By PIERRE — Questions of faith, governance and personal conviction brought talks of God, spirituality and morality to South Dakota’s seat of power this week.
The Legislature on Thursday, Jan. 29 gave its final stamp of approval to a resolution proclaiming its affinity for the country’s Judeo-Christian origins while calling on one another and all South Dakotans to “seek the Lord Most High for His healing presence and mercy upon South Dakota,” according to the title of Senate Concurrent Resolution 604.
“Serving in the Appropriations Committee, we get to hear all of the hardships, the injustices and the corruption and all the other issues of our state. And sometimes all that money doesn’t do a darn thing. … Because it’s a problem at the heart,” Sen. Mykala Voita said on the Senate floor Tuesday as she and her fellow senators waded into a debate over religious liberty, the role of government in matters of faith and whether a legislative body should formally urge residents to turn toward prayer and self-reflection.
The resolution mirrors similar legislation in Tennessee that calls for July of each year to be a time of fasting and prayer, and is a response to social and moral challenges that lawmakers routinely hear about, the Bonesteel Republican said.
Voita said problems ranging from crime to addiction require spiritual, not just financial, solutions.
“These things are not going to be changed by throwing more money at them,” she said. “It’s going to be changed by seeing a return to relationship with God.”
Voita and other supporters of the resolution said it is nonbinding and does not create law, mandate participation or allocate funding. But its explicitly Christian language and sweeping spiritual appeals sparked discussion about history, personal faith and constitutional boundaries.
Many lawmakers spoke in favor of SCR 604 this week, describing the resolution as consistent with the state motto — “Under God, the People Rule” — and the nation’s history of public calls to prayer.
Sen. Ernie Otten wrestled openly with the balance between personal faith and institutional limits but ultimately backed the measure.
“Is there anything wrong calling on deity and saying, hey, I need some help here,” the Tea-area Republican said. “There is nothing wrong in here.”
Some lawmakers, though, questioned whether symbolic religious statements are an appropriate use of legislative time.
Two days after the Senate voted 22-11 to support SCR 604, Rep. Mike Weisgram voiced reservations Thursday while the House had its turn considereing the legislation.
The Pierre Republican expressed internal conflict over the intersection of faith and government authority.
“But I thought it was worth mentioning that we’re guaranteed freedom of religion to practice or not to practice, but yet the concurrent resolution is policy we surely intend to express.”
Civil liberties advocates at the Capitol said the debate fits into a longer pattern in South Dakota’s political and government history.
“We’ve seen other resolutions that communicate the Legislature’s relationship with a religion over the past 30 years,” said Samantha Chapman, advocacy manager for the ACLU of South Dakota. “While I personally disagree with Senator Voita’s resolution, whether or not it’s an appropriate use of our legislature’s time and effort will ultimately be decided by voters at the ballot box this year when all seats of our state legislature are up for a vote.”
The House voted 42-23 in support. Many of the Aberdeen area legislators voted yes on the measure. That includes Reps. Brandei Schaefbauer, Al Novstrup and Logan Manhart, all Aberdeen Republicans. Rep. Nick Fosness, R-Britton also voted yes. Rep. Spencer Gosch, R-Glenham was excused and Rep. Scott Moore, R-Ipswich voted no.
On the Senate side, Sens. Mark Lapka, R-Leola, Carl Perry, R-Aberdeen and Michael Rohl, R-Aberdeen, each voted yes.
