PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - A Republican-backed bill that would dismantle South Dakota’s voter-approved government ethics initiative is headed to the full Senate after passing through a committee Wednesday.
The Senate State Affairs Committee voted 7-2 to approve the bill, which would repeal the ballot initiative that created an ethics commission, public campaign funding and limitations on lobbyist gifts to lawmakers. The embattled law - called Initiated Measure 22 - isn’t in effect while a legal challenge from Republican legislators and others moves forward.
As the repeal bill barrels toward GOP Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s desk, lawmakers have floated several proposals that could replace pieces of Initiated Measure 22.
Here’s a look at how some of lawmakers’ potential replacement plans compare to the original:
PUBLIC CAMPAIGN FUNDING
Under Initiated Measure 22, voters who want to use the public campaign finance program could tap a state fund to give two “democracy credits” worth $50 each to political candidates who agree to campaign contribution and spending limits. Each election year, participating legislative candidates could receive up to $15,000 in democracy credit funds, while a gubernatorial candidate could collect up to $700,000, with varying amounts for other offices.
Such a plan doesn’t appear to have support among lawmakers this year.
LOBBYING RESTRICTIONS
The ballot measure limits lobbyist gifts to lawmakers to $100 annually, when previously there was no cap. A gift includes compensation, employment, beverages, food and things of value. Lobbyists and their employers are subject to the limitations when giving gifts to lawmakers, state officials and legislative and executive department staff. Gifts given to an official’s immediate family member count toward their $100 allowance. The initiative also bars lobbying by state officials and high-level employees for two years after exiting government.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers this year filed a measure that would impose an annual $100 limit on lobbyist gifts to statewide officeholders, executive branch agency heads and legislators, or their immediate families. A gift would be defined as anything of value given without compensation, but it doesn’t include food and beverage for immediate consumption, among other things.
ETHICS COMMISSION
Initiated Measure 22 calls for an independent ethics commission meant to prevent corruption, ensure state ethics laws aren’t violated and administer the public campaign financing program.
The commission is also charged with making recommendations to public agencies to minimize corruption and reviewing campaign finance and lobbying records to ensure compliance with the law. The panel can investigate potential violations of campaign finance or lobbying law, and the initiative entrusts the commission with maintaining a website and telephone hotline for the anonymous reporting of state government corruption.
Lawmakers have proposed similar panels this session. One bipartisan plan would create a state government accountability board, which would be attached to the attorney general’s office. It would review and investigate issues, including bribery and theft of public funds.
Secretary of State Shantel Krebs has proposed a bill creating a campaign finance ethics commission, which would be patterned after a disciplinary board and would evaluate and enforce complaints over reported campaign finance violations.
CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
Initiated Measure 22 lowers yearly individual contribution limits for candidates. Under the law, attorney general and lieutenant governor hopefuls dropped from a $4,000 cap to $2,000, with a $1,000 limit for other statewide candidates. Legislative candidates went from a $1,000 cap to $750. It also limited political action committees to $2,000, down from $10,000, while political parties were cut in half to $5,000.
Krebs has put forward a bill that would limit ballot question committees to $10,000 annually from a person or entity. The bill would also allow organizations to donate directly to candidates in an effort to improve transparency. Businesses and other organizations right now funnel donations into political action committees, which can obscure the original source of the money by the time it reaches a candidate.
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