If we can’t pass 3/5, why not go for 2/3rds? 2022 Ballot measure that just failed being resurrected.

You can tell this is legislative session with a lot of religious interests this year, as just like Lazarus, they’re trying to bring things back to life that were most surely dead. This time the South Dakota Legislature is proposing to resurrect a measure that voters put down in 2022. In case you had forgotten from back in 2022:

Constitutional Amendment C
Title – Proposing and submitting to the voters at the next primary election a new section to Article XI of the Constitution of the State of South Dakota, relating to a three-fifths vote requirement for certain initiated or Legislature-proposed constitutional amendments and initiated or Legislature-referred measures.

Sponsor: Proposed and passed by the 2021 South Dakota Legislature – HJR 5003

(From the Secretary of State’s website)

And in case you forgot how that turned out:

I remind you of how that turned out, as it appears that LEGISLATORS HAVE DEVELOPED AMNESIA, forgetting the outcome of what the will of the voters was. Because today, we have a new measure that goes wildly farther than the previous legislation:

Wait.. what? Didn’t voters just reject a 2/3 vote for anything that cost or raised over 10 million? So now someone is bringing legislation to require a 2/3 vote on ANY constitutional amendment?

Couple of items, as I had to put pencil to paper. 2/3 is actually a higher number of votes than 3/5, so they’re introducing legislation that is not only more onerous in scope (beyond the original tax/cost of $10 million to everything), it’s requiring a higher vote total to pass.

When the bill that was just related to taxes and appropriations was smashed by a 2/3 vote, most people got the hint. This new legislature? They apparently need more instruction about the will of the people.

4 thoughts on “If we can’t pass 3/5, why not go for 2/3rds? 2022 Ballot measure that just failed being resurrected.”

Another legislative action that is Anti-Democracy.

Authoritarianism!

If Ismay, Jordan, Jensen P and Mullaly are for it, then I will be voting NO.

The vote of people should be the final say for these important measures. Maybe these legislators and governor should have to receive 3/5’s or 2/3’s to be elected. See how dumb that sounds.