A note from Senator Kloucek. Better late than never.

Senator Kloucek had apparently tried to send this to me Sunday, but Yahoo Mail had not let it through from his hotmail account until last night.

I told him I'd be a nice guy and put up his words of encouragement for the Governor in signing HB 1215. It's very belated, and it's appeared elsewhere in print by now, but what the heck:

May 5th, 2006

Governor M. Michael Rounds
500 East Capitol
Pierre South Dakota 57059

Dear Governor Rounds:

We stand on the edge of history. As you know, the State Legislature has taken extraordinary steps to end abortion, allowing for an exception only where the life of the mother is threatened.

Two years ago, we thought we’d gotten the job done. We sent HB1181 to you for your signature – but you sent it back.

You presented us with the option of making technical corrections, but the Senate was unable to agree.

Last year, I went back to the drawing board, working with our LRC staff, put the bill in the exact form you said you would sign. The product was introduced as legislation SB198. The bill was defeated on a party line vote in Senate State Affairs with all republicans voting no and democrats voting yes. This legislation goes beyond party politics. If we would have passed my bill last year we would have taken the politics out of the issue because it was not an election year. The introduction of SB198 was exactly right for the times.

2006 House Bill 1215, identical to the legislation I introduced in 2005, except for the findings in the beginning of the bill, does address the concerns you raised two years ago. The life of a pregnant mother is protected under both bills, as is the life of her unborn child, and rightly so.

If and when challenged in the court system, HB 1215 directly challenges the decades-old ruling, which permits women to abort their babies, Roe vs. Wade. Some say this is the wrong way to approach limiting abortion.

With two new justices recently sworn in on the Supreme Court, sound science showing life begins at conception not birth and many scientific discoveries, this issue needs its day.

In a state that leans heavily toward the pro-life side, you’ll often hear politicians throwing the term ‘pro-life’ around as if it were candy. The words are easy to say. The test is in our actions. If we are truly pro-life, we will take the rare opportunity to put this bill into law. I have done my part by voting for its passage in the South Dakota Senate. Now it is your turn. I ask that you do your part by signing this bill and standing with the bipartisan coalition of legislators in protecting the unborn. We were not sent to Pierre to shy away from tough decisions. We were sent to lead on the important issues before our state. I am urging you to stand by your convictions in the face of the pro-abortion criticism directed at this bill – and simply sign it into law.

It has taken South Dakota a long while to get here. It’s time.

Senator Frank Kloucek
Scotland South Dakota

And this went along with it....

Kloucek Asks Rounds to sign HB1215

News release: For immediate Release March 5th 2006
For more info: Senator Frank Kloucek 583-4468

Today at 11:23 p.m. Senator Frank Kloucek {D} Scotland asked Governor Mike Rounds to sign HB1215 the legislation to ban abortions in South Dakota. In the closing sentences of the letter Senator Kloucek said, "Now it is your turn. I ask that you do your part by signing this bill and standing with the bipartisan coalition of legislators in protecting the unborn. We were not sent to Pierre to shy away from tough decisions. We were sent to lead on the important issues before our state. I am urging you to stand by your convictions in the face of the pro-abortion criticism directed at this bill – and simply sign it into law.

It has taken South Dakota a long while to get here. It’s time."

So, everyone in favor of it, you can thank Frank for his words of encouragement.