House Speaker David Wilkins will devote his Tuesday television show to the recent controversy over a criminal domestic violence bill.

Wilkins, R-Greenville, had planned to discuss property tax legislation. His office said Friday the subject had changed.

The House and South Carolina garnered national publicity — much of it negative — after the Judiciary Committee voted to approve a bill making cockfighting a felony, but tabled a bill to toughen the penalties for criminal domestic violence.

The furor began in earnest after Rep. John Graham Altman, R-Charleston, told WIS-TV: “I do not understand why women continue to go back around men who abuse them.”

He then questioned the intelligence of the TV station’s female reporter.

Judiciary members also took heat after The State reported some committee members made jokes about the domestic violence bill.

One suggested that the bill —called the “Protect Our Women in Every Relationship (POWER)” Act — also should include men and be renamed the “Protecting Our People in Every Relationship” Act, and could be called “POPER.”

A voice on a tape of the meeting can be heard pronouncing it “Pop her.” Another voice then says, “Pop her again,” followed by laughter.

Gov. Mark Sanford got into the act Thursday, telling reporters in Charleston that putting “the life of a chicken ahead of the life of a woman ... doesn’t make any common sense.”

Wilkins on Friday said it is “absurd” for Sanford to imply lawmakers care “more about chickens killing each other than we do about women being battered.”

Also Friday, Attorney General Henry McMaster announced he would take part in a domestic violence round table sponsored by the Palmetto House Republican Women. The discussion begins at 7 p.m. Monday at First Baptist Church in Spartanburg.

Reach Gould Sheinin at (803) 771-8658 or asheinin@thestate.com.