Tag: South Dakota

7/5/21--South Dakota marijuana activists filed four separate legalization measures with the state Legislative Research Council—the first step toward putting the issue before voters next year. South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws says the sponsors will drop the proposals if Amendment A, which was approved by voters last November, is fully restored by the state’s high court. But for now, they’re getting the process rolling in case the judiciary doesn’t uphold the will of the electorate. Read

6/24/21--Governor Kristi Noem spearheaded the legal battle against Amendment A, arguing it was unconstitutional; an argument a circuit court judge agreed with in April. If the supreme court rules in her favor, she doesn’t want the state legislature to take up the issue. She doesn’t think the voters knew about the constitutional issues involved with Amendment A when they cast their ballots. She says that’s why she had the state fight it in court. Read

2/12/21--This past week, legislative leaders in South Dakota announced their plan to guarantee a safe and effective program for medicinal marijuana. They are committed to respecting that vote that supported access to medicinal marijuana and making sure that South Dakota patients have access to safe and accessible medicinal marijuana. Read

2/8/21--Circuit Court Judge Christina Klinger ruled Monday that Constitutional Amendment A ending marijuana prohibition in South Dakota shouldn't go forward because it violates the state Constitution on two grounds: It violates the single subject rule, meaning it encompassed more than one topic, and it conflicts with language in the Constitution that provides for its modification. Read

1/27/21--South Dakota voters created Amendment A when they voted to legalize small amounts of recreational marijuana. According to lawyer Lisa Prostrollo, who is challenging the vote, the amendment had so much power that it usurped powers delegated by the South Dakota Constitution to the Legislative, Judicial and Executive branches of government. Read

12/29/20--More arguments are being filed in a lawsuit seeking to overturn a citizen-approved constitutional amendment legalizing marijuana in the South Dakota. Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom and South Dakota Highway Patrol Superintendent Rick Miller filed a lawsuit last month challenging the constitutionality of the amendment, which legalized the cultivation, transport, possession and sale of marijuana in in the state. Read

12/28/20--Plaintiffs are arguing that an amendment legalizing marijuana violates the South Dakota Constitution in harmful ways, while the defendants say it doesn’t and that the suit was brought too late and without standing. Read

12/4/20--The office of the Attorney General asked a judge to dismiss a case being brought by Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom and Highway Patrol Superintendent Rick Miller indicating that Constitutional Amendment A, which legalizes the possession, distribution, transportation and cultivation of cannabis in South Dakota and passed in last month's election by an 8% margin, conflicts with existing language in the state Constitution. Read

11/20/20--Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom and South Dakota Highway Patrol Superintendent Rick Miller want the courts to overturn legislation passed by 225,260 voters earlier this year legalizing marijuana in South Dakota. They filed a lawsuit Friday challenging the constitutionality of Amendment A, which legalized the cultivation, transport, possession and sale of marijuana in in the state. Read

10/26/20--Kristi Noem, the first-term governor of South Dakota, talks a lot about personal freedom while also defending her hands-off approach to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, she doesn't support a libertarian approach to the use of drugs such as marijuana, which voters will decide whether to legalize for both medical and recreational use in next week's election. Read

10/25/20--KELOLAND Media Group teamed up with the Argus Leader to conduct a scientific poll on the candidates and ballot issues. Between October 19-21, 625 likely voters in South Dakota were asked to respond to a series of questions regarding the upcoming election regarding two of the biggest issues: the Presidential Race and ballot issues about marijuana. Read

10/26/20--Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota doesn't support a libertarian approach to the use of drugs such as marijuana, which voters will decide whether to legalize for both medical and recreational use in next week's election. Noem said she opposes legalizing marijuana in any fashion because it would hurt South Dakota families in the long run. Read

7/2/20--A ballot committee has been formed in South Dakota to oppose an amendment on the November ballot that would legalize recreational marijuana. Dave Owen, President of the state Chamber of Commerce and Industry, will head up the “No Way on Amendment A” committee. Read

11/6/19--South Dakota groups submitted separate signed petitions Monday that would allow residents to vote next year on whether to legalize medical marijuana and recreational marijuana. Monday was the deadline for submitting signatures to the South Dakota secretary of state’s office for measures for the November 2020 ballot. Read

11/6/17--A pair of ballot measures aimed to legalize recreational marijuana, and allow patients with serious medical conditions to use marijuana, attracted roughly 15,000 signatures, but the measures won't go before voters in 2018. There were not enough signatures collected for the proposed ballot questions. Read

5/18/17--Eric Hagen, a consultant who worked with the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe to open the nation’s first marijuana resort in South Dakota, is heading to trial on drug charges. Hagen was indicted on state marijuana charges months after the tribe destroyed its crop amid fears of a federal raid. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to possess, possession, and attempted possession of more than 10 pounds of marijuana. Read

5/13/17--The South Dakota Attorney General's Office plans to call Argus Leader Media reporter, Dana Ferguson, as a witness in an upcoming criminal trial related to the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe's aborted marijuana operation. Ferguson, who covers politics and state government, received a subpoena Monday ordering her to appear at the Moody County trial of Eric Hagen, a consultant who helped the tribe set up a marijuana growing facility. Read

1/8/17--New Approach South Dakota is pushing to legalize recreational use of marijuana. The group will submit the proposal for an initiated measure to go to a statewide vote on the 2018 ballot. New Approach South Dakota Chairperson Melissa Mentele of Emery says legalizing recreational cannabis would generate millions. Read