State Rep. Kadyn Wittman, D-Sioux Falls, testifies to a legislative committee on Jan. 30, 2024, in Pierre. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight)
PIERRE — Homeless people would be in line for free South Dakota birth certificates and state ID cards under the terms of two bills that advanced out of a state House committee Tuesday morning.
House Bill 1098 would allow for a waiver of the $15 fee attached to a request for a certified copy of a birth certificate. HB 1131 would waive the $28 fee for a state identification card.
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A birth certificate is required for several social services, including photo identification cards. ID cards are required for a host of services and activities, including to apply for an apartment, to cash checks and to access certain health services.
HB 1098’s sponsor, Rep. Tyler Tordsen, R-Sioux Falls, told the committee that there may not be as many people experiencing homelessness in South Dakota as there might be in more populated states.