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Daugaard Helps Save Jolene’s Law Task Force On Child Abuse

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Lawmakers and others fighting child sexual abuse in South Dakota have secured help from Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s administration to continue studying how to address the issue after a proposal to authorize the work faced a surprise defeat in the Legislature.

Daugaard and members of Jolene’s Law Task Force said on Friday that they would use administration grant funding to help continue the group’s work.

A House committee on Wednesday voted down a plan to allow the task force to continue this year. The move surprised supporters because the plan faced no opposition in the Senate and many were outraged by the House vote.

Republican Sen. Deb Soholt is leading the group. She says the task force’s work will help change the landscape of child sexual abuse in South Dakota.