PIERRE, S.D. (KELO.com) — A house committee has overwhelmingly approved Governor Kristi Noem’s second try at a riot-boosting bill.
Katie Hruska with the Governor’s Office says the new bill clears up the parts declared unconstitutional in last year’s bill.
“The bill explicitly directs that this section can not be construed to prevent the peaceful assembly of persons for lawful protest.”
The bill targets violent protests, especially against pipelines, but South Dakota’s tribal leaders say it will curtail free speech.
Strongly conservative House Speaker Steve Haugaard of Sioux Falls voted against the bill in committee, saying the language isn’t clear.
“It is a moving target that is very difficult to establish and I just hope that this isn’t used in a way to create additional tension.”
The Noem Administration is trying to be pro-active about public protests so they don’t get out of hand as they did in North Dakota against the Dakota Access Pipeline.
The Keystone XL Pipeline could soon be built across parts of western South Dakota.
(KJJQ Radio, Brookings, contributed to this report)
