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Senate To Consider IM 22 Repeal, Next Step Is The Governor

The South Dakota Senate will consider a bill to repeal Initiated Measure 22, the voter approved campaign and lobbying reforms package.

The senate floor is the last stop for the bill before reaching the governor’s desk.

House Bill 1069 is scheduled for the senate floor Wednesday afternoon.

The bill repeals Initiated Measure 22.

HB 1069 also has an emergency clause attached to it, which means the repeal will go into effect immediately. The emergency clause also means voters will not get the chance to refer the law to a public vote.

After the repeal goes into effect, Republican leadership say they want to replace various portions of the overall measure.

House majority leader Lee Qualm says Initiated Measure 22 doesn’t give voters what they wanted…

“We’re going to put some things in place so they can take a look at it, see what we’ve got," Qualm says. "We will put something in place, I firmly believe that. If not, maybe there’ll be a summer study where we take a broader look at it if we come to an impasse where we can’t come to that point.”

Several bills have been introduced in the spirit of IM 22.

But Democrats call that a slippery slope.

House Minority Leader Spencer Hawley says the repeal bill is being rushed through the legislature.

“When you have a bill that’s been passed by the people I would think you would want to go to the other extreme and make sure that everybody is involved in the hearing process and is given equal opportunity for discussion," Hawley says. "Because you know they’re going to be upset if they overturn it. So, why don’t you go to that other extreme instead of trying to rush it through.”

The governor says he will sign the legislation that repeals IM 22.