PIERRE, S.D. (SDBA) — In limited circumstances, a petition signer could remove their signature from a petition for an initiated measure, referendum, or constitutional amendment.

HB1244 passed the House on a 59 to 9 vote. It received a two-thirds vote, necessary as the bill carries an emergency clause and goes into effect upon the governor’s signature if it also passes the Senate.

Republican Rep. Jon Hanson from Dell Rapids said he has received reports of pro-choice constitutional amendment circulators misrepresenting the measure. Hanson says people said they want to withdraw their signatures.

However, Hanson said the bill was not aimed at a likely constitutional amendment on the ballot this fall that would restore abortion rights to the pre-Dobbs decision. He said it would apply to all citizen-derived measures.

Under the bill, the petition signer would submit the same information they put on the petition to the Secretary of State. Then, if there is a challenge to the validity of the petition signatures, then the Secretary of State would send those requests for withdrawals to the litigants.

While Hanson was concerned about “bad actors” duping voters for their signatures, Democratic Rep. Erin Healy says other bad actors have utilized the process of withdrawing signatures in other states. She said that in Utah, which has a similar law, there was a concerted effort to remove legitimate signatures from petitions.

Republican Rep. Ernie Otten from Tea said voters must take responsibility and carefully read petitions before signing.

The measure now moves to a Senate committee.