Prohibit certain business entities and affiliated persons from making political campaign contributions to state officeholders or candidates if the business entity does contractual business with certain state agencies.

Chairman’s Note: Pay-to-Play is a deplorable fact of life in South Dakota, and this bill attempts to put Pay-to-Play to an end. Companies should not have to contribute to a candidate to receive a contract from the state. At the end of the day, this is an insidious way of funneling money into the coffers of Republican Party.

Read the original bill language here.

Provide for legislative redistricting by a bipartisan, nonlegislative commission and to declare an emergency.

Democratic Sponsors: Representatives Gibson, Blake, Dennert, Feickert, Killer, Lucas, Schrempp, Sigdestad, Street, and Wismer and Senator Frerichs.

Chairman’s Note: Rejection of these bills proves once again that Republicans are more concerned about the welfare of Republicans than the welfare of South Dakotans. Their goal is to keep redistricting as political as possible.

Read the original bill language here.

Provide for legislative redistricting by a bipartisan, nonlegislative commission and to declare an emergency.

Democratic Sponsors: Senators Buhl, Bradford, Frerichs, Hundstad and Representatives Gibson, Elliott, and Feickert.

Chairman’s Note: Rejection of these bills proves once again that Republicans are more concerned about the welfare of Republicans than the welfare of South Dakotans. Their goal is to keep redistricting as political as possible.

Read the original bill language here.

Limit increases in state government spending.

Representatives Feickert, Blake, Brunner, Dennert, Elliott, Fargen, Feinstein, Gibson, Hawley, Hunhoff (Bernie), Iron Cloud III, Jones, Killer, Kirkeby, Kirschman, Kloucek, Olson (Betty), Russell, Schrempp,Sigdestad, and Street and Senators Hundstad, Bradford, Buhl, Frerichs, and Sutton.

Chairman’s Note: Democrats tried to enact this bill five years ago. If Republicans had joined us to promote responsible spending, our current budget crisis wouldn’t exist. We limit our counties and school districts to growth of 3% or the rate of inflation – whichever is lower. If it’s good enough for schools/counties, it should be good enough for the state.

Read the original bill language here.

Require the state to provide the public with access to an electronic database containing certain information on any loans, grants, or tax rebates provided by the state for the purpose of economic development.

Rep. Bernie Hunhoff and Sen. Angie Buhl

Chairman’s Note: South Dakotans deserve complete transparency and fiscal integrity. This bill attempts to make government spending not only transparent but accessible to all South Dakotans. We are public shareholders of South Dakota. No public company would be allowed to operate without divulging to its shareholders this information, and South Dakota should be no different.

Read the original bill language here.

Establish provisions to enhance education in the state concerning the history of labor and collective bargaining.

Democratic Sponsors: Representatives Kirschman, Blake, Bolin, Elliott, Fargen, Feickert, Feinstein, Gibson, Hunhoff (Bernie), Iron Cloud III, Killer, Kloucek, and Street and Senators Frerichs, Bradford, Buhl, Hundstad, and Sutton

Chairman’s Note: The contributions of organized labor are felt everyday – in 40 hour work weeks, weekends, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation. Education should reflect that contribution.

Read the original bill language here.

Provide for an individual mandate to adult citizens to provide for the self defense of themselves and others.

Chairman’s Note: No bill better represents how out of touch our Republican legislators are than HB 1237. Wasting time trying to score points on a bill to mandate gun ownership insults thousands of South Dakotans who fear they will be denied coverage for pre-existing conditions, who can stay on their parents health insurance until they are 26, and who can keep health insurers accountable. This bill belittles genuine efforts to move South Dakota forward.

Read the original bill language here.

Proposing and submitting to the electors at the next general election an amendment to Article V, section 1 of the Constitution of the State of South Dakota relating to prohibiting the application of international law, the law of foreign nations, and certain foreign religious or moral codes in the state courts of South Dakota.

Representatives Jensen, Bolin, Boomgarden, Brunner, Deelstra, Greenfield, Haggar, Hansen(Jon), Hickey,Hoffman, Hubbel, Kopp, Liss, Magstadt, Miller, Munsterman, Nelson (Stace), Olson (Betty), Schaefer, Solum,Steele, Stricherz, Tornow, Tulson, Van Gerpen, Vanneman, Verchio, and Willadsen and Senators Rhoden,Kraus, Lederman, Maher, and Schlekeway

Chairman’s Note: Another way of distracting the majority from real issues by blaming the minorities of our diverse community.

Read the original bill language here.

Provide for the state and local enforcement of certain federal immigration laws, to criminalize the knowing transportation, concealment, or solicitation of illegal aliens, and to provide penalties therefor.

Chairman’s Note:: Using the Arizona model of immigration for South Dakota is the equivalent of Arizona using the South Dakota model for snow removal. This bill is just another way of distracting the majority from real issues by blaming the minorities of our diverse community.

Read the original bill language here.