Opinion ID: 901469
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Video Lottery

Text: [¶ 2.] The history of the video lottery law in South Dakota began in 1989 when the South Dakota Legislature authorized the South Dakota Lottery Commission to offer video lottery games. 1989 S.D.Sess.L. ch. 368. The authorizing bill, Senate Bill 129, was signed into law on March 1, 1989. Id. It was amended that same session by Senate Bill 154 by adding three sections to the original bill. One section approximated the generated revenues, one section included the amount in another house bill and the third section declared the revenues as: necessary for the support of state government and its existing public institutions pursuant to Article III, Section 1, of the Constitution of South Dakota. 1989 S.D.Sess.L. ch. 369. This bill was signed on March 15, 1989. The law was not referred to the voters nor was there any court action commenced to determine if the law fell within the referendum exceptions of article III, § 1. See generally, Gravning v. Zellmer, 291 N.W.2d 751 (S.D.1980). [¶ 3.] Initiated Measure 4 sought to repeal all the statutory provisions that the legislature had passed authorizing video lottery games. 1993 South Dakota Legislative Manual at 632. Initiated Measure 4 was defeated in the general election on November 3, 1992. Id. at 629. [¶ 4.] Shortly after the unsuccessful initiated attempt to repeal video lottery, an action was filed in circuit court challenging the constitutionality of the original laws. The action sought to prohibit the State of South Dakota from operating video lottery and to require the immediate revocation of video lottery licenses. Poppen v. Walker, 520 N.W.2d 238 (S.D.1994). On June 22, 1994, this Court issued its opinion holding that video lottery is not authorized under Article III, § 25 of the South Dakota Constitution. Id. at 240. [¶ 5.] In response to the opinion, the South Dakota Legislature held two special legislative sessions. In the first special session on July 12, 1994, the legislature proposed to submit the video lottery issue to the voters as a constitutional amendment to article III, § 25, authorizing video lottery. See, S.D.Const., art. XXIII, § 1 (providing, in part, Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by initiative or by a majority vote of all members of each house of the Legislature.). Laws of the 1994 First Special Session, ch. 1. It was placed on the ballot as Constitutional Amendment E. Also during this special session, the legislature passed emergency legislation in order to fund state government. The legislature replaced the lost video lottery revenue with funds transferred from the budget reserve fund. Laws of the 1994 First Special Session, ch. 2. In addition, the legislature passed emergency legislation to ratify certain prior video lottery legislation. Laws of the 1994 First Special Session, ch. 4. The law also authorized the possession, sale, transportation and disposal of licensed video lottery machines. Laws of the 1994 First Special Session, ch. 5[sic]. In the second special session in September 1994, the legislature addressed state budget issues. During this session, the legislature passed emergency legislation to repeal, reduce, and amend certain appropriations and to provide budget transfers. Laws of the 1994 Second Special Session, ch. 1-16. [¶ 6.] In the November 8, 1994, general election, the voters reauthorized the video lottery system by approving proposed Constitutional Amendment E amending article III, § 25. 1995 South Dakota Legislative Manual at 285, 290. [¶ 7.] Six years later in 2000 the subject again was put to a vote of the people by an initiated measure seeking to repeal video lottery by removing the 1994 authorization in article III, § 25. The voters rejected the 2000 initiated attempt to repeal video lottery in the general election of November 7, 2000. 2001-2002 South Dakota Legislative Manual at 257. [¶ 8.] Before us is the most recent attempt to repeal video lottery. Video lottery opponents gathered sufficient signatures on a petition to make the issue eligible for placement on the 2006 general election ballot. The petition is entitled An Act to Repeal the Video Lottery. It is the subject of this action.