New Poll Shows Marsy’s Law Has Overwhelming Support Across South Dakota

A new scientific poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies shows South Dakota voters support Marsy’s Law, also known as Constitutional Amendment S, to expand rights for crime victims by an overwhelming 70%-18% margin. The poll also shows that when voters are given more information about Amendment S, support climbs to 84%-12%.  The poll further shows that even after voters hear the likely back-and-forth messaging points on either side of Amendment S, nearly three-quarters of South Dakota voters say they’d vote yes with a margin of 74%-18%.

“South Dakota has some of the weakest crime victim rights in the nation. We are pleased to see South Dakotans overwhelmingly support Amendment S,” said Jason Glodt, Former Assistant Attorney General and State Director for Marsy’s Law. “Voters in South Dakota believe that crime victims in our state deserve the same constitutional protections as their offenders. Nothing more, nothing less. Tens of thousands of South Dakotans have already signed petitions to put Marsy’s Law on the ballot and we are continuing to build on that support. We are confident we will keep this overwhelming support through November.” said Glodt.

Marsy’s Law for South Dakota is a Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights that is named after Marsalee “Marsy” Ann Nicholas. Marsy was a beautiful, vibrant University of California Santa Barbara student who was stalked and killed by her ex-boyfriend in 1983. Only a week after Marsy was murdered, her mother Marcella and her brother Nick walked into a grocery store after visiting her daughter’s grave and were confronted by the accused murderer. They had no idea that he had been released on bail.

From Public Opinion Strategies:

KEY FINDINGS

▪ There’s overwhelming support for Constitutional Amendment S.

By an overwhelming 70%-18% margin, South Dakota voters support Constitutional Amendment S, the amendment to expand rights for crime victims. Support for this Amendment extends across every key South Dakota demographic and geographic group:

▪ Once South Dakotans learn more information about this Amendment, often called Marsy’s Law, support climbs even higher.

After voters get the following information about Marsy’s Law, support for Constitutional Amendment S increases to 84%-12%:

“This Amendment, often called Marsy’s Law, is named after a 21-year-old college senior who wasmurdered in 1983 and was written as a result of the experiences her brother and parents faced after her murder when they were often treated as though they had no rights.

Under current South Dakota law, those accused and convicted of a crime are granted specific rights and protections, while victims of a crime ARE NOT given these equal rights. This proposed Amendment would guarantee that victims of a crime are notified, heard and granted standing to ask that those rights be protected.

In addition, this measure would ensure that victims of crime are notified of bail hearings, as well as any parole, release or escape of a criminal. And, it would create equal rights and standing for crime victims and finally grant victims and their families the voice they deserve.”

▪ Finally, even after testing statements AGAINST Constitutional Amendment S, support remains well above 70%.

After voters hear the likely back-and-forth messaging points on either side of this Amendment, nearly three-quarters of South Dakota voters say they’d vote YES (74%-18%). This demonstrates the significant positive feelings toward this Amendment, and the difficulty any NO campaign would have in defeating it on the ballot this Fall.

BOTTOM LINE

Constitutional Amendment S looks headed toward a resounding victory this Fall, as voters are strongly inclined to support it initially, and after hearing about its connection to Marsy’s Law, the YES side climbs even higher. And, even after voters are presented with some messaging points against the Amendment, support for this ballot issue remains well above 70%.

So, if Rick Weiland is seeking to change laws so the majority of South Dakota’s political races becoming non partisan….

Why is he a delegate to the Democrat National Convention?

Perhaps, there’s an ulterior motive?

Perhaps.

MAIN Coalition Applauds U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Decision to Approve Permits for the Dakota Access Pipeline

July 26, 2016

DES MOINES – The Midwest Alliance for Infrastructure Now (MAIN) coalition today applauded the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s approval of the final permits necessary to construct the Dakota Access pipeline project in areas under their jurisdiction. Construction has already begun on other segments of the 1,172 mile project, which was approved by the four state regulatory bodies in North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois earlier this year.

