SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - A joint resolution making it harder to change South Dakota's Constitution won approval in the Senate Local Government Committee today.
The resolution's mains sponsor, Senator Jim Bolin of Canton, says the resolution would require that amendments to the Constitution would require two-thirds approval in each house of the Legislature.
Any change or revision to the Constitution would then have be approved by 60% of the votes cast in an election.
Bolin says his proposal has nothing to do with initiated measures. He says it also does not change the number of signatures required to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot. He says it does not restrict or change ballot access in any way.
He says the bill will make it more difficult for the Legislature to place constitutional amendments before voters.
David Owen with the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry was the only opponent to speak against the measure. Owen didn't have an issue with requiring a two-thirds vote in both chambers but he opposed the 60% of the votes required to pass revision.
Owen said there's concern that 60% of the vote is too much of a filter.
The measure passed the committee with a do pass recommendation and is headed to the Senate floor.