Bill Prohibits Campaign Contributions by State Employees
Air Date:01/30/2012
The House State Affairs Committee has killed a bill that prohibits certain state employees from giving political contributions to gubernatorial candidates. Representative Peggy Gibson is a main sponsor of the bill. She says it protects state employees who feel pressured to give in order to keep their job. Proponents say the pressure is a very real problem and needs to be stopped. But opponents like Representative Charles Turbiville say the bill goes too far.
"Because suddenly if we pass this bill we're going to disenfranchise between 10,000 and 15,000 South Dakota taxpaying citizens," Turbiville says. "We're taking away their right. And I do not believe I should surrender that right just because I choose to plow snow for the Department of Transportation, test water at DENR, or develop standards at the Department of Energy."
Committee members voted nine to four to defer the bill to the 41st legislative day, effectively killing the measure.
By Jenifer Jones
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