REPUBLICAN STATE LAWMAKERS IN SOUTH DAKOTA ARE EXPLAINING WHY THE HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE DENIED THE INTRODUCTION OF GOVERNOR KRISTI NOEM’S HEARTBEAT BILL THAT WOULD PREVENT AN ABORTION ONCE A HEARTBEAT CAN BE DETECTED.
REPRESENTATIVE CHRIS JOHNSON OF RAPID CITY SAYS THE COMMITTEE FOLLOWED PROPER PROCEDURE:
NOBILL1 OC……..WANTED TO BRING. :21
JOHNSON, THE ASSISTANT MAJORITY LEADER IN THE HOUSE, SAYS SINCE NO OTHER LAWMAKER SECONDED HIS MOTION TO CONSIDER THE BILL, IT WASN’T:
NOBILL2 OC……….PART OF THE PROCESS. :15
NOEM ISSUED A STATEMENT WEDNESDAY SAYING “IT GRIEVES ME THAT THEY WOULD TAKE THIS UNPRECEDENTED ACTION AT THIS TIME BASED ON THE ADVICE OF ONE OUT-OF-STATE LAWYER.”
REPRESENTATIVE KENT PETERSON OF SALEM CHAIRS THE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, AND SAYS IT WAS AN UNUSUAL SITUATION:
NOBILL3 OC……..ISSUE. :14
PETERSON SAYS THERE ARE OTHER WAYS THE BILL COULD HAVE BEEN PRESENTED:
NOBILL4 OC……….HERE IN PIERRE. :13
JOHNSON SAYS HE THOUGHT THE BILL SHOULD HAVE A HEARING, AND IT WAS A SURPRISE THAT THERE WAS NO SECOND TO HIS MOTION.
HE AND PETERSON BOTH SAID THAT THEY AGREE WITH THE GOVERNOR’S GOAL TO BAN ABORTION.
Photo courtesy SD NET
