Legislative Update with Chesney

​A look at the ballot initiatives you can expect as you head to the polls in South Dakota! Plus, it’s not too late to join us for one of our Pints & Politics dates this month! 

by Chesney Garnos, Director of Political & Grassroots Affairs
​
Before diving into the ballot initiatives you can expect to see in your South Dakota 2024 ballot, I wanted to remind you of our upcoming Pints & Politics dates this October. It’s not too late to join us, and I am looking forward to seeing many of you soon!
October:

• October 3rd – Rapid City, Hay Camp Brewing Co. at 6:00 p.m. MT
• October 9th - Pierre, luncheon at Oahe Federal Credit Union at 12:00 p.m. CT
• October 15th - Huron, Top Floor Events at 6:00 p.m. CT
• October 16 - Yankton, Ben’s Brewing Co. at 6:00 p.m. CT
• October 17th - Sioux Falls, JJ's Bar at 6:00 p.m. CT

 
South Dakota 2024 Ballot Initiatives:
A ballot measure is also known as a citizen-based ballot measure. This allows citizens to put a statute or measure before the people to vote on. In South Dakota, seven statewide ballot measures have been certified or approved to appear on the ballot in South Dakota in 2024.

In South Dakota, proposed statutes or amendments must first be reviewed by the Legislative Research Council and then by the Attorney General before sponsors can begin collecting signatures. The process includes filing detailed documentation with the Secretary of State, and certain content rules apply, such as adhering to the single-subject rule for constitutional amendments. Signatures required for initiatives and referendums are determined by the number of votes in the last gubernatorial election, with constitutional amendments requiring 10% and statutes and referendums 5%. No fiscal review is mandated, but potential state liabilities are assessed.
 
Two constitutional amendments were referred to the 2024 ballot by the South Dakota state legislature.
This is in addition to four citizen initiatives and one referendum that qualified for this year’s 2024 ballot. Learn more about them below so when you head into the polls, you know what you are voting on!

• Constitutional Amendment E: Amend the constitution to change male pronouns in the Constitution to gender-neutral terms or titles. This is an LRCA.
• Constitutional Amendment F: Amend the South Dakota Constitution to provide that the state "may impose a work requirement on any person ... who has not been diagnosed as being physically or mentally disabled" for eligible individuals to receive Medicaid under the Medicaid expansion that took effect on July 1, 2023. This is an LRCA.
• Constitutional Amendment G: Provide for a state constitutional right to abortion with a trimester framework for regulations. This is an CICA.
• Constitutional Amendment H: Establish top-four primaries for federal, state, and certain local offices in South Dakota. This is an CICA.
• Initiated Measure 28: Prohibit state sales taxes on anything sold for human consumption, not including alcoholic beverages or prepared food. This is a CISS.
• Initiated Measure 29: Legalize the recreational or personal use of marijuana. This is a CISS.
• Referred Law 21: Uphold or repeal Senate Bill 201, a law that provides statutory requirements for regulating carbon dioxide pipelines and other transmission facilities, and allows counties to impose a surcharge on certain pipeline companies. This is a Referendum.[1]

[1] South Dakota 2024 ballot measures - Ballotpedia