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Senate clarifies single-subject review for initiated measures, moves review to Secretary of State and LRC
Summary
Senate Bill 92, amended to add Legislative Research Council review alongside the Secretary of State for single-subject determinations on initiated measures, passed the Senate after a floor amendment.
Pierre, S.D. — The South Dakota Senate on Feb. 11 passed an amended version of Senate Bill 92 to standardize single-subject review for initiated measures by involving the Legislative Research Council alongside the Secretary of State.
State Senator Reynold Hulse moved Amendment 92A, which incorporates the Legislative Research Council (LRC) into the review process so that both constitutional amendments and statutory initiated measures are reviewed under the same procedure. Hulse said the change “makes both processes the same regardless of if it's a constitutional amendment or initiated measure.” The amendment was adopted, and senators then voted to pass the bill as amended. The roll call recorded 34 yeas and 1 excused.
Why it matters: The change affects the process used to determine if ballot initiatives embrace more than one subject and may accelerate timelines for any related litigation, according to the sponsor. Supporters described the amendment as aligning review procedures and reinforcing the single-subject rule approved by voters in 2018.
Next steps: With the amendment adopted and the bill passed, the statutory change will move forward according to legislative procedures.
