PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — The South Dakota Senate discussed a number of bills Tuesday morning that had been amended by the House, covering issues ranging from child sexual abuse to COVID-19 vaccine requirements.
Here is a breakdown of five of the bills discussed:
SB 162 — An act to revise the discretionary formula for reduced taxation of new structures and residential property.
This bill was passed by the Senate on a vote of 28-0 with 7 excused. Sen. Casey Crabtree spoke in support of the measure, asking the Senate to approve the changes made in the House, which he said served to clean up language.
SB 81 — An act to revise the definition of sexual contact for purposes of sexual contact with a child under eighteen by a person in a position of authority.
Originally introduced in the Senate as a bill to revise the definition of sexual contact, the bill sought to add clarification that the touching of specific stated body parts with the intent to ‘arouse or gratify the sexual desire of either party’, would constitute sexual contact.
Once amended in the House Judiciary Committee, the bill was altered to define the sexual contact of a child under eighteen as Originally introduced in the Senate as a bill to revise the definition of sexual contact, the bill sought to add clarification that the touching of specific stated body parts with the intent to ‘arouse or gratify the sexual desire of either party’ by a person at least 18-years-old, at least five years older than the victim, and not the victim’s spouse.
The Senate voted Tuesday on a motion to not concur with the changes made by the House and will send the bill to a conference committee in an attempt to reconcile the two versions. Sens. Duhamel (R-Rapid City), Wheeler (R-Huron) and Rusch (R-Vermillion) were appointed to the committee.
SB 117 — An act to revise the gross receipts tax on certain food.
Originally titled ‘An act to repeal the requirement for an annual report by the Board of Regents on intellectual diversity and the free exchange of ideas,’ this bill was fully revised to instead address taxation of food.
The original bill, introduced by Sen. Lee Schoenbeck (R-Watertown), sought to repeal a section that required the Board of Regents to provide an annual report to the Governor and legislature, outlining actions taken to promote and ensure intellectual diversity and the free exchange of ideas, and describes any events or occurrences that impeded intellectual diversity and the free exchange of ideas.
Shoenbeck on Tuesday made a motion to not concur with the changes made by the House, and not to appoint a conference committee to reconcile the two versions of the bill. Another motion, not to concur, but to appoint a conference committee was made by Sen. Troy Heinert (D-Mission), which failed under a voice vote.
The Senate voted 22-9 with for excused to not concur and not appoint a committee, effectively killing the bill.
SB 161 — An act to make an appropriation for matching funds to enhance research in manufacturing processes having lunar application and planetary use in tribal housing development and to declare an emergency.
Initially introduced by Sen. Red Dawn Foster (D-Pine Ridge) as an act to establish housing opportunities, it was revised in the Senate to provide $300,000 in funding to the Board of Regents to award a grant to a South Dakota tribal university. This grant would be used under an agreement with NASA for a project that would utilize 3D printing technology to build tribal housing in South Dakota.
The difference between the two versions of the bill comes down to the discrepancy in wording. The Senate voted by voice to not concur, and established a committee of Sens. Breitling (R-Miller), Foster and Johnson (R-Rapid City) to attempt to reconcile the bills.
An identical bill to SB 161 was cut from $300,000 to $1 in the House on Monday.
SB 211 — An act to protect an individual’s conscience from entities requiring the COVID-19 vaccine.
Originally titled ‘An act to provide statutory COVID-19 vaccine exemptions and to declare an emergency,’ SB 211 was filed to require that employers requiring vaccination for COVID-19 allow certain exemptions, namely medical, religious and for ‘natural immunity.’
Once moved to the House the bill was changed to allow any employee to be exempt from a vaccine requirement on the basis of their ‘conscience.’
The Senate voted not to Concur and established a committee of Sens. Cammack (R-Union Center), Tobin (R-Winner) and Steinhauer (R-Hartford) to attempt to reconcile the bill.
