One of the best ways to communicate with your legislator is a short handwritten note. Please make sure that your legislators get at least one handwritten letter this Labor Day, September 3rd. And let’s all work to flood the Governor’s & Dept. of Health offices with our pleas for help for home birth families. Here is an easy formula for writing an effective letter.

In the first paragraph
? thank them for their work in the legislature or public service
? tell them who you are & your connection to their district [I’ve taught school in Beresford for 17 years…my family has farmed in Edmunds county for 3 generations…]
? ask them to support legislation to license midwives to assist home birth families

In the second paragraph
? use 2 or 3 sentence to tell why this legislation is important to you (No lengthy birth stories!)

In the third paragraph
? ask them to please “vote for” or “support” legislation that licenses midwives to assist home birth families
? contact me if you have any questions or
concerns and I will get the information for
you
? thank them for considering this important issue.

You can use the same basic letter for all your legislators as well as the following public officials (just use “support” instead of “vote”).

Governor Michael Rounds
Lt. Governor Dennis Daugaard
Kevin Forsch, Office of the Governor
All at: 500 E Capitol

Doneen Hollingsworth, Secretary of Health
600 East Capitol Ave
Pierre, SD 57501

You can find out your legislators’ addresses at the state website:
http://legis.state.sd.us/session/2007/mem.htm