HB1323 changes when local government ordinances and resolutions must be put to a public vote by modifying the referendum requirements across multiple types of political subdivisions in South Dakota. The bill reorganizes and expands the rules governing which ordinances trigger mandatory voter referrals, clarifying the process and timeline for when these measures take effect. These changes apply to counties, cities, towns, and various other local government entities throughout the state.
The amendment shortens the petition filing deadline for voters to refer ordinances and resolutions from 45 days to 30 days in county, municipal, and annexation contexts, while also restructuring the language for clarity and adding explicit exceptions for certain types of ordinances. This change STRENGTHENS the referendum process by giving voters less time to gather signatures, making it marginally easier to trigger a public vote on local government decisions.
The amendment clarifies and restructures the petition filing process for referring county ordinances and resolutions to voters by explicitly requiring petitions to be filed within thirty days of adoption (rather than being implied), and adds new categorical exemptions preventing referrals of decisions that execute previously adopted plans or provide for program/employee supervision. This NARROWS the scope of what can be referred to a referendum while also making the procedural deadline more explicit.
The amendment **broadens and clarifies** the bill's scope by changing its focus from just shortening the filing deadline for referendum petitions to comprehensively modifying all requirements for referring ordinances and resolutions to voters—including reducing the deadline from thirty to twenty days, lowering the signature threshold to either 5% of registered voters or 2,500 voters (whichever is fewer), and clarifying what types of decisions cannot be referred.
Other amendments
House of Representatives Failed to concur, no committee appointed Passed, YEAS 40, NAYS 27. H.J. 550
Senate Do Pass Amended Passed, YEAS 19, NAYS 15. S.J. 504
Senate Motion to amend S.J. 499
State Affairs Do Pass Amended Passed, YEAS 5, NAYS 2. S.J. 39
State Affairs Motion to amend S.J. 39
State Affairs Scheduled for hearing
First read in Senate and referred to Senate State Affairs S.J. 357
House of Representatives Do Pass Amended Passed, YEAS 39, NAYS 28. H.J. 392
House of Representatives Motion to amend H.J. 391
State Affairs Do Pass Passed, YEAS 10, NAYS 2.
State Affairs Scheduled for hearing
House of Representatives Referred to House State Affairs H.J. 247
First Reading House H.J. 220
Prime sponsor · Rep.
R
Prime sponsor · Sen.
R
Failed to concur, no committee appointed
Do Pass Amended
State Affairs — Do Pass Amended
Do Pass Amended
State Affairs — Do Pass