(Pierre, SD) — A new South Dakota law is being challenged in court. House Bill 11-84 changes the deadline for filing a petition for an initiated measure or constitutional amendment to February instead of May. Republican Representative Jon Hansen says that the new law is “common sense,” allowing voters to know what’s exactly on their ballot and giving over a year to gather petition signatures. However, a recent lawsuit by Dakotans for Health claims HB 11-84 violates voters’ First Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution. Members of the organization argue the new law is designed to suppress citizen-led ballot measures by making it more difficult to gather signatures. There’s no timeline yet on the challenge.
