SD lawmakers argue concealed carry bill would help schools miles from law enforcement

Sixty-two Representatives voted Tuesday afternoon to let school principals give written permission for individuals 21 or older with an enhanced permit to carry a concealed pistol at public elementary or secondary schools.

Tuesday’s hearing in the House followed the bill’s hearing in the House Judiciary committee on Monday morning, where it received the support of 11 legislators in a committee of 13.

One of those supporters was Rep. Peri Pourier (D-Rapid City), who said Tuesday that she owed an explanation to the House and alluded to there being a closed-door caucus in the Democratic Party on this issue.

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Pourier said public safety is a crisis in the district she represents, District 27, which includes portions of Bennett, Jackson, Oglala Lakota and Pennington Counties, and noted she’s brought legislation and resolutions to get the federal government to uphold treaty obligations on public safety in the area.

Without those protections, if there was a school shooting in Wanblee, “it would probably take more than an hour (for law enforcement) to respond,” Pourier said.

“I will always stand by protecting our children when our government fails to do so,” Pourier said.

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Rep. Kevin Jensen (R-Canton) estimated that for as many as 100 schools around the state, the nearest law enforcement is about 40 minutes away.

Jensen also noted school boards and superintendents can control this policy, and that if the school board says no, “then, it’s no.” His comment referred to criticisms of the bill from education lobbyists who argued the decision should be up to school boards and superintendents.

He also referred to arguments against putting more guns in schools, and the potential for a gun to be wrestled out of the permit holder’s hands.

“We’re not in Detroit," he said. "We’re not in Chicago.”

“Our kids in this state just are generally better than that,” Jensen added.

He also said that knowledge of there being an armed guard in a school can act as a deterrent for a school shooter.

Nobody spoke in opposition to the bill on the House floor. Other supportive testimony also came from Reps. Fred Deutsch (R-Florence), Marty Overweg (R-New Holland), Mary Fitzgerald (R-Spearfish), and Scott Odenbach (R-Spearfish).

The bill saw support and opposition from both sides of the aisle. Pourier, Rep. Eric Emery (D-Rosebud) and Rep. Oren Lesmeister (D-Parade) were the sole Democrats to vote for the bill. Reps. Roger DeGroot (R-Brookings), Mellissa Heermann (R-Brookings), Lance Koth (R-Mitchell) and Mike Stevens (R-Yankton) were the sole Republicans to vote against the bill.

SB 203 will next move to Gov. Kristi Noem's desk.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Concealed carry in schools bill gets hearing in South Dakota House