The proposed bill aims to prohibit the use of paid petition circulators in South Dakota, amending existing laws related to the circulation of petitions for initiated amendments, measures, and referred laws. Key amendments include the requirement for petition circulators to provide a handout to each signer that includes the title and explanation of the measure, any fiscal notes, and the contact information of petition sponsors. Notably, the bill introduces a new provision that explicitly states that no individual or organization may compensate anyone for circulating petitions, with any violations resulting in the petition being deemed void ab initio.

Additionally, the bill modifies the definitions related to petition circulators and sponsors, removing the definitions for "paid circulator" and "volunteer circulator." This change aligns with the bill's intent to eliminate paid circulators altogether. The amendments also maintain the existing requirements for filing petitions, including notarized affidavits and deadlines for submission to the Secretary of State, ensuring that the process remains structured while enforcing the new prohibition on compensation for circulators.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 02/05/2025: 2-1-1.1, 2-1-1.2, 2-1-1.3, 2-1-3.1
House Judiciary Engrossed, 02/25/2025: 2-1-1.1, 2-1-1.2, 2-1-1.3, 2-1-3.1