(Columbia) April 22, 2005 - If you've been watching television, surfing the web, listening to radio, or reading a newspaper, you know there's an uproar over John Graham Altman's comments regarding a domestic violence bill he helped kill in a State House subcommittee.

WIS has confirmed what was said in that committee meeting. WIS has been given a tape, originally obtained by "The State" newspaper, of what happened in that Judiciary Committee meeting.

The bill was titled "Protect Our Women in Every Relationship" or the POWER act. The discussion on the tape is about that name.

On Monday, the room in the Blatt building, where the Judiciary Committee meets, was packed with people, including Laura Hudson with the Victim Assistance Network. She was lobbying for a tougher domestic violence law, "My expectations were high that we were going to get that bill."

She and another source confirm for News 10, the man heard on the tape making a joke about the bill's name is representative John Graham Altman.

The discussion on the tape is as follows:

"Can you tell me why the subcommittee in its great wisdom entitles this 'Protect Our Women in Any Relationship act'?"

"You would have to ask Ms. Cobb Hunter, Mr. Leach. They're the ones who drafted the bill and they're the ones who named it that. It was not the subcommittee."

"But the subcommittee thought that was a good enough idea to keep it as 'Protect Women' and not 'Protect Both Women and Men'."

"We didn't retitle the bill if that's your question."

"Any reason?"

"None."

"Call it 'POPER,' Protect Our People."

(Sources confirm Rep. Altman's comment.) "Pop Her Again."

Minutes later, the House Committee killed the bill. In the process Hudson was insulted, "It was just a terrible breach of etiquette on the part of a lot of people, which is very disappointing."

Hudson says, "I couldn't believe the tone that shifted in the room, and the levity and the disrespect, and I was just reminded of a bunch of little boys, a bunch of juveniles."

Thursday night News 10's Catherine Reynolds talked with Representative Altman on the phone. He told her he didn't say that and claims he doesn't even remember the conversation.

House leaders told WIS one reason for the tabling of the bill is that it was weighed down with issues some members thought were unrelated to domestic violence, like changes in divorce laws. So now, they're drafting a brand new domestic violence bill instead.

Judiciary Chairman Jim Harrison (R-Richland) was in the room at the time. He denies laughing at the comment, "It was an inappropriate comment. And I think the 23 or 24 members of the committee who were debating the bill in a serious matter have been tainted by that comment."

Hudson agrees not everyone on the committee laughed at the joke. She's not only gotten calls from concerned victims, but also from House Speaker David Wilkins, "He was mortified. He was apologetic. He just wanted to assure me that the adults are back in control."

Rep. Harrison and Speaker David Wilkins are working on the new bill. It would increase fines, penalties, and the seriousness of the crime. Rep. Harrison says, "It would make the third offense a felony."

Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter co-sponsored the bill. Although she was not in the room during the comments, she's heard an earful from women who were, "The issue for the women who talked to me who were at that hearing was the snickering and the giggling and the school-boy behavior going on around the table. And quite frankly, what I would suggest to any of the members of the Judiciary Committee who found humor in that, I would suggest they go to a domestic violence victim in their community and see if they find anything in this issue worth snickering about."

Harrison says the new bill has a better chance of surviving than the previous one, "The problem was, as the bill was introduced, it had a number of issues. When all those issues combined and came together, it caused the support for the entire bill to be such the bill couldn't survive."

Gilda Cobb-Hunter says, "If the only way to get something done is to have Harrison and Wilkins to come riding in on a white horse and save the day, then I say buckle up, saddle up and ride, because I want the issue dealt with."

Rep. Harrison predicts the bill's fate in this session, "I think it will pass the House. I can't predict the Senate."

But Gilda insists the new bill provide training for judges, and does not want pre-trial intervention for offenders, "If the current bill does nothing, they can go for it without my blessing. I'm just not going to be a part of that."

We should note that a new bill which took effect in January 2004 does make Criminal Domestic Violence of a high and aggravated nature a felony. But Nancy Barton of Sistercare tells us that offenders are rarely charged with that and often plead down.

Lawmakers News 10 talked to hope the new bill is drafted Friday, and want it to reach the House floor by mid-May.

Reported by Jennifer Miskewicz & Catherine Reynolds
Updated 12:09pm by Chantelle Janelle