Results 1- 20 of 61
June 27, 2008
Lawmakers To Revise Indecent Exposure Law
South Dakota lawmakers appear willing to revise the state's indecent exposure laws after a Sioux Falls man was found not guilty of exposing himself to a child.
Deputy Minnehaha County State's Attorney Hope Matchan says the law's poor wording led to the acquittal of a convicted sex offender accused of exposing himself to a two-year-old girl.
March 17, 2008
New Law To Upgrade 911 System
A new law in South Dakota will upgrade and coordinate 911 services across the state.
Governor Rounds signed the legislation on Friday. One goal is to make sure all dispatch centers across the state have equipment that automatically displays a caller's phone number and location, no matter whether the caller is using a hard-wired phone or a cell phone, which now outnumber landlines in South Dakota.
March 14, 2008
Death Penalty Bill Pending
Changes in death-penalty procedures would be required by a bill awaiting Governor Rounds' signature.
March 13, 2008
Governor Signs HIV Bill
A new South Dakota law that goes on the books July first will require people to register as sex offenders if found guilty of intentionally infecting sex partners with the AIDS virus.
Two people in the state have been convicted in recent years of intentionally infecting others with HIV.
February 28, 2008
Legislators Give Up On Law Agency Funds
Tense talks between members of the South Dakota Senate and House ended today with abandonment of a bill that sought to restore $2 million in Highway Patrol funding that Governor Rounds intends to cut.
February 28, 2008
Marijuana Penalty Bill Advances
It's a felony in South Dakota to supply any amount of marijuana to a minor, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
A bill winning final legislative approval in the state House would begin with a lesser penalty for small amounts of pot given or sold to minors and ratchet up penalties for larger quantities of marijuana.
February 27, 2008
Text Message Bill Advances
South Dakota lawmakers have passed a bill making it illegal to harass or threaten anyone through text messages.
February 27, 2008
Protection Order Bill Approved
A bill to extend the length of protection orders in domestic abuse cases has won final legislative approval.
The measure lets judges issue protection orders for up to five years when people are found to be abusers; existing law sets a three-year limit.
HB1149 also changes state law so that judges cannot order victims in domestic abuse cases to obtain counseling.
February 26, 2008
Incest Bill Advances
Legislation to broaden the crime of aggravated incest in South Dakota is headed to the governor's desk.
Existing law applies only to victims who are children of the molesters, or children of their spouses, former spouses or relatives. Victims must be either 16 or 17.
HB1064, passed unanimously by both the state Senate and House, would cover all victims younger than 18.
February 19, 2008
24/7 Funding Begins Immediately
An effort to keep convicted drunken drivers out of jail and sober will be expanded in the near future.
February 13, 2008
Bill Seeks DNA In Arrests
People arrested for serious crimes in South Dakota would have to provide DNA samples, under legislation that's been sent to the state House of Representatives.
Existing state law already requires DNA from those who are convicted of felonies, violent crimes and sex offenses.
SB133 would go one step farther by mandating DNA samples from people at the time of their arrests.
February 12, 2008
Sobriety Program Could See Additional Funding
The goal is to keep drunk drivers off of South Dakota roads and keep them sober. Not only is the 24-7 program working, but it could soon expand.
February 12, 2008
24/7 Funding Clears Committee
A bill allowing the attorney general to spend $400,000 for the equipment needed to expand a program that keeps convicted drunken drivers sober and out of jail has been sent to the floor of the South Dakota House.
The 24/7 program is being used in 55 counties. Attorney General Larry Long says it can be expanded to several more counties if he can buy 300 more electronic bracelets that detect if someone is drinking alcohol.
February 6, 2008
Bill Would Increase Some Fines
People ticketed for seatbelt violations and other petty offenses in South Dakota can be fined up to $20 under current law, but that may change.
The House Judiciary Committee unanimously approved a bill Wednesday that would bump the maximum fine for a petty offense to $25.
Representative Joni Cutler of Sioux Falls is the sponsor of HB1198, which now goes to the full House.
February 6, 2008
Parole Enhancement Bill Advances
A bill that would synchronize the calculation of a felon's parole with enhancement of a criminal sentence has been endorsed by lawmakers in Pierre.
HB1173, sent unanimously to the House floor by the Judiciary Committee, would allow the state Parole Board to count a suspended imposition of sentence as a prior conviction when someone commits a later felony.
February 4, 2008
Committee Approves Ban On Alcohol Vaporizers
Some South Dakota legislators don't want people to get drunk without drinking.
The House Commerce Committee endorsed a bill Monday that would make alcohol vaporizers illegal to sell, use or have.
The devices allow people to get drunk by inhaling intoxicating fumes from liquor.
January 30, 2008
$2 Million Highway Patrol Bill Passes
South Dakota's Highway Patrol is a step closer to getting back the two million dollars the Governor has planned to cut out of its budget.
January 30, 2008
Sex Offender Bill Advances
Legislation that would close a glaring loophole in the state law that requires sex offenders to register in South Dakota has moved ahead one cog in the process.
The House Judiciary Committee approved the measure 10-2, sending it to the full House.
Representative Joni Cutler of Sioux Falls says some sex offenders are not registering their whereabouts because present law requires them to list addresses, but transients don't have addresses.
January 30, 2008
Committee Requests Another Circuit Judge
South Dakota legislators have agreed that another judge is needed in the 7th Judicial Circuit.
The circuit includes Pennington, Custer, Fall River and Shannon counties.
Presiding Judge Jeff Davis told the House Judiciary Committee that the workload of judges in those counties is becoming overwhelming, and another judge is needed.
January 28, 2008
Bill Targets Online Predators
Legislation designed to make sure that registered sex offenders in South Dakota also provide authorities with their Internet identities has advanced one step.
The state Senate Judiciary Committee sent the measure to the Appropriations Committee on Monday.
Senator Jason Gant of Sioux Falls says SB136 would help ensure that sexual predators don't cloak themselves in the anonymity of the Internet to prey on children.
Results 1- 20 of 61
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