The potential for Medicaid expansion in South Dakota just got more complicated.
Dakotans For Health wants a ballot measure next year to let voters decide on expanded coverage. They’re now asking the state Supreme Court to delay a legislative resolution that increases the number of votes needed for a ballot question to pass.
Rick Weiland is with the group. He says the legislature’s move thwarts the will of the voters.
“It intentionally stops grass roots efforts to bring health care and hundreds of millions of dollars back to our state—federal dollars that we pay in,” Weiland says. “We think it’s wrong.”
Lawmakers passed a joint resolution asking voters to change how many votes it takes to pass ballot questions that raise taxes or spend $10 million. Instead of a simple majority, it would take 60% to pass.
Legislators placed their resolution on the 2022 primary ballot. That’s just months before the Medicaid expansion measure would appear on the general election ballot.
South Dakota voters rejected a similar threshold increase for constitutional amendment questions in 2018.
