This past week, In Senate State Affairs Committee, Assistant Majority Leader & State Senator Jim Bolin was one of votes against House Bill 1087 – the Campus Free Speech Bill – a measure sponsored in part by Senate Majority Leader Kris Langer to “promote intellectual diversity at certain institutions of higher education.”
However, despite the vote of Senator Bolin against House Bill 1087, is there a chance that Bolin might bring his own measure? Because according to a December 2018 article, Bolin directly told a reporter with the Council of State Governments Stateline Midwest Magazine that he was expecting to “lead discussions” on the topic:
Now entering his 11th year as a South Dakota legislator, Bolin looks back on how those personal relationships helped get landmark legislation on South Dakota’s roads and teacher pay signed into law.
But he’s also looking forward to 2019, when he takes on the position of Senate assistant majority leader. One of his goals for the new year and in his new position: Help new members make the personal connections that they need — and the Legislature as a whole needs — to be successful.
and…
Bolin expects, too, to lead discussions on improving civics education and ensuring free speech on the state’s college campuses.
and..
Read the entire story here (PDF, Page 8). Or you can also link to just the Bolin article by itself here.
With Bolin’s strong statements in December on “leading discussions” on campus free speech and making sure “we have a full sharing of ideas on our college campuses,” it still could be in the cards.
While House Bill 1087 has been put to the 41st day, I’ve heard that the issue isn’t dead quite yet. There’s lots of legislature yet to come, and it will likely include campus free speech in the discussion.
Stay tuned.
Will Bolin step up or flake out?
Better question: Will Governor Noem do her job an fire the Board of Regents for allowing this to happen?
we need action from the legislature! you guys in Pierre need to get off your butts and pass the free speech bill!
Bolin all talk. He’s screwed over his caucus too many times. He’s needs to lose his whip job. Oust him! Put in someone who supports free speech!
Actually, he’s Assistant Majority Leader.
We need the free speech bill to pass now!
Bolin needs to be the leader, as he promised.
The “diversity” offices on campus are controlled by the left. They must be abolished. We need to get back to real education, not funding the enemy. Real education = free speech
Bolin needs to vote to revice the free speech bill and pass it. Wheels in motion in Pierre. He needs to be a leader on this.
Why do we fund social justice activism offices on campus? They are left-wing activists. They need to be abolished.
Mr. Bolin is one of the most swell fellows in the legislatures, and the Conservatives with Common Sense support him fully.
Bolin should fulfill his promises
So let me get this straight. A politician, a senator, makes big promises in print in December about fighting for free speech, and then he votes to kill the free-speech bill two months later and he doesn’t think anyone will notice?? This guy is a lot
Bolin wanted to Secretary of Education. Glad I blocked that idea. He doesn’t get it.
Mr. Bolin could yet be the Education Secretary, and there are still days of the legislatures for him to play out his cards. Mr. Bolin plays poker when the others in the legislatures play old grandma maid.
The most useful thing Mr.Bolin taught us was “butt to the gut”. If a player was driving the lane, I guess we were supposed to throw our butts in the way and take the charge. He also reminded us to have a safe and sober weekend. That’s what 4 years as Jim Bolin as an educator looked like. Please know that free speech on campuses includes both sides. When you’re advocating for GOP speech, then you also in all fairness should support liberal free speech.
How does this fit the situation? President Trump has weighed in on the subject. “Today I’m proud to announce that I will be very soon signing an executive order requiring colleges and universities to support free speech if they want federal research grants.” Will our universities have to comply in order to continue receiving grants? If the bill cannot be passed, does this bypass our state legislature?
Hope Jim sees the light. Good guy. He should realize this is a big problem and we need to fix these schools
The regents lied to legislators. Their policies are meaningless. Even the dean of the law school ignores them and goes the PC route. Legislation is needed
The governor needs to fire every single regent.