The South Dakota State legislature has repealed the voter approved campaign finance and ethics package.
The next step is the governor’s desk, where he says he’ll sign the measure.
Backers of IM 22 shout “Respect the vote… We'll remember in November,” from the standing room only gallery after state Senators vote 27 – 8 in favor of repealing the campaign and ethics package.
House Bill 1069 repeals the voter approved Initiated Measure. The bill was debated and passed both houses in the state legislature in less than two weeks.
Democrat Senator Troy Heinert says the voters brought the reforms to the ballot because the legislature has voted them down in the past.
“Well when we don’t do our job, the people do it for us. And I can see them. And I can hear them. And we should all be listening. We should be doing a better job dealing with these big issues, coming together, saying ‘Hey, we need to do something. The people want us to do something.’ If we would have done that in the last five years, IM 22 wouldn’t exist,” Heinert says.
But other lawmakers say they should be judged by the various reforms they’re bringing forth after repealing IM 22.
Senate Majority Leader, Republican Blake Curd, says if voters don’t like the reforms lawmakers bring…vote them out of office.
“When they cast their ballot for us, I would hope that they send us here to do what we think is correct. And if we don’t do that, then they should fire us. That’s politics," Curd says. "That’s how it goes and how you signed up for the job. And that’s okay, that’s healthy.”
The bill now heads to Governor Dennis Daugaard’s desk, where he’s indicated he’ll sign the bill.
Three bills are working through the legislature that reflects some of IM 22’s reforms. Critics say the new legislation doesn’t have the same teeth as IM 22.