The South Dakota Senate Judiciary Committee considered and passed a bill that would eliminate life sentences without parole for defendants under the age of eighteen.
The bill sponsor was Senator Craig Tieszen of Rapid City….
Roxanne Hammond with the Legislative Research Council says those crimes don’t happen very often….
Senator, and former Circuit Judge Arthur Rusch of Vermillion says the life sentence is the toughest penalty.
The bill received a do pass recommendation and passed out of committee on a six to one vote. The bill now goes to the Appropriations Committee because of potential costs to the Department of Corrections.
