January 18, 2017 •
South Dakota Senators Decide Not to Restrict Lobbyists
The Senate Committee on Legislative Procedure decided to table consideration of a proposed new rule to ban lobbyists from the chamber and adjacent hallways during working hours. The measure came up for a vote yesterday and the committee voted unanimously […]
The Senate Committee on Legislative Procedure decided to table consideration of a proposed new rule to ban lobbyists from the chamber and adjacent hallways during working hours.
The measure came up for a vote yesterday and the committee voted unanimously to let the lobbyists stay. Lawmakers could decide to reconsider adoption of the proposal any time during the legislative session.
January 16, 2017 •
South Dakota Senators to Consider Measure to Restrict Lobbyists
The Senate Committee on Legislative Procedure is considering a new rule to ban lobbyists from the chamber and adjacent hallways during working hours. The committee is expected to reconvene tomorrow for a vote on the proposal. If adopted, Senate President […]
The Senate Committee on Legislative Procedure is considering a new rule to ban lobbyists from the chamber and adjacent hallways during working hours.
The committee is expected to reconvene tomorrow for a vote on the proposal. If adopted, Senate President Pro Tempore, Brock Greenfield, would have the authority to implement the new measure.
December 9, 2016 •
South Dakota’s Initiated Measure 22 Put on Hold
A South Dakota judge has issued a preliminary injunction on Initiated Measure 22. Initiated Measure 22 was approved by the majority of South Dakota voters last month as an act to revise campaign finance and lobbying laws. The injunction will […]
A South Dakota judge has issued a preliminary injunction on Initiated Measure 22. Initiated Measure 22 was approved by the majority of South Dakota voters last month as an act to revise campaign finance and lobbying laws.
The injunction will give the courts and the Legislature time to consider the measure, which has been widely criticized as being poorly drafted and possibly unconstitutional. Supporters of Initiated Measure 22 are expected to ask the judge to re-instate portions of the law not challenged by the plaintiffs, such as the provisions dealing with lower caps on campaign contributions.
December 5, 2016 •
Monday News Roundup
Lobbying Florida: “Corcoran Offers Lobbyist ‘Training’ to Adjust to New Legislative Limitations” by Allison Nielson for Sunshine State News West Virginia: “Ethics Panel Puts Question about WV House Speaker’s Job on Hold” by Phil Kabler for Charleston Gazette Campaign Finance […]
Lobbying
Florida: “Corcoran Offers Lobbyist ‘Training’ to Adjust to New Legislative Limitations” by Allison Nielson for Sunshine State News
West Virginia: “Ethics Panel Puts Question about WV House Speaker’s Job on Hold” by Phil Kabler for Charleston Gazette
Campaign Finance
Canada: “Ontario Overhauls Campaign Finance Rules with Sweeping Reforms” by Adrian Morrow for Toronto Globe and Mail
Arizona: “Burns Responds to APS Settlement Offer: No thanks” by Rachel Leingang for Arizona Capitol Times
Missouri: “Politicians Fatten Coffers before Missouri’s New Campaign-Donation Limits Kick In” by Jo Mannies for St. Louis Public Radio
New York: “Anthony Weiner Fined $65,000 for Campaign Finance Violations” by J. David Goodman for The New York Times
Ethics
“Trump’s Complex Stock Portfolio Could Create Yet More Conflicts” by Rosalind Helderman and Drew Harwell for The Washington Post
South Dakota: “Hearing Set on Move to Repeal New Anti-Corruption Measure” by Bob Mercer for Rapid City Journal
Elections
“‘Rigged’ or Not, Election Positions Trump to Shape Rules on How You Vote” by Michael Wines for The New York Times
December 2, 2016 •
First Hearing Set in Court Challenge Against South Dakota’s Initiated Measure 22
The lawsuit filed in state court to block the government ethics overhaul recently approved by voters will have its first hearing December 8th. The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of Initiated Measure 22 which became effective last week restricting campaign contributions […]
The lawsuit filed in state court to block the government ethics overhaul recently approved by voters will have its first hearing December 8th. The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of Initiated Measure 22 which became effective last week restricting campaign contributions and gifts from lobbyists.
