Rapid City, S.D. (June 20, 2023) – Conservative lawmakers from the South Dakota Freedom Caucus (SDFC) are sounding the alarm against the Uniform Law Commission’s (ULC) newly drafted “Model Public-Health Emergency Authority Act,” which the SDFC says is nothing short of dangerous.

The ULC model legislation is anticipated to be introduced in each state nationally in the near future, which is why the SDFC has turned to the State Freedom Caucus Network (SFCN), a nationwide network of state freedom caucuses, to create national opposition to the ULC’s act.

“This legislation allows the government to make up a tragedy to give us tyranny in one simple step,” said SDFC Chair Representative Aaron Aylward.

According to the ULC, the model legislation “empower[s] the Governor to act quickly and broadly to a public-health emergency,” and under this act, that emergency can be declared by the mere appearance of a risk to the public-health.

But that’s why the SDFC and other opponents are resisting the ULC’s new legislation.

“Going too broad is dangerous! You can’t hammer a nail with a pickup truck, without causing damage,” said SDFC Vice-Chair Representative Tony Randolph, “and creating a dictatorship for some temporary safety, while sacrificing our freedoms, will give you neither.”

With no firm date scheduled for the ULC’s act, the SDFC is reaching out to other grassroots organizations in the region to create a coalition against the act, and with the national network of freedom caucuses from the SFCN, hopes to prevent the legislation from even being introduced.