• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- South Dakota's domestic abuse laws should be expanded to cover dating couples who don't live together, a state legislative panel recommended Monday.
• The Domestic Abuse Study Committee, which took a broad look at the state's domestic abuse laws in the past few months, also approved some recommendations aimed at protecting children of abuse victims. The panel's recommendations will be presented for consideration by the full Legislature in the session that begins in January.
• Current law defines domestic abuse as physical harm, attempted harm or the infliction of fear of harm between spouses, former spouses, some relatives, people who live or have lived in the same household or people who have a child together. Law enforcement officials have said the law needs to be changed, particularly to protect people abused in dating relationships.
• The measure endorsed by the legislative panel would broaden the coverage to people who are in or have been in a significant romantic relationship with each other.
• "What we want to do is make it clear we've got dating violence covered," Rep. Tona Rozum, R-Mitchell, said.
• Sen. Craig Tieszen, R-Rapid City, said judges would look at the facts of each case to determine whether dating people were in a significant romantic relationship. The measure also would make it clear that domestic violence laws protect pregnant women, who are not necessarily covered by current law, he said.
• The study was prompted after the Legislature killed a bill earlier this year that

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