SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - South Dakota has one of the highest percentages of working women in the nation.
Hartford Representative Paula Hawks says according to the American Association of University Women, the median salary for men in South Dakota is $40,000 compared to $31,000 for women.
Hawks introduced a concurrent resolution, that passed both the State Senate and House, calling for the recognition of gender discrimination and the need for enforcement of equal work laws. She says closing the gender pay gap is not only the right thing to do, it's the law.
At a news conference of female, Democratic Legislators yesterday it was brought out that 77% of South Dakota K-12 educators are women. The lawmakers said the future of the family is dependent on the quality of the local school.
Hawks says if the current trends continue, women in South Dakota will not see equal pay until 2081.