Senate Bill Eight
The Senate State Affairs Committee sends a bill reinforcing campaign funding limits to the full chamber.
South Dakota law allows four different campaign committees – ballot question, candidate campaign, political action, and political committees.
Democratic Senator Craig Kennedy of Yankton supports Senate Bill Eight. It’s a measure also backed by the Initiative and Referendum Task Force that met last summer. Kennedy says the legislation makes sure a campaign cannot create a way to raise more funds than what’s allowed.
“The primary focus of this bill is going to be, in our belief, PACs – and potentially ballot question committees. And, what we’re attempting to do, is to basically say, a group of people or an individual cannot attempt to evade the contribution limits by setting up multiple PACs, multiple committees, and then making contributions through them. The contribution limit is set, and should be adhered to,” Kennedy says.
Senate State Affairs voted 7-nothing to advance Senate Bill Eight. Two committee members were excused from the hearing.
Senate Bill Ten
Senate State Affairs advances a bill directing how the South Dakota Code Commission resolves any conflicting language of voter-approved initiated measures or constitutional amendments.
Senator Reynold Nesiba supports the measure. The Sioux Falls Democrat says Senate Bill Ten gives guidance to the Commission only in the areas where there’s an issue.
(:08) “And, what it clarifies is that vote totals will be used to determine how to resolve the conflict and that is the standard across the country for states with initiated measures, Nesiba says.”
The committee sends the measure on to the full Senate on a 7-nothing vote with two members excused. Senate State Affairs meets again on Monday at 10 a.m. Central / 9 a.m. Mountain. Listen live to legislative committee hearings and floor votes at sd.net.