SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Governor Dennis Daugaard signed House Bill 1069 yesterday which effectively repeals Initiated Measure 22, narrowly passed by voters in December.
The Act repeals and revises provisions related to public campaign finance and declares an emergency.
Daugaard says "The circuit court enjoined Initiated Measure 22, finding it unconstitutional 'beyond a reasonable doubt."
Daugaard goes on to say that "over the next few weeks, I will work with legislators to honor the will of the voters - by passing bills to regulate gifts from lobbyists and to strengthen ethics and campaign finance laws."
Senate Minority Leader Billie Sutton of Burke says supporters of IM 22 were under no illusions on the outcome of it's repeal but they are nevertheless disappointed.
Sutton thinks legislators can move forward and work together to try and come up with some reasonable solutions. "We have to."
Sutton says it's important to support the intent and the will of the voters. He says legislators are forced to come up with solutions that have some teeth "not just play pattycake."
Senator Blake Curd of Sioux Falls says there's no appetite among any legislators for publicly funded campaigns, or democracy credit program. But he says the ban on lobbying, extending from a year to two years, and lobbyist gift prohibitions will be addressed yet this session.