Representative Fred Deutsch Contact information

Fred Deutsch (born March 9, 1957) is an American politician and a Republican member of the South Dakota House of Representatives representing District 4. He resides in rural Florence, which is near Watertown, South Dakota, and in Codington County in the northeast portion of the state.

Deutsch has a background in education and healthcare. He previously served nine years on the Watertown Board of Education before being elected to the state house in 2014. His re-election in 2018 came after he secured first place in a competitive five-way race. Interestingly, Deutsch had attempted to run for the District 4 seat in 2012 but lost, placing third behind Democrats Kathy Tyler and Jim Peterson.

In addition to his political career, Deutsch is a chiropractor. He practices at Deutsch Chiropractic in Watertown, SD. He graduated from Kalamazoo College in 1979 and obtained a chiropractic degree from Northwestern Health Sciences University in 1983.

Deutsch gained national attention in February 2016 when he introduced one of the earliest “bathroom bills.” This bill aimed to make it illegal for public school students to use a bathroom, shower room, or locker room for a sex other than their sex at birth. Although the bill was vetoed by Republican Governor Dennis Daugaard, it sparked significant debate.

In 2020, Deutsch introduced another controversial bill. This legislation sought to make it a felony for pediatricians to provide sex change operations or opposite-sex hormones to youth ages 15 and under, with doctors facing up to ten years in prison. The bill faced strong opposition from physicians and ultimately passed the State House of Representatives but was defeated in the State Senate.

Deutsch’s involvement extended beyond the legislative process. He collaborated with a network of anti-transgender activists associated with conservative groups such as Alliance Defending Freedom, the American College of Pediatricians, Eagle Forum, Liberty Counsel, and the Christian Medical and Dental Associations. Although the bill he championed failed, it influenced the development of similar anti-trans bills in other states.

An updated version of Deutsch’s bill, led by Bethany Soye, was passed and signed into law in February 2023.