Deacon Mara from Church on the Street – a ministry with the unhoused of Sioux Falls. This giving season, the ministry’s greatest needs right now are :

In-kind gifts of shampoo, conditioner, feminine hygiene products, lotion, dish soap, spray cleaner, and toothpaste;

Financial contributions – consider a roll of quarters to support Laundry with Love or their pantry!

Hope to see you there!

12/05/2025

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

SDANW Legislative Essentials
Zoom in Tuesdays in January!

This training series is back by popular demand. Zoom meetings will be recorded and posted online at SDANW.org for those who can’t attend in person. Each session is one hour long and begins at 7:00 PM Central and 6:00 PM Mountain.
https://zoom.us/j/99332819529?pwd=5p05vWly8C2EZqU8Fyi2daJUgdWbPn.1

January 13
How to Use the LRC Website and MyLRC+
Presenter -- Betty Oldenkamp, past president of the state League of Women Voters, a former SD cabinet secretary, and past CEO of LSS. Learn how to navigate the SD Legislative Research Council website and stay on top of what’s happening in Pierre with MyLRC+.

January 20
The 2026 Legislative Calendar
Presenter -- Kitty Kinsman, former Secretary, SD Dept. of Health, and public policy consultant. Understand how a bill becomes law in our state and review key dates in the upcoming legislative session. 2026 - SD Legislature Calendar
Communicating with Your Legislator
Presenter -- Casey Murschel, former Representative, SD District 12 and President, South Dakotans for Healthy Families. Learn how to build effective relationships with your legislators, regardless of their political affiliation.

January 27
What to Expect in 2026
Get down with how the Council works and SDANW’s legislative priorities. Learn what we expect to see coming out of the LRC during session – the good, the bad, and the oh, my gosh.

Thanks to South Dakotans for Healthy Families, a sponsoring organization of SDANW, for coordinating this series.

Women4Women Day
February 17-18, 2026
Ramkota Inn – Kick Off 5:30 PM
SDEA Building – Check-In 7:30 AM and Lunch Noonish
State Capitol – Committee Meetings and House and Senate Sessions
Make plans to attend Women4Women Day. When you visit with your legislators, let them know you plan to see them there!

Tuesday evening, you’ll meet up with colleagues, friends, and allies to network, socialize, and learn what your day at the Capitol will include on February 18. Wednesday morning, check in at the SDEA Building – you’ll return there for lunch with legislators. The majority of your day will be spent in the Capitol Building at committee hearings and house and senate sessions.

12/04/2025

Legislative Training Offered!

Casey Murschel, who leads South Dakota Healthy Families, is organizing the Legislative Essential workshops produced annually by SDANW. Mark your calendars now for these Tuesday evenings in January.

Jan. 13 -- How to Use the LRC Website and MyLRC

Jan. 20 -- The 2026 Legislative Calendar and Communicating with Your Legislator

Jan. 27 -- What to Expect in 2026

***please note: times and zoom information will be posted here once they are set.

South Dakota Healthy Families is a sponsoring organization of SDANW

11/13/2025

Sioux Falls area SDANW members and their friends are welcome to join our local meet-up Weds. Nov. 19, 4:30 to 6:00 PM at the Blarney Stone, 333 S Phillips Ave.

Help yourself to a snack, grab a beverage, and enjoy networking. At 5:00 Deb Fischer-Clemens, a former legislator and the founder of the Avera Center for Public Policy, will brief us on the new SD Healthy Nutrition Collaborative. Deb’s information is critical to our 2026 efforts to help families living in poverty, pass a free-lunch bill, and prevent further cuts to SNAP and TANF support. Stay for supper after Deb’s presentation!

10/13/2025

Fall holidays are on the horizon. If you are likely to be caught in a heated socio-political discussion around the Thanksgiving table, you'll want to watch a PBS documentary that originally aired this past May. It’s called “Trusted Sources.” Produced by Rocky Mountain PBS and narrated by Jenn White, host of NPR’s 1A, the film goes beyond describing the challenge of finding unbiased news sources and outlines standards for determining whether a news source is credible. Sharing what you learn from “Trusted Sources” is a potential strategy for deflecting holiday disagreements and laying the groundwork for productive discussions.

You can find “Trusted Sources” online at https://www.pbs.org/video/trusted-sources-ekpogr/
(If a click doesn’t work, paste the link into your browser.) Alternately, use your SDPB Passport to run the documentary on your smart TV.

BTW. SDANW supported funding South Dakota Public Broadcasting during the last legislative session, but SDBP is still digging out from draconian cuts at the federal level. Your donation to SDPB no later than October 31st is optional but highly recommended!

Find the Bison Campaign at https://sdpbfriends.org/.

10/06/2025

09/11/2025

Hang with the Homies! SDNAW members meet up this coming Tuesday, Sept. 16, 4:30- 6:00 PM @ 2212 E 54th Street. Grab a beverage, meet and be greeted, catch up on Legislative Priorities, and learn about public school funding issues from Sioux Falls School District #49 Board Member Gale Swenson.

Let us know if you are coming! Click on the SDANW Meet Up link below.

SDANW Meet-Up

09/03/2025

Please join many of our community leaders for "The Greater Good: Remembering What Matters" on September 9th at Our Saviors Lutheran Church, 909 W 33rd St, Sioux Falls, SD.

08/27/2025

An enthusiastic crowd gathered at Lyon Park near downtown Sioux Falls to celebrate Women’s Equality Day. This year marks the 105th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote. SDANW Chair Tere Engebretson, Board Member Cathy Piersol, and Casey Murschel, Chair of South Dakotans for Healthy Families, were featured speakers.

08/06/2025

Join us for Women's Equality Day!

Saturday, August 23 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. @ Lyon Park, 600 South Phillips Avenue, Sioux Falls.

Let's gather together to make herstory Women’s Equality Day 2025!

Free ice water & donuts!