The South Dakota Senate will wait until Wednesday to vote on a measure to repeal Initiated Measure 22.
The delay gives lawmakers extra time to consider repealing a voter approved measure that critics say has been fast tracked through the legislature.
Senate Republican leadership used a legislative rule to delay action on an amendment to a bill until one full legislative day has passed.
Senator Ryan Maher offered an amendment to HB 10-69 in order for Senate Majority Leader Blake Curd to invoke the rule.
The bill to repeal IM 22 has an emergency clause, meaning once signed by the governor the voter-approved measure is repealed immediately.
Senate Minority Leader Billie Sutton says the bill doesn’t qualify for emergency declaration…
“There is no reason they should put an emergency clause on here, except that, once again, they don’t want the will of the voters to have a voice," Sutton says. "Because if you strike the emergency clause, the voters can refer this to the ballot as a referred law if they gather signatures. But if you put an emergency clause on it, they cannot. Another example of not wanting input from the voters.”
Last election cycle, voters raised the minimum wage. Once the legislature convened, they lowered the youth minimum wage back by a dollar. Voters referred the bill and struck it down.
Since IM 22 passed in November… Republican legislators questioned the constitutionality of the measure, and took the law to court. It has since been placed on hold there. Senator Maher says this leaves the state without any campaign finance laws.
“It’s kind of imperative that we get something done, because as we base everything upon moving forward, do you base it on the old law? Do you base it on the new law?” Maher says. “We have no foundation for any campaign finance laws right now. It’s kind of important that we get something in place sooner than later.”
If the bill passes the Senate, Governor Dennis Daugaard says he plans to sign it.