From: Facessd@aol.com Date: Sat, 27 Jan 1996 14:19:30 -0500 Subject: Urgent: South Dakota Marriage Bill Update URGENT: South Dakota Marriage Bill Update On Friday afternoon, by a vote of 41-21, the South Dakota House of Representatives yanked House Bill 1143 out of the State Affairs Committee and back to the floor of the House. In South Dakota, the procedure is known as a "smoke-out." House Bill 1143 would define marriage as only for a man and a woman. The House State Affairs Committee voted Wednesday 7 to 6 against a do-pass motion. The tabling vote was 8-5. An Eagle Forum representative told one of the gay witnesses that "it wasn't over." Activists celebratedt the outcome of the vote on Wednesday. They had expected something similar to what happened to House Bill 1184 last year. HB 1184 was an act to prohibit marriage between persons of the same-sex and to null and void those marriages from the beginning. It had passed the State Affairs Committee last year by a vote 9-3. No gay activists in South Dakota are surprised by the House vote to smoke-out HB 1143 because HB 1184 last year passed 54-13. South Dakota activist Barry Wick said House Bill 1143 is likely to come before the full house on Monday afternoon, January 29th. "We did make some improvement in the vote in the House over last year. We can only hope that enough information and support gets to Pierre before Monday so the legislators can make an informed decision. Wick said Saturday morning that lines of communication had fouled up between observers in Pierre and his office. "News of Friday's smoke-out did not reach me until mid-morning on Saturday. Additionally, rumors are spreading in Pierre, the state capital, that Free Americans Creating Equal Status of South Dakota, Inc. (FACES of South Dakota) has paid the ACLU lobbyist." "It's not true. I should know because I'm also the executive director of FACES. The ACLU lobbyist is paid by the ACLU. That is all. Jim Berman happens to have been a straight friend of mine and was gracious enough to keep me informed about the progress of the bill. We don't know why he didn't let us know about the smoke-out on Friday. That proves we don't pay him. FACES does not hire lobbyists and can't pay me or anyone else to be a lobbyist. FACES is an educational organization that owns the state's only gay and lesbian library and newsletter. FACES provides information and nothing more." "I testified in Pierre for myself and not as a representative of FACES," said Wick. "FACES provides information to gay activists around the state so they can help others make an informed decision about this bill that could affect their lives. In my opinion, House Bill 1143 won't make any difference in the lives of traditional families in South Dakota. Gays and lesbians are already prohibited from marriage in South Dakota. "I believe that many gay and lesbian people will oppose this legislation if they know about it," said Wick. A complete list of representatives and senators in the South Dakota legislature is available by writing FACES of South Dakota, Inc, 13121 South Creekview Road, Rapid City, South Dakota, 55702-8503, 605-343-5577, FAX 605-394-8962, or via email: Facessd@aol.com. Visit the growing FACES webpage at http://www.qrd.org/qrd/usa/south_dakota/FACES. South Dakota legislators can be reached via message phone at 605-773-3851for the House and 605-773-3821 for the Senate. FAXs are directed to individual legislators at 605-773-4576.