<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en-US"><head><meta charset="UTF-8"><meta http-equiv='content-language' content='en-us'/><title>SDLRC - Codified Law 59-12-8 - When power of attorney is effective.</title><meta name="Generator" content="PowerTools for Open XML"><style>span { white-space: pre-wrap; } p.s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eNormal { text-indent: 0.50in; text-align: justify; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 108%; margin-top: 0; margin-left: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: .001pt; } span.s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eSENU { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; } span.s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eCL { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; } p.s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eStatuteNumber1 { margin-left: 0.75in; text-indent: -0.50in; text-align: justify; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; 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font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; } span.s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eSCL { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0; padding: 0; } body { text-decoration-skip-ink: none; } </style><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><meta name="twitter:card" content="summary"><meta property="og:title" content="SD 59-12-8 - When power of attorney is effective."><meta property="og:description" content="SDLRC Codified Law 59-12-8 - When power of attorney is effective."><meta property="og:type" content="website"><meta property="og:url" content="https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes?Statute=59-12-8"><meta property="og:image" content="https://lawmakerdocuments.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/photos/logoshape.webp"><meta property="og:site_name" content="South Dakota Legislature"></head><body><div><p dir="ltr" class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eNormal"><a href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes?Statute=59-12-8" rel="noopener"><span class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eSENU">59-12-8</span></a><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eSENU">. </span><span class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eCL">When power of attorney is effective.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eStatuteNumber1"><span class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eDefaultParagraphFont">(1)    A power of attorney is effective when executed unless the principal provides in the power of attorney that it becomes effective at a future date or upon the occurrence of a future event or contingency.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eStatuteNumber1"><span class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eDefaultParagraphFont">(2)    If a power of attorney becomes effective upon the occurrence of a future event or contingency, the principal, in the power of attorney, may authorize one or more persons to determine in a writing or other record that the event or contingency has occurred.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eStatuteNumber1"><a id="_pagenumber5" class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920e000000" rel="noopener"></a><span class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eDefaultParagraphFont">(3)    If a power of attorney becomes effective upon the principal's incapacity and the principal has not authorized a person to determine whether the principal is incapacitated, or the person authorized is unable or unwilling to make the determination, the power of attorney becomes effective upon a determination in a writing or other record by:</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eStatuteNumber2"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eDefaultParagraphFont">(a)    A physician or licensed psychologist that the principal is incapacitated within the meaning in subsection </span><a href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes?Statute=59-12-1" rel="noopener"><span class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eDefaultParagraphFont">59-12-1</span></a><span class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eDefaultParagraphFont">(5)(a); or</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eStatuteNumber2"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eDefaultParagraphFont">(b)    An attorney at law, a judge, or an appropriate governmental official that the principal is incapacitated within the meaning in subsection </span><a href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes?Statute=59-12-1" rel="noopener"><span class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eDefaultParagraphFont">59-12-1</span></a><span class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eDefaultParagraphFont">(5)(b).</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eStatuteNumber1"><span class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eDefaultParagraphFont">(4)    A person authorized by the principal in the power of attorney to determine that the principal is incapacitated may act as the principal's personal representative pursuant to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Sections 1171 through 1179 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1320(d), and applicable regulations, to obtain access to the principal's health care information and communicate with the principal's health care provider.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eNormal"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920e000001"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eNoIndent"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eDefaultParagraphFont-000002">Source: </span><span class="s3319add511674a49b29724895123920eSCL">SL 2020, ch 214, § 8; SL 2022, ch 187, § 1.</span></p></div></body></html>