A legislative committee advanced a bill requiring the state Board of Elections to meet before the beginning of each legislative session.
Senate Bill 123, sponsored by Sioux Falls Democrat Reynold Nesiba, received unanimous support from the Senate State Affairs committee. Nesiba said it’s in response to a question from his colleague, Jim Bolin (R-Canton).
“He wanted clarity about had the Board of Elections voted and had they approved a proposed bill, and nobody could answer the question because the Board of Elections hadn’t met,” Nesiba said.
Nesiba said it tightens a procedural gap.
“What this bill does is just eliminates an ambiguity in our code," Nesiba said. "We already say we have a Board of Elections, and we spell out whose on that. All this bill does, it says it shall meet prior to the beginning of the legislative session to review the election laws of the state and recommend any desirable or necessary changes.”
That report would be delivered to the office of the Secretary of State.