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• "We look askance at all federal legislation and executive orders that contrive to evade or elude the sacred, hallowed, and clear intent and purpose of the Second Amendment which specifically and definitively prohibits all infringement of this fundamental right by federal insinuation," the measure says.
• Rhoden said the bill is designed to be a "constructive, conservative and reasoned affirmation" of rights at a time when many believe those rights are being threatened by an emotional federal response to gun-related tragedies. He said the bill is not aimed at any particular federal proposal.
• After the shootings at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school, President Barack Obama proposed a ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines for ammunition. He also wants to require all gun buyers to undergo background checks.
• No one spoke in opposition to the bill at Wednesday's hearing.
• Sen. Larry Lucas, D-Mission, the only committee member to vote against the bill, said the measure takes too strong a stance against restrictions on gun rights. The federal and state governments already have banned people from owning machine guns and sawed-off shotguns, he said.
• The bill also will lead to legal fights if Congress passes any restrictions, such as limiting the capacity of ammunition magazines, Lucas said.
• "We're going to turn around and say South Dakota's going to sue them because we don't like that," Lucas said.
• Republican Attorney General Marty Jackley told the committee he favors the bill, including its requirement that his office protect against restrictions of gun rights.
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• VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) -- The University of South Dakota has bolstered its football roster with 32 high school seniors committing to the school, and a third of the recruits are from the Midwest.
• The students signing national letters of intent include five from Nebraska, four each from Iowa, Illinois and Oklahoma, three each from Colorado and Kansas, two each from South Dakota, Florida, California and Missouri and one from Minnesota.
• The South Dakotans to sign with USD are Sioux Falls Roosevelt linebacker John Wessell and Dakota Valley High School linebacker Taylor Lambert.
• USD was 1-10 overall last season and 0-8 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
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