GSAP bill signed into law

Gov. Dennis Daugaard signed House Bill 1078 into law Tuesday, March 15. The law will take effect July 1.

Referred to as the “Good Samaritan Alcohol Policy,” the law will grant limited immunity to underage drinkers if they call emergency services to help themselves or another intoxicated person in need. This limited immunity will protect the caller from arrest if he or she stays with the injured person and complies with law enforcement.

The South Dakota State University Students’ Association has lobbied in support of this law in recent years. The policy also garnered support from the South Dakota State Medical Association.

As the bill moved through the South Dakota Legislature, it had little opposition with just one vote against the bill in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

For more information on GSAP, read last week’s edition of The Collegian or the story “South Dakota Legislature passes GSAP bill” online at www.sdsucollegian.com.