South Dakota Length of Legislative Session, Amendment I (2008)

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The South Dakota Length of Legislative Session Amendment, also known as Amendment I, was on the November 4, 2008 ballot in South Dakota as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, where it was approved. The measure was referred to the ballot by the South Dakota Legislature acting on House Joint Resolution 1004 (HJR 1004). It was a proposed amendment to Article III, Section 6 of the South Dakota Constitution.

The measure provided for a maximum of forty legislative days each year.

Election results

See also 2008 ballot measure election results

South Dakota Amendment I (2008)
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		184,722	52.41%
No		167,751	47.59%

Election results via: South Dakota Political Almanac, South Dakota Constitutional Amendments, Initiatives and Referendums 1970-2010

Text of measure

The text of the measure can be read here.

Support

Bill Peterson, a Republican from Sioux Falls and the Majority Leader for the House of Representatives, wrote the "pro" arguments for the state Ballot Question Pamphlet:

• The Executive Branch of South Dakotan government is full-time, whereas the Legislative Branch is only part-time. This creates an imbalance of power.
• Adding days to the legislative session would help to correct the current imbalance of power between the Executive and Legislative branches.
• The Legislature already meets in 40 day sessions every odd numbered year, why not have the option of doing so every year?
• The Legislative Article (the section of the Constitution setting out guidelines for the legislature) has been changed very little since statehood. The world however, has changed quite a bit and it is not as easy to write laws as it once was. The Legislature needs more time to do it's job.

Arguments Against

Senator Jerry Apa, a Republican from Lead and Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, wrote the "con" arguments for the state Ballot Question Pamphlet:

• There is an added cost to the taxpayers if the session is lengthened of $550 per legislator per day, plus additional travel costs. The total additional costs would be at least $115,000 per year.
• On a number of occasions the Legislature has finished it's business and gone home before the end of the session. Why give more time if it is not needed?
• Making the session longer will only result in important work being put off to the last minute.
• A vote for Amendment I is a vote for expanded government.
• Amendment I is basically the legislature trying to give itself a raise.

Editorials

• The Press Dakotan endorsed the passage of Amendment I.

See also

Suggest a link

• South Dakota 2008 ballot measures
• 2008 ballot measures
• List of South Dakota ballot measures
• History of Initiative & Referendum in South Dakota

External links

• South Dakota Political Almanac, South Dakota Constitutional Amendments, Initiatives and Referendums 1970-2010
• South Dakota Secretary of State: 2008 Ballot Question Text

Additional reading

• Constitutional Amendment I will add strength to state's motto, 'Under God the People Rule', Dakota Voice, September 29, 2008
• Voters Will Decide Seven Issues, Marshall County Journal, October 1, 2008

Footnotes

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This historical ballot measure article requires that the text of the measure be added to the page.