The South Dakota Legislature is considering a number of Indian-related bills this session.

HB1233 would create a four-mile zone around Bear Butte where liquor licenses would not be issued. Sponsors introduced the bill in reaction to a bar that was proposed near the sacred site.

HB1231 would require the state Corrections Department to keep track of the racial and ethnic classifications of prison inmates. Rep. Tom Van Norman said the bill was needed to determine the number of Indians in state prisons and whether there is a disparity in justice.

HB1093, also sponsored by Van Norman, would allow tribes to obtain homes that were built by state inmate construction crews. The bill was approved by the State Affairs Committee.

Get the Story:
Alcohol, headlight bills offered (AP 1/25)
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House panel backs bill on tribal use of inmate-built houses (AP 1/25)
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Relevant Links:
South Dakota Legislature - http://legis.state.sd.us Defenders of the Black Hills - http://www.defendblackhills.org/defenders

Related Stories:
Tribes can't collect fees in sacred site case (1/19)
Native American Day at South Dakota Legislature (1/18)
Opinion: Land use plans ignore tribal traditions (12/12)
Editorial: Permanent protection for Bear Butte (11/28)
Proposed bar near Bear Butte still under fire (10/31)
Man to change name, location of Bear Butte bar (10/28)
Respect urged at Bear Butte during high season (08/13)
Non-Indians press for access at sacred Bear Butte (07/16)
Plans for shooting range near sacred site scrapped (01/12)
Developers: Shooting range near Bear Butte still on (12/16)
Plans for shooting range near Bear Butte on hold (12/02)
Developers face deadline on proposed shooting range (11/14)
S.D. commission bans hunting at sacred site (11/07)
Janklow thought of shooting range by sacred site (10/17)
Janklow defends use of grant for shooting range (10/16)
S.D. governor says shooting range grant was OK (10/13)
Lakota group seeks protection of Black Hills (09/19)
S.D. to return grant for Bear Butte shooting range (09/19)
Protections for sacred sites called inadequate (06/19)
Federal funds used for shooting range near sacred site (03/25)
Judge to hear tribal suit against shooting range (3/19)
Four tribes file lawsuit to stop shooting range (03/04)