If ever there was a good time to get to Pierre, this is it.
Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning will be a 2-in-1 opportunity to take a crack at bad bills. We’re even hosting a meal Tuesday evening! If you need help with travel or accommodations, please contact our office at (605) 697-5204 x250.
And, if you can’t get to Pierre, make sure to contact Reps or Senators ASAP!!!
TUESDAY EVENING: House Bill 1117–The “Riot Booster” Bill will be heard in Senate Judiciary Committee starting at 7pm in Room 414 of the Capitol.
Riot, incitement to riot, and intentional damage to property are already crimes, so the bill is unnecessary. It creates a serious chilling effect on exercise of constitutionally-protected freedoms of speech and assembly due to its vague language (what exactly is riot boosting?). It will likely result in false riot charges–clogging up our courts and jails and leading to unnecessary taxpayer expense as demonstrated in North Dakota. Read the bill HERE.
Call Senate Judiciary Committee members to OPPOSE this bill: (605) 773-3821 or email members:
Rocky.Blare@sdlegislature.gov, Craig.Kennedy@sdlegislature.gov, Al.Novstrup@sdlegislature.gov, Arthur.Rusch@sdlegislature.gov, Lance.Russell@sdlegislature.gov, Lee.Schoenbeck@sdlegislature.gov, Jim.Stalzer@sdlegislature.gov
There will be a soup and frybread feed ahead of the hearing for water protectors, allies, and friends at the First Congregational/UCC Church at 123 N Highland starting at 5pm Tuesday eve. Donations are always welcome, but the meal is free. Please join us.
WEDNESDAY MORNING: Senate Bill 157–the County Zoning Bill will be heard in House State Affairs, 7:30 am, in Room 414 of the Capitol.
Click HERE to read the bill–section numbers of problematic parts of the bill are indicated in brackets below.
- SB 157 undermines local control in these ways:
- Removes supermajority vote option for conditional use permits and forces a simple majority of members present vote on permits. [Sections 2 & 6]
- Nullifies counties’ ability to set their own expiration date for permits issued and sets in place an across-the-board standard of two years following the conclusion of an appeal–no matter how long that appeal process takes. [Section 15]
- SB 157 cuts people out of the democratic process in these ways:
- Entices counties to use a “special permitted use” process that is administratively approved–no public notice or hearing–undermining due process [Sections 3 & 4]
- Severely limits those who have standing to file an appeal–beyond what the courts have previously ruled [Section 1]
- Subjects those who do appeal to costs of preparing transcripts, which can run into the thousands of dollars [Section 11]
- Subjects those who appeal & lose to paying winner’s attorneys fees (though if an appealing party wins, the county is exempt from paying) [Section 14]
Contact House State Affairs Committee members to OPPOSE this bill by calling (605) 773-3851 or email members:
David.Anderson@sdlegislature.gov, Arch.Beal@sdlegislature.gov, Drew.Dennert@sdlegislature.gov, Michael.Diedrich@sdlegislature.gov,
Tim.Goodwin@sdlegislature.gov, Spencer.Gosch@sdlegislature.gov
Jon.Hansen@sdlegislature.gov, Steven.Haugaard@sdlegislature.gov
Kevin.Jensen@sdlegislature.gov, Steven.McCleerey@sdlegislature.gov
Kent.Peterson@sdlegislature.gov, Lee.Qualm@sdlegislature.gov
Jamie.Smith@sdlegislature.gov
THANK YOU for Taking ACTION!