Bill to ban paid petitioning fails in South Dakota House of Representatives

By: John Hult

Outlets: South Dakota Searchlight

Published: January 28, 2026

Words: 325

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 3 days ago

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Constitutional concerns helped tank a bill Tuesday in the South Dakota House of Representatives that aimed to ban payments to petition circulators in ballot measure campaigns.

Rep. Travis Ismay, R-Newell, sponsored House Bill 1087. It sought to bar payments for those who want to put initiated laws, referendums or constitutional amendments on the ballot.

Ismay argued that paying circulators undermines the interests of South Dakotans by allowing out-of-state interests to fund campaigns meant …

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