PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — The South Dakota House of Representatives will reconsider the governor’s prison bill on Monday.
That’s according to House Speaker Jon Hansen.
House defeats bill for new men’s prison
Republican Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt requested reconsideration after an amended version of House Bill 1025 failed Friday on a 34-35 vote.
Hansen said a legislative rule* requires that when reconsideration is requested, it must come on the following legislative day.
KELOLAND News has requested a response from Gov. Larry Rhoden’s office and the state Department of Corrections about the defeat and what is planned next. The governor’s press secretary, Josie Harms, stated, “We look forward to continuing the conversation.”
All four of the Republicans’ top leadership in the House — Speaker Hansen, Speaker Pro Tem Karla Lems, majority leader Scott Odenbach and assistant majority leader Marty Overweg — voted no.
So did 14 of the Republicans who are serving their first year in the Legislature.
Former Gov. Kristi Noem proposed the prison and that it be located in Lincoln County. Rhoden, who was Noem’s lieutenant governor, inherited the project when he became governor last month. He has told reporters there was “no option for failure” on the plan.
Republican Rep. Jack Kolbeck amended HB 1025 on Friday. The amendment removed all of the references to a new men’s prison in Lincoln County and left only language transferring $148 million from state government’s general fund to the incarceration construction fund.
Kolbeck said the purpose of the amendment was only to move the funding. He said the location could be decided later.
* Rule 5-11.1 states, “Motions to reconsider. Having given notice of intent to reconsider, the member giving notice may move to reconsider the question not later than the next legislative day, except as provided in Joint Rule 5-13. Any motion to reconsider shall be made under order of business No. 8, except as provided in Joint Rule 5-13, and takes precedence over all other motions except to recess or to adjourn. No motion to reconsider the same question may be made twice in the same house without unanimous consent. Every motion to reconsider shall be decided by a majority vote of the members-elect on a roll call vote. No question may be reconsidered except the final disposition of bills and joint resolutions and the override of vetoes. No motion to lay on the table is subject to reconsideration. If a motion to reconsider a questionis approved, the question shall be immediately reconsidered unless there is a motion to defer.”
Tuesday is the final day for the House to take initial action on a House bill.
Hansen said some legislators became aware of Kolbeck’s amendment on Thursday night. It was officially posted on the Legislature’s website Friday morning. Some House members weren’t aware of it however until the noon-hour Republican caucus on Friday, according to Hansen.
