The South Dakota Catholic Conference supports passage of HB 1116, which would prohibit the use of any state funding or state resources, including public school district resources, for promoting or hosting content that is lewd and lascivious. The bill defines “lewd and lascivious” as including obscene live conduct that appeals to a prurient interest, is patently offensive, and is without serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.
The Church teaches that government authorities should not be indifferent to public morality, but should actively work to uphold it:
“The importance of the family for the life and well-being of society entails a particular responsibility for society to support and strengthen marriage and the family. Civil authority should consider it a grave duty ‘to acknowledge the true nature of marriage and the family, to protect and foster them, to safeguard public morality, and promote domestic prosperity.’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2210)
HB 1116 will help ensure that taxpayer-funded institutions do not use public funds for programs or activities that undermine public morality.
