Should it be tougher to put questions on S.D. ballots?
Alarmed at the amount of out-of-state money flowing into ballot measure campaigns, some South Dakota lawmakers want to make it harder to pose legislative questions to voters.
Millions of dollars poured into the state in 2016 aimed at convincing voters to approve a host of ballot measures, including a successful constitutional amendment dealing with crime victims' rights and a voter-approved measure that aims to overhaul the state's campaign finance and ethics laws.
State lawmakers worry South Dakota's first-in-the-nation ballot initiative process could fall victim to outside groups if they don't bring legislation creating additional hurdles. An array of proposals are now being floated, and legislative leaders say the conversation will be a top priority during the 2017 legislative session.
“For me, doing nothing is not an option as far as the South Dakota Constitution is concerned,” said state Sen. Jim Bolin, R-Canton. “The rules of the game have totally changed with all of this outside money that floods in. People came in here with a bushel basket full of money and bought an election.”
Read more: http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/politics/2016/12/13/should-tougher-put-questions-sd-ballots/95367762/