FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:     Wednesday, May 27, 2015
CONTACT:  Sara Rabern  (605) 773-3215 

 
 
Attorney General Explanations Released for Initiative Petitions Relating to
Maximum Finance Charges and Constitutional Amendment to Referendum and Initiative Process

PIERRE, S.D.-  South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced today that two Attorney General Explanations for initiated measures have been filed with the Secretary of State. These statements will appear on petitions that will be circulated by the sponsors of the measures. If the sponsors obtain a sufficient number of signatures (13,871) on the petitions by November 8, 2015, as certified by the Secretary of State, the measures will be placed on the ballot for the November 2016 general election.
 
1.  An initiated measure to set a maximum finance charge for certain licensed money lenders.
2.   An initiated amendment to the South Dakota Constitution to allow referral of state and municipal laws affecting public peace, health, safety and the support of government and also to limit the ability to amend or repeal initiated laws. 

Under South Dakota law, the Attorney General is responsible for preparing explanations for proposed initiated measures, referred laws, and South Dakota Constitutional Amendments. Specifically, the explanation includes a title, an objective, clear and simple summary of the purpose and effect of the proposed measure and a description of the legal consequences. It is anticipated that additional Attorney General Explanations for initiated measures will be filed in the near future.
To view the Attorney General Explanations for the measures, as well as the final form of the measures submitted to this office, please click on the link.

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