PIERRE, S.D. (KELO.com) — While a bill to eliminate the South Dakota state lottery was defeated in the House State Affairs Committee, there were strong opinions expressed about its continued operation.
House Speaker Steven Haugaard of Sioux Falls supported an amendment that would have ended all advertising of the lottery, saying it was “appropriate given the flurry of addictions that our society is engaged in.”
Rep. Jon Hansen of Dell Rapids said cutting lottery advertising would save money for the state.
“I think that if we do stop this advertising that the local businesses, the private industry that is involved here, will and should step up and start advertising,” Hansen said.
Rep. Michael Diedrich was less convinced, pointing out how voters have supported the lottery several times in statewide elections.
“I’m not one to second-guess the voters,” Diedrich said.
A do pass motion was defeated on a 7-6 vote, then committee members voted 7-6 to send the bill to the 41st legislative day, effectively killing it.
(Jerry Oster, WNAX, contributed to this report.)
