PIERRE – Plans for a new state park in the Spearfish Canyon don’t look good according to legislative leaders in the Republican Party.
They made their remarks to about 25 editors and publishers as part of Newspaper Day, an event sponsored by the South Dakota Newspaper Association.
There is a proposal to transfer 1,600 acres from federal ownership to the state for the creation of a new state park in Spearfish Canyon.
It has met with some resistance in the Black Hills.
Assistant Majority Leader Ryan Maher of Isabel said the emails he’s received from constituents have all been against the proposal.
They aren’t in support of it, Maher said. I think Spearfish Canyon is in jeopardy of not coming to fruition this session.
Senate Majority Leader Blake Curd of Sioux Falls said the only proponent of the project that he’s heard from is the governor’s office.
The west side (of the state) is becoming very vocal, said House Majority Leader Lee Qualm of Platte. I don’t see that happening.
The GOP leaders also defended this week’s actions in the Legislature as HB1069, a measure to repeal IM22, has made a fast trip through the legislative process. IM22, an anti-corruption ballot initiative, earned 52 percent of the vote in November. Its implementation has been halted by a lawsuit brought by 24 legislators contending that the measure is unconstitutional.
Curd said the overwhelming body of opinion in the Legislature is that IM22 is unconstitutional.
It would be difficult, if not impossible, for this law to stand, Curd said, defending the Legislature’s moves to repeal the measure without replacement laws in place.
We think that starting with a fresh slate is imperative, Curd said.
The Legislature is doing anything but rejecting what the voters said.
Republicans will concentrate on laws dealing with campaign finance reform, accountability and a lobbyist gift ban according to Assistant Majority Leader Kent Peterson of Salem.
A lot of it mirrors the intent of IM22, Peterson said.
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