Subject: SOUTH DAKOTA PASSES HB 1143
From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 1996 18:52:18 -0500

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:  [email-masked]  or [email-masked]
-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: [email-masked]
http://www.qrd.org/qrd/usa/south_dakota/FACES
http://www.qrd.org/qrd/orgs/FACES