The group of 24 Republican lawmakers bringing the suit are seeking an injunction to block the law, and South Dakotans for Integrity, the ballot question committee that supported Initiated Measure 22, has filed a motion to intervene.
November 28, 2016 •
Lawmakers File Legal Challenge Against South Dakota’s Initiated Measure 22
A group of Republican lawmakers filed a lawsuit in state court Wednesday, Nov. 23, to block the government ethics overhaul recently approved by voters. The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of Initiated Measure 22, which became effective last week restricting campaign […]
A group of Republican lawmakers filed a lawsuit in state court Wednesday, Nov. 23, to block the government ethics overhaul recently approved by voters.
The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of Initiated Measure 22, which became effective last week restricting campaign contributions and gifts from lobbyists. Gov. Dennis Daugaard says he supports repeal of the measure and he will not include money in his budget for the public campaign finance system called for by the new law.
November 23, 2016 •
2016 NCSL State Vote Recaps Campaign Finance Ballot Initiatives
The 2016 election was about a lot more than just a battle between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Across the country, states asked voters to consider a variety of ballot measures, including a few campaign finance issues. At the 2016 National Conference […]
The 2016 election was about a lot more than just a battle between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Across the country, states asked voters to consider a variety of ballot measures, including a few campaign finance issues. At the 2016 National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) State Vote seminar held in Washington, D.C., Wendy Underhill recapped a number of those issues and the decisions that voters made on Nov. 8.
Both California and Washington held votes related to the United States Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United vs. FEC. Voters approved ballot measures that urged government leaders to use their power to work to overturn the Supreme Court’s ruling, possibly through a constitutional amendment, if possible.
In Missouri, voters approved an initiative establishing limits on campaign contributions to candidates for state or judicial office; while in South Dakota, voters approved an initiative to create a publicly funded campaign finance program and an ethics commission.
For more from the NCSL State Vote seminar you can view some of the presentation slides here. To see a list of ballot measure election results of interest to government relations professionals, take a look at our 2016 election dashboard.
November 9, 2016 •
Wednesday Government Relations News
Elections “Donald Trump Is Elected President in Stunning Repudiation of the Establishment” by Matt Flegenheimer and Michael Barbaro for The New York Times “News Media Yet Again Misreads America’s Complex Pulse” by Jim Rutenberg for The New York Times “Republicans Keep Control […]
Elections
“Donald Trump Is Elected President in Stunning Repudiation of the Establishment” by Matt Flegenheimer and Michael Barbaro for The New York Times
“News Media Yet Again Misreads America’s Complex Pulse” by Jim Rutenberg for The New York Times
“Republicans Keep Control of Congress” by Eric Bradner for CNN
“GOP Dominates Democrats in Governors’ Races” by Michael J. Mishak and Ben Wieder for The Center for Public Integrity
Missouri: “Missouri Supports Voter ID, Campaign Limits” by the Staff of St. Joseph News Press
Rhode Island: “R.I. Ethics Commission’s Jurisdiction Over Assembly Is Restored” by Alex Kuffner for Providence Journal
South Dakota: “The Latest: Voters choose to allow public campaign finance” by The Associated Press for The Sacramento Bee
Campaign Finance
“Panel Upholds ‘Soft-Money’ Ban but Sends GOP Campaign Finance Challenge to Supreme Court” by Spencer S. Hsu for The Washington Post
Alaska: “Federal Judge Rejects Lawsuit Challenging Alaska’s Limits on Campaign Donations” by Nathaniel Herz for Alaska Dispatch News
November 9, 2016 •
South Dakota Voters Approve Government Accountability Ballot Measure
Citizens of South Dakota voted in favor of lobbying and campaign finance reform. Initiated Measure 22 (IM 22), known as the South Dakota Government Accountability and Anti-Corruption Act, passed by a tally of 52% to 48%. IM 22 creates a […]
Citizens of South Dakota voted in favor of lobbying and campaign finance reform. Initiated Measure 22 (IM 22), known as the South Dakota Government Accountability and Anti-Corruption Act, passed by a tally of 52% to 48%.