Members of the Midwest Alliance for Infrastructure Now – a coalition of local businesses, labor unions, and agriculture, and other local economic development interests along the pipeline route – have long advocated for the project’s timely approval given the significant economic, employment, and energy security benefits derived from the project.

“As a local farmer, I have long supported construction of this project and am pleased that today it becomes a reality,” Chairman of the MAIN Coalition and Iowa farmer Ed Wiederstein said. “It will provide untold benefits to the security of our nation and our economic future. The agriculture industry, in particular, relies on affordable, easy to access energy and the Dakota Access project will provide value for decades to come for the thousands of farmers across our region.”

Bill Gerhard of the Iowa State Building and Construction Trades also applauded the Corps’ decision: “Thousands of American workers from labor unions throughout the Midwest are already benefiting from this project, and these final permits will secure their jobs for the entirety of construction. I’m proud of the men and women building this pipeline for adhering to best safety practices during construction and ensuring that the job is done right the first time.”

Mike Ralston, President of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, added his support as well: “The Dakota Access Pipeline has already provided a multitude of benefits for manufacturers throughout the Midwest and will continue to do so long after construction is complete. By sourcing raw materials from American companies Dakota Access has created an enormous market for American suppliers. After construction is finished, the affordable resources delivered by the pipeline will help to further power America’s industry. I’m very pleased to see these final permits approved.”

About the MAIN Coalition:

The Midwest Alliance for Infrastructure Now (MAIN) is a partnership of entities from the agriculture, business, and labor sectors aimed at supporting the economic development and energy security benefits associated with infrastructure projects in the Midwest. MAIN is a project of the Iowa State Building and Construction Trades Council, with members in Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Illinois – the states crossed by the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline.

I just got my hands on this, but Attorney General Marty Jackley is having a fundraiser this evening in the Pierre area. Check it out. 

An article in the Argus today notes something that we’ve been talking about all along; that Paula Hawks isn’t Getting the job done in her campaign: 

Jon Schaff, a political science professor at Northern State University, said Noem is benefiting from her status as the incumbent and ability to raise money, an area she has excelled in since she first ran for Congress. He estimated Hawks, who has raised a total of $316,672, would need to at least double that figure to be able to meaningfully boost her name recognition and hire additional staff.

“It’s getting to the point where I bet her name recognition in the state, I’d be surprised if it’s over 30 percent,” Schaff, said. “If by the middle of September people are still going ‘Paula who?’ That’s a real problem. People are not going to vote for someone they’ve never heard of.”

Read it here.

Just ran into former South Dakota State Auditor & Treasurer Vern Larson at the Vivian rest stop/tourism kiosk just adjacent to his hometown.

Since leaving politics, he’s been doing this for quite a few years and enjoys being an ambassador for South Dakota for the passing motorists.

It was pretty busy when I stopped, so we didn’t have time for much more than a few words of greetings. But it was good to see him nonetheless.

It must be that time of year, because it’s time for me to go on another annual training for one of my jobs out in Sturgis.

So, I’ve loaded up the truck and I’m doing my best to bring most of my office with me, as well as some camera equipment.

I’ve got all day to head over there, so I’ll see if I can snap some photos of the political signs on the road as I meander my way across the state from East River into God’s country.

As they continue to roll out their campaign, the Defeat 22 organization has announced their kickoff event for August 4th in Sioux Falls, as they show South Dakotans how taxpayer funded elections are not in the state’s financial interest. As well as being a stupendously bad idea.

Creating More Outdoor Opportunities for South Dakotans
By Sen. John Thune

South Dakota is home to some of the most iconic landmarks in the United States: Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, the Badlands, and if you mentioned Wall Drug to nearly any stranger from New York to Los Angeles, they would know the place made famous by free ice water and 5 cent coffee. While the attractions themselves generate nationwide interest, South Dakotans do an amazing job highlighting these wonders and creating additional opportunities that continue to draw people from across the state, nation, and world.

