Latest news with #Pischke
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Anti-China COVID lawsuit fails to get through Senate
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — State senators have deadlocked about whether to ask the South Dakota attorney general to file a lawsuit seeking $100 billion from the People's Republic of China for damages suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic. House Concurrent Resolution 6009 claimed that the virus resulted from a genetic research project at the People's Liberation Army bioweapons BSL-4 laboratory in Wuhan, China. It called for establishing a South Dakota COVID-19 victims relief fund that would make up to $250,000 available for each impacted person. The resolution on a 40-28 vote cleared the South Dakota House. Republican Rep. Brandei Schaefbauer is prime sponsor. The Senate took it up Thursday. Republican Tom Pischke, the lead sponsor in the Senate, said he believes that China launched a viral attack on the world. Other states have brought lawsuits against China, according to Pischke, such as Missouri, which he said is seizing all China-owned assets there. The resolution also calls for the lawsuit to name as other defendants the Chinese Community Party and the Wuhan laboratory. 'China is just the beginning of this,' Pischke said. No other senator spoke after he finished. The vote ended in a 17-17 tie. Republican Amber Hulse passed the first time when the roll call reached her. She voted yes when her name was called a second time at the end. Mark Lapka meanwhile was excused. Lt. Gov. Tony Venhuizen, serving as Senate president, could have broken the tie. Instead, he declared that the measure failed. Pischke gave notice of his intent to reconsider the vote. But when the time came, he decided to not proceed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Drug ingestion bill heads to the Senate floor
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A bill to reduce first and second offenses of ingestion of controlled substances to misdemeanors was sent to the Senate Tuesday by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senate Bill 83B, a third version of Republican Sen. Tamara Grove's original bill, passed 5-1 with one excused to the Senate. LSS of South Dakota responds to DOGE, Musk threat The committee delayed action on Grove's bill last week until Tuesday to allow Grove to make any changes. Grove said Tuesday one of the biggest revisions to her original bill was to include supervised probation for the first offense and the possibility that an offender could spend time in jail for the second offense. 'The basic underlying factor is to keep the structure in place for current courts,' Grove said. 'I'm aligning with that.' Directing first and second offenders toward treatment is still at the heart of Grove's S83B. SB83B specifically directs use of the HOPE program for probation. 'Probationers in HOPE Probation receive swift, predictable, and immediate sanctions,' according to descriptions of programs in Indiana, Hawaii and other states. A 2011 informational page from the Office of National Drug Control Policy said HOPE programs reduces repeated drug use and crimes. Drug Court is more commonly used in South Dakota because it is more specific to felony charges, Grove said. 'HOPE can receive people with misdemeanors,' she said. Committee member Republican Sen. Tom Pischke said since HOPE is not offered in all the counties in the state, would Grove's goal be to expand the program. Grove said yes and that the program has been successful. Committee member Republican Sen. Greg Blanc agreed that expansion of HOPE could be beneficial At last week's committee meeting, concerns about including ingestion of all controlled substances were raised. Several opponents said Grove's bill would undermine drug charges and the seriousness of drug use. Grove said 'addiction is addiction' whether it is alcohol or a controlled substance. SB83B looks the person and not the drug, she said. Pischke said SB83B should be heard in the Senate. Pischke, Grove, Blanc, and Republican Sens. David Wheeler and Jim Melhaff voted in favor while Republican Sen. Amber Hulse voted against. Committee member Republican Sen Helen Duhamel was excused from voting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
