South Dakota Legislative Billwatch, Feb. 18, 2015

There are a lot of important bills being considered in the South Dakota Legislature today.

I haven’t had time to read up on and investigate the ramifications of HB 1133 dealing with regulating vision care plans, but usually when government meddles in the free market–especially health care–the consequences are not good for the average citizen.

HB 1231 would authorize the forfeiture of financial proceeds from pimps and human traffickers, which is a good thing. Making money off another person’s degradation is truly low.

HB 1089 would ban the practice of female genital mutilation in South Dakota. You might think this is a barbaric practice only seen in foreign countries…but with the massive influx of immigrants in recent years (millions of them here illegally), indications are that this practice is being brought to our communities under our radar.

HB 1212 would criminalize the abuse of an unborn child–something done every time an abortion is carried out. This bill would take another important step toward recognizing the humanity of children in the womb.

SB 140, 141, and 142 are some of those “empty shell” bills that dangerous people in our legislature often use to make a place for bad bills before they’re ready to expose them to the light of day. They are submitted with very vague language, which is then gutted later and filled with all sorts of rotten corruption.  We’ll have to wait and see what sort of crap the “Republican” supermajority legislature has planned for the people of South Dakota in these rotten eggs.

There are also several pro-gun bills being considered today.

There are a lot of bills to keep track of right now, and it’s a daunting task for anyone, but do your best to stay in formed on what is going on in YOUR state government, and hold your elected officials accountable. It’s YOUR money and YOUR freedom they’re playing with.

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	Date	Committee/Chamber	Bill	Title
	2/18 9:30 AM	House Commerce and Energy	HB 1133	regulate vision care plans and vision discount plans.
	2/18 9:30 AM	House Commerce and Energy	HB 1231	authorize the forfeiture of any financial benefit or valuables gained from prostitution or pimping.
	2/18 10:00 AM	Senate Health and Human Services	HB 1079	revise the deadline for the Department of Health’s annual report regarding abortions.
	2/18 10:00 AM	Senate Health and Human Services	HB 1089	ban the practice of female genital mutilation in the state, to provide a penalty therefor, and to declare an emergency.
	2/18 10:00 AM	House Judiciary	HB 1212	criminalize abuse of an unborn child.
	2/18 10:00 AM	Senate State Affairs	SB 140	accommodate legislation relating to education in South Dakota.
	2/18 10:00 AM	Senate State Affairs	SB 141	accommodate legislation on medical services.
	2/18 10:00 AM	Senate State Affairs	SB 142	enhance South Dakota.
	2/18 10:00 AM	Senate State Affairs	SJR 2	Proposing and submitting to the electors at the next general election a new section to Article XI of the Constitution of the State of South Dakota, relating to the imposition of an education franchise tax on profits of corporations and dedication of the revenue therefrom.
	2/18 2:00 PM	House of Representatives	HB 1183	repeal the prohibition against carrying permitted concealed weapons in the state capitol building.
	2/18 2:00 PM	House of Representatives	HB 1206	authorize the concealed carry of pistols on public university campuses under certain circumstances.
	2/18 2:00 PM	House of Representatives	HB 1215	provide for an optional enhanced permit to carry a concealed pistol.
	2/18 2:30 PM	Senate	HB 1058	revise certain provisions regarding contagious disease control quarantine measures.
	2/18 2:30 PM	Senate	HB 1059	allow authorized entities to access immunization information in certain circumstances.
	2/18 2:30 PM	Senate	HB 1130	prohibit an abortion provider from accepting payment for an abortion prior to the end of the required informed consent period.
	2/18 2:30 PM	Senate	SB 95	revise provisions related to human trafficking.
	2/18 2:30 PM	Senate	SB 177	establish a youth minimum wage.
	2/18 2:30 PM	Senate	SB 192	permit the sergeant-at-arms to carry concealed firearms in the state capitol building under certain conditions.

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Bob Ellis has been the owner of media company Dakota Voice, LLC since 2005. He is a 10-year U.S. Air Force veteran, a political reporter and commentator for the past decade, and has been involved in numerous election and public policy campaigns for over 20 years. He was a founding member and board member of the Tea Party groups Citizens for Liberty and the South Dakota Tea Party Alliance. He lives in Rapid City, South Dakota with his wife and two children.

Bob Ellis

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