These larger-than-life landmarks hardly need an introduction, and for South Dakotans, neither do other statewide treasures like the Missouri River – one of my favorite spots in all of South Dakota – and Spearfish Canyon that winds its way through the Black Hills National Forest. The canyon’s natural beauty is evident to anyone who has driven from Spearfish down to Cheyenne Crossing or spent time hiking or camping in the canyon’s forest. These are good ways for visitors young and old to experience the canyon, but I believe we’re missing some big opportunities on this now-federally owned land.

After hearing Gov. Daugaard’s concerns about Spearfish Canyon, I led the state’s congressional delegation in drafting legislation that would facilitate a land transfer between the federal government and the state of South Dakota that would include nearly 2,000 acres of land in the Spearfish Canyon and Bismarck Lake areas. If enacted, the federally owned land would be turned over to the state in exchange for several parcels of state-owned land in Pennington, Lawrence, and Lyman Counties.  

Take a look at state parks across South Dakota, and it’s pretty clear why we are pursuing this land transfer. State officials have repeatedly shown their ability to both protect the wide array of South Dakota’s natural resources and provide access to the opportunities they offer. That’s exactly what we need in Spearfish Canyon and Bismarck Lake: a strong emphasis on conservation so these resources can be made available for future generations, and at the same time, a willingness to provide greater access to these recreational areas.

It’s my job as your elected representative to make sure the federal government is held accountable to the people of South Dakota. Transferring these acres from federal to state control will fulfill that responsibility and help create more outdoor opportunities for South Dakotans and the millions of visitors to our state each year.     

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Achieving Regulatory Reform and Improving Chemical Safety Laws
by Senator Mike Rounds

In South Dakota, we understand that overregulation and too much bureaucracy hinder economic growth and productivity. We work best when government gets out of the way, and we have low unemployment and a strong economy to show for it. Unfortunately, this tried-and-true principle has seemingly been lost at the federal level: we have more than 1 million federal regulations on the books today and are writing new ones at the rate of 3,500 per year. I have spent a good part of my time in the Senate seeking to reform the regulatory environment and reduce the regulatory burden placed on Americans today.

While many efforts have been road blocked by a regulation-hungry president and his Democrat counterparts in Congress, there is at least one regulatory reform success story. After years of hard work, this summer the House and Senate passed – and President Obama signed into law – the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. The Lautenberg Act is the first major reform of the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) since it was enacted 40 years ago. TSCA is the law that gives the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) authority to review and regulate chemicals in commerce. I applaud Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Chairman Jim Inhofe, Senator David Vitter, Senator Tom Udall and the entire committee for their diligence in seeing this law enacted.

The Lautenberg Act will help make sure South Dakota families are protected from harmful toxic chemicals by creating safeguards and oversight requirements. Over the last 40 years, the shortcomings of the well-intended but broken TSCA law have made it difficult for the EPA to monitor the safety of chemicals found in products American families use every day.

It will also support millions of jobs and spur economic growth by providing regulatory certainty for American businesses. For too long, job creators and manufacturers have suffered from inconsistent guidance of what chemicals can be used in their products. Now, they will have the certainty they need to safely invest in new manufacturing endeavors.

When working on the Lautenberg Act, the Senate EPW Committee, of which I am a member, took into account the oversight that we have been regularly conducting over the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, and addressed problems we found in these laws in order to make TSCA a smarter, more conservative regulatory agent that won the support of all principal stakeholders. As a result, the Lautenberg Act will require that the EPA’s regulatory decisions be based on the best available science and require the agency to show their work to the public and Congress.

Further, no longer can chemical regulations that are the result of cherry-picked data justify a politically-motivated regulatory outcome that is forced on job creators at the state or federal level. Instead, the EPA will need to justify its decisions by a substantial evidence standard and by using transparent scientific information while also taking into account costs when proposing any potential regulation.

The Lautenberg Act both protects public health and strengthens our economy, including the $8 billion chemical industry that impacts more than 7 million related American jobs and is the catalyst for almost all U.S. manufacturing. It is proof that regulatory reform is possible, even under the current political environment. I will continue working with my colleagues to achieve similar reforms in other areas of government.