IM 22 creates a publicly funded campaign finance system and lowers contribution limits as well as new gift limits and revolving door restrictions for former state officials.
Though approved by the voters, the measure may face constitutional challenges in court.
September 12, 2016 •
Direct Corporate Contributions a Future Possibility in South Dakota
The South Dakota panel assembled by Secretary of State Shantel Krebs to review campaign finance laws showed support of a proposal to allow direct contributions from individual organizations like businesses and labor unions. The panel met Tuesday, September 6 and […]
The South Dakota panel assembled by Secretary of State Shantel Krebs to review campaign finance laws showed support of a proposal to allow direct contributions from individual organizations like businesses and labor unions.
The panel met Tuesday, September 6 and will meet two more times before finalizing proposals that will be requested from the Legislature in January. The panel is also expected to propose new campaign finance reporting requirements.
August 22, 2016 •
Campaigning Heats Up on S.D. Campaign Finance Ballot Measure
Americans for Prosperity, a political advocacy group backed by the Koch brothers, launched an aggressive campaign to defeat South Dakota’s Initiated Measure 22. IM 22 will appear on the November ballot and seeks to revise state campaign finance and lobbying […]
Americans for Prosperity, a political advocacy group backed by the Koch brothers, launched an aggressive campaign to defeat South Dakota’s Initiated Measure 22.
IM 22 will appear on the November ballot and seeks to revise state campaign finance and lobbying laws to increase transparency.
Americans for Prosperity successfully worked in the past to block other measures requiring disclosure of contributor identities in states including Georgia and California.
June 17, 2016 •
South Dakota Secretary of State Announces Full Review of Campaign Finance Laws
The Secretary of State announced the commencement of a full review of South Dakota’s campaign finance laws. The review comes in the wake of the June 7 primary where it was alleged that several candidates kept campaign finance information secret […]
The Secretary of State announced the commencement of a full review of South Dakota’s campaign finance laws.
The review comes in the wake of the June 7 primary where it was alleged that several candidates kept campaign finance information secret by using a loophole that allows candidates that do not run in primary elections to go two years without filing any reports.
The proposed changes are expected to be presented in October 2016.
January 7, 2016 •
Bill to be Introduced to Change Signature Requirements for South Dakota Ballot Initiatives
South Dakota Rep. Jim Bolin believes ballot initiatives should require support from voters across the state prior to being added to a ballot. He plans to introduce a bill limiting the number of signatures from the state’s three largest counties […]
South Dakota Rep. Jim Bolin believes ballot initiatives should require support from voters across the state prior to being added to a ballot. He plans to introduce a bill limiting the number of signatures from the state’s three largest counties by population to no more than 50 percent of the signatures obtained. According to U.S. Census data, those three counties account for nearly 40 percent of the state’s population.
Bolin claims the signatures gathered in the three counties do not always represent the interest of the entire state. Ballot measure sponsors, however, do not want to restrict a voter’s right to be considered qualified based on his or her county of residence.
October 22, 2015 •
Sioux Falls to Consider Eliminating Local Campaign Contribution Limits
Sioux Falls City Clerk Lorie Hogstad brought a proposal before City Council to eliminate the $5,000 cap on contributions from political action committees in an attempt to clear up confusion between state and local election laws. While most of the […]
Sioux Falls City Clerk Lorie Hogstad brought a proposal before City Council to eliminate the $5,000 cap on contributions from political action committees in an attempt to clear up confusion between state and local election laws. While most of the city’s election rules already mirror state laws, the new proposal would simply remove duplicative sections in local election law and refer instead to the state’s provisions. It would also entirely remove contribution limits specific to the city.
Proponents do not believe the proposal will have much impact on city elections, as the elections are nonpartisan and PACs have historically never reached the $5,000 limit.
The proposed changes are slated for council adoption on November 2, 2015.
Photo of downtown Sioux Falls by Jon Platek on Wikimedia Commons.
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