PIERRE, SD (KELO AM) Supporters and critics sounded off at a packed legislative hearings Monday on a bill that would dismantle most of Initiated Measure 22, the ethics overhaul approved by the voters in November.
Supporters of House Bill 1069 variously argued that most of IM 22 is unconstitutional, that it would "chill" free speech, and that it could siphon off money needed for other needs, including education.
House Majority Leader Lee Qualm testified that the taxpayer funding of elections that is part of the measure would have a dramatic impact on the state budget in a tight year.
"We have to come up with approximately five million dollars. There's nine dollars that needs to be appropriated for roughly 555,000 voters," testified House Majority Leader Lee Qualm at the House State Affairs Committee hearing.
Critics of HB 1069 variously argued that lawmakers were rushing to repeal IM 22 when it is still in the courts, and that claiming that the voters didn't know what they were voting for in November is just plain wrong.
"What's the emergency? The courts have already put the law on hold. Let it have its day in court," testified Mitch Richter, speaking on behalf of South Dakotans for Integrity. He said lawmakers were "thumbing their noses" at what the public approved.
Initiated Measure 22 would create an independent ethics commission, limit political contributions by lobbyists, create so-called democracy credits for partial public funding of campaigns, among many many other provisions. But the devil is in the details. Critics say they are all for transparency and high ethical standards, but IM 22 is not the way to get there.