SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Sanford Health might be a South Dakota-based health care system, but its possible merger with Fairview Health Services could be impacted by recent developments in the Minnesota legislature.

Fairview Health Services of Minnesota and Sanford Health announced late last year an intent to combine. The original closing date for the merger was March 31, but that was pushed back to May 31. Now, it will wait until after that later date. Different pieces of legislation making their way through the Minnesota legislature could impact how health care mergers happen.

HF 402 and SF 1681 would allow Minnesota’s attorney general to stop a merger if it would negatively impact public health. SF 3124, HF 3108 and HF 3184 would not allow an out-of-state-entity to entirely or partly control the M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center, which is now a part of Fairview Health Services.

KELOLAND News reached out to Sanford Health on Wednesday for comment on legislation. They replied with a statement attributed to both them and Fairview Health which says the following:

“We continue to engage in a robust and thoughtful public dialogue with our people, stakeholders in our communities, regulators, elected officials and with the University of Minnesota about our plans to combine our organizations. Since December of last year, our priority has been continued cooperation to support the existing and robust review that is already in place by the attorney general. In the interest of ongoing cooperation with the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, we have extended the target closing date for our merger until after May 31 and agreed to their request for 90 days’ notice prior to closing at a future date. We remain confident in the benefits of the merger for our people, patients and communities and our shared vision to advance world-class health care for all we serve.”