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State-Tribal Relations Committee meets in Pierre, Tuesday, June 12, Room 412 of the State Capitol.

Members of the committee are Senators Arnold Brown, Patricia de Hueck, Dick Hagen, Jim Putnam, Ron Volesky; Representatives Stan Adelstein, Jean Hunhoff, Barry Jensen, Paul Valandra, Thomas Van Norman.

The meeting runs from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., with a noon hour break. Lawmakers will choose a chair and vice-chair and set the agenda for the next meeting, and will also choose the date of the next meeting, sometime later this summer.

Indian lawmakers will attempt to put the anti-racial profiling issue on the agenda for the next meeting.

While racial profiling is known to happen in South Dakota in various contexts, the particular measure the Indian lawmakers want to promote would work against racial profiling in VEHICULAR STOPS. As you may recall, Sen. Volesky and Rep. Van Norman sponsored an unsuccessful anti-racial profiling bill in 2001 legislature. They want the issue on the agenda of this interim committee in order to prepare the ground for the 2002 legislature.

There will be an opportunity in the afternoon for public testimony, but you can help simply by your attendance, even if you do not care to offer testimony at this time, especially if you "look Indian". Your very presence in the hearing room will have a good effect, signalling that this is an important issue of high interest to the public.

Whether you attend Tuesday or not, if you are anxious to participate in an organized effort to pass anti-profiling legislation, contact the Peace & Justice Center for a commitment sheet (or ask Jeanne Koster for one at Tuesday's meeting).