PIERRE, SD (KELO AM) The Senate State Affairs Committee has easily advanced to the State Senate floor in Pierre, a bill to repeal Initiated Measure 22, following similar swift action on the House side.
The Democrat minority is accusing Republicans of putting the repeal on a fast track to overturn the will of the voters. IM 22, a controversial ethics overhaul, was narrowly approved in the November election, but opponents say most of it is unconstitutional. Republican leaders say it needs to be repealed and replaced.
Democrats say they are willing to work across the aisle to improve IM 22, but will fight what they call extraordinary efforts to usurp the will of the voters through a rushed and questionable process.
IM 22 would create an independent ethics commission, put limits on campaign donations and allow for partial taxpayer funding of elections.
A circuit judge in Pierre has put the law on hold.