VDA Testimony to SD House State Affairs Committee Hearing on March 3 in Support of SB 106

On March 3, I testified before the SD House State Affairs Committee in Pierre and delivered the following statement in support of Senate Bill 106:

“Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. Zeb Johnson, glad to be back here again. I am from Sioux Falls, and I’m here on behalf of the Voter Defense Association of South Dakota. We rise in support of SB 106.

Our state constitution grants South Dakotans the right to place initiatives on the ballot — both statutory and constitutional.

However, our state constitution should not, and does not according to Attorney General Jackley in that statement last year, grant non-residents that same ability to submit initiatives to the ballot.

This bill would clear up any remaining ambiguities after that determination by the attorney general and protect our initiative process from out-of-state actors attempting to use our process as a vehicle for federal litigation. And this, I believe, was the case last year that the attorney general addressed.

So we urge that you support this bill, and thanks for your time.”

[END]