The Iowa Senate on Wednesday approved a bill that would toughen penalties for animal abuse, neglect and torture in an effort to strengthen Iowa’s animal welfare laws that are weaker than other states.
Continue reading “IA passes bill increasing penalties for animal abuse”
Gov. Kristi Noem on Wednesday signed 17 bills from the South Dakota Legislature that deal with a variety of criminal justice issues.
There is just one week left to the 2020 session of the South Dakota Legislature. Of the 479 bills which were introduced in the legislature this year, 36 have been withdrawn and 88 have passed and been sent to the Governor. She has signed 69 of those bills and still has 19 bills on her desk awaiting action. As of today, she has not vetoed any bills.
House Bill 1008 was passed through the Senate just after 10 p.m. Thursday, March 12, on a 30-3 vote. Continue reading “Hemp bill makes it to SD governor’s desk”
South Dakota lawmakers wore black attire on Thursday in a playful tradition of mourning the bills that didn’t survive this year. Lawmakers have just nine days of meetings left this year to determine what will become law in South Dakota.
Continue reading “What’s likely to become law in South Dakota”
Greg and Missey Smith, the Overland Park parents of Kelsey Smith, were in attendance last week when South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem signed House Bill 1129, The Kelsey Smith Act. Rep. Dayle Hammock of Spearfish was the primary sponsor of the bill. Continue reading “SD becomes 26th state to pass Kelsey Smith Act”
South Dakota’s prosecutors and law enforcement are asking legislators to not “kick the can down the road” when it comes to fixing the South Dakota’s drug laws. Continue reading “Calling for a fix to South Dakota’s drug laws”
People convicted of crimes in South Dakota owe their victims millions of dollars in court-ordered restitution, but most of that debt is going unpaid and there is little remedy available for those harmed to get their money. Continue reading “Many crime victims in SD not being paid restitution”
It’s a class one misdemeanor for a juvenile to knowingly possess a pistol in South Dakota, under current state law, which does not change under the proposed law. Continue reading “SD bill tweaks state law on juvenile pistol possession”
Lawmakers in the South Dakota House have passed a bill that would make texting while driving a criminal offense. This will raise the fine violators would face. Continue reading “SD aiming to make texting while driving a criminal offense”