From: Facessd@aol.com Date: Thu, 15 Feb 1996 18:52:18 -0500 Subject: SOUTH DAKOTA PASSES HB 1143 U R G E N T FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE In South Dakota the law will read that marriage is only for a man and a woman if the Governor signs a bill passed today. The South Dakota Senate has passed House Bill 1143 on a vote 26-8 The vote followed on the heals of a 4-2 deferment from the Senate Judiciary Committee that would have killed the bill. The committee's decision did not stand and the full Senate voted to "smoke-out" the bill to bring it up for a vote. The House State Affairs committee also turned down the bill, 8-5, on a tabling motion. The full House took back the legislation and passed it 49-18. Even support from friendly senators like Senator Richard Negstad, R-Volga, evaporated at the last minute. Negstad had publically stated he would not vote for the change in the bill in an article in the Brookings Register. Word leaked to activists in the last several days that he would vote in favor of the bill as the will of his constituents. He had called it discrimination. Senator Fred Whiting who also voted for this legislation took Rep. Roger Hunt to task in a senate hearing for misrepresenting the effect of this bill in his opinion. Empassioned speeches on the floor against the measure included those from Senator Lars Herseth who spoke of his lesbian niece. He read from his late mother's diary about his niece in opposition to the bill. Herseth's father Ralph Herseth had been Governor of South Dakota. Those eight voting against the legislation were Senators Roberta A. Rasmussen, D-Viborg; Paul Valandra, D-Mission; Rebecca J. Dunn, D-Sioux Falls; James W. Emery, R-Custer; Barbara Everist, R-Sioux Falls; Mark E. Rogan, D-Sherman; R. Lars Herseth, D-Houghton; and Pam A. Nelson, D-Sioux Falls. Senator Rasmussen is said to have broken down in tears. Activist Barry Wick of Free Americans Creating Equal Status of South Dakota said "The government of this state has allowed the legislation of hate and the creation of a second class citizen. This second class of citizen is defined by love. Now, if the bill is signed by Governor Janklow that means that South Dakota companies who provide benefits to same-sex couples may have to sue the state in order to provide those benefits. Citizens may have to sue the state to receive benefits already granted by their employers. Imagine a major film company that provides benefits to same-sex partners refusing to film in South Dakota. Imagine a couple married from one state now refused accomodations or services near Mt. Rushmore. Civil marriage is a civil contract and a civil right." The bill goes to Governor William Janklow for his signature. Said Wick, "I urge all those who wrote to the members of the House and the Senators to write the Governor to ask for his veto of this legislation." Governor William Janklow 500 East Capital Ave. Pierre, SD 57501-5070 Phone: 605-773-3212 FAX 605-773-4711 email: maryb@gov.state.sd.us or BillJ@gov.state.sd.us -30- Barry Wick Executive director Free American Creating Equal Status of South Dakota, Inc. 13121 South Creekview Road Rapid City, SD 57702-8503 605-343-5577 FAX 605-394-8962 email: Facessd@aol.com http://www.qrd.org/qrd/usa/south_dakota/FACES http://www.qrd.org/qrd/orgs/FACES