Opinion ID: 2117122
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Presidential Primary ExpensesSB 267

Text: The secretary of state is required to reimburse counties for expenses arising from the presidential primary held in February every four years. SDCL 12-6-4.2. In 1988, the legislature passed an emergency measure which appropriated $250,000 to the counties to reimburse them for expenses of the 1988 presidential primary. See Act of March 3, 1988, ch. 131, 1988 S.D. Laws 219 (appropriation to pay for the 1988 presidential primary). In 1989, the legislature passed another emergency measure, appropriating $105,720 for the balance of the expenses incurred in the 1988 primary. See Act of March 15, 1989, ch. 128, 1989 S.D. Laws 289 (appropriation to reimburse counties for the 1988 presidential primary). Both passed by two-thirds majority. The 1990 legislature failed to pass a similar appropriation for the anticipated expenses of the 1992 presidential primary. In 1992, SB 267 was introduced to appropriate $435,000 to the secretary of state to reimburse counties for 1992 presidential primary expenses. SB 267 was entitled, AN ACT TO MAKE AN APPROPRIATION TO REIMBURSE COUNTIES FOR THE COST OF THE 1992 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. For some reason, SB 267 was hoghoused [5] in the Appropriations Committee and utilized for another subject (AN ACT TO CLARIFY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN LAND). On February 27, the contents of SB 267, which had been adjusted to appropriate only $335,000, was inserted into SB 62, which then passed with the requisite two-thirds vote. The additional $100,000 was placed in the General Appropriation Bill. Respondents argue that the $100,000 appropriation was placed in the General Appropriation Bill so that the secretary of state could begin to annually acquire the funds necessary to reimburse counties for expenses as required by SDCL 12-6-4.2, beginning after the start of the 1993 fiscal year. (Resp't Br. at 6; See also Nicolay aff. Ex. 1 at 3-4). Petitioners assert, however, that there is no legislative history indicating that the legislation had any purpose other than to reimburse the counties for the expenses relating to the 1992 primary. An attempt to remove this appropriation from the General Appropriation Bill in the Senate failed. The $100,000 appropriation was included in the General Appropriation Bill and passed by a simple majority vote. [6]