South Dakota Requests Attorney General Sue China for $100 Billion in COVID-19 Damages

Original title: requesting the attorney general file a lawsuit against the People's Republic of China and related parties to seek damages related to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Last action · February 6, 2026: Deferred to the 41st legislative daySponsors: Brandei Schaefbauer and 5 others

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What This Bill Proposed

South Dakota lawmakers introduced a concurrent resolution urging the state attorney general to file or join a lawsuit against the People's Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, and related entities for $100 billion in damages related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Why it matters

Establishes a formal legislative request for state legal action and proposes creating a relief fund to distribute up to $250,000 per impacted resident, though concurrent resolutions do not carry the binding force of enacted statutes.

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

South Dakota residents

Eligible to receive up to $250,000 from the proposed relief fund upon proof of pandemic-related losses if funds are secured.

Directly affected

medical providers

Identified as having faced undue cost and strain during the pandemic and eligible for compensation through the proposed relief framework.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does House Concurrent Resolution 6008 ask the state to do?

It asks the attorney general to file a lawsuit seeking $100 billion in damages from the People's Republic of China and related parties for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Would individuals receive any money recovered from the lawsuit?

Yes, the resolution proposes creating a relief fund to distribute up to $250,000 per impacted person upon proof of losses directly attributable to the pandemic.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

This resolution did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.

Procedural history

4 actions

Feb 6, 2026House
Deferred to the 41st legislative day
Feb 6, 2026House
Scheduled for hearing
Feb 2, 2026HouseCommittee
Referred to
Jan 29, 2026HouseIntroduced
First Reading House

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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