Have you ever been convinced to sign a petition and later realized the facts were misrepresented to you? Maybe not – but countless pro-life individuals in South Dakota fell victim to manipulation tactics used by the pro-abortion lobby in order to get their radical measures on the ballot in November. Aside from the blatant abuse of the system that these groups must be held accountable for, here’s the problem: there is currently no legal avenue for a person who was deceived into signing a petition to remove their name from it after the fact.
That’s where HB 1244 comes in; it would allow for a person who was deceived into signing a petition an avenue to remove their name from the list of signees. The summary of the bill explains that it would “provide a process to withdraw a signature from a petition for an initiated measure, constitutional amendment, or a referendum on a law in certain situations and to declare an emergency.”
If this bill is passed, anyone who signs a petition, then finds out later they were given false information, would be able to submit an affidavit requesting that their signature be invalidated.
This is a necessary bill not only to remedy the problem created by the pro-abortion lobby, but to dissuade any groups, on either side, from attempting similar tactics in the future. This bill protects the public from manipulation by lobby groups, and every elected official in our legislature should stand behind it.
Would you please consider contacting your representatives, and asking your friends in your district to do the same?
We know the voice of constituents has power to enact real change in the legislature – your representatives want to hear from you on these issues. We encourage you to use this action alert to contact your local representative and voice your strong support for HB 1244.
Thank you for your dedication to civic activism and preserving our fundamental rights in South Dakota. Your actions are shaping the future of our state.
