South Dakota House votes to encourage ‘academic’ study of Christian Bible in public schools

The non-binding resolution was introduced by Pastor and Rep. Steve Hickey, R-Sioux Falls. No representative spoke against it.

“...supporting HCR 1004. Rep. Shawn Tornow, also of Sioux Falls, also Republican, and also a fashion plate, cited the state's motto ‘under God the people rule’ as reason for students to learn about the Bible. ‘I think it's appropriate under this resolution to give kids the opportunity to understand, historically who God is.’

Hickey was depicted by S.L. Ehrisman of southdacola.com in a photo illustration (top, right) before he abandoned his US Congressional campaign in favor of a SD senate seat.

Shawn Tornow (bottom, right) at his job as a city attorney of Sioux Falls. Tornow was called "kingpin of worthless legal defense against the city...losing case after case because of constitutionality."

South Dakotans, here are the the rest of the perps:

HCR 1004, House, Adopt Resolution

Abdallah	Yea	Blake	Nay	Bolin	Yea
Boomgarden	Yea	Brunner	Yea	Carson	Yea
Conzet	Yea	Cronin	Yea	Deelstra	Yea
Dennert	Yea	Dryden	Nay	Elliott	Nay
Fargen	Nay	Feickert	Yea	Feinstein	Nay
Gibson	Excused	Gosch	Yea	Greenfield	Yea
Haggar	Yea	Hansen (Jon)	Yea	Hawley	Yea
Hickey	Yea	Hoffman	Yea	Hubbel	Yea
Hunhoff (Bernie)	Nay	Hunt	Yea	Iron Cloud III	Nay
Jensen	Yea	Jones	Yea	Killer	Nay
Kirkeby	Yea	Kirschman	Yea	Kloucek	Yea
Kopp	Yea	Liss	Yea	Lucas	Nay
Lust	Yea	Magstadt	Yea	Miller	Yea
Moser	Yea	Munsterman	Yea	Nelson (Stace)	Yea
Novstrup (David)	Yea	Olson (Betty)	Yea	Perry	Nay
Romkema	Yea	Rozum	Nay	Russell	Yea
Schaefer	Yea	Schrempp	Yea	Scott	Yea
Sigdestad	Yea	Sly	Yea	Solum	Yea
Steele	Yea	Street	Yea	Stricherz	Yea
Tornow	Yea	Tulson	Yea	Turbiville	Nay
Van Gerpen	Yea	Vanneman	Excused	Venner	Yea
Verchio	Yea	White	Yea	Wick	Yea
Willadsen	Yea	Wink	Yea	Wismer	Nay
Rausch	Yea

Ayes

55

Nays

13

Excused

2

Absent

0