USA - South Dakota. Proposal Allowing Objection To Death Penalty Defeated

Proposal Allowing Objection To Death Penalty Defeated. The House State Affairs Committee has voted down a bill that would have allowed South Dakota residents getting a driver's license to register an objection to the death penalty if they are killed in a violent crime. The Committee voted 10-2 to dismiss the measure, which supporters likened to the existing organ donor registration option. The objections would have been stored and used to argue against the death penalty in the sentencing of the killer. Republican Rep. Steve Hickey called the measure a "dying wish" bill and said the driver's license would be a good mechanism to reach nearly all South Dakota adults. Republican Rep. Roger Solum moved to dismiss the bill. He says opposition could be indicated with a personal declaration and need not involve state government.