The November 2018 general election is more than a year away, but a number of petitions are already being circulated in South Dakota. One of the measures would legalize physician assisted suicide. During the 2017 SD legislative session, the Senate passed a resolution and the House concurred to the opposing of physician-assisted suicide (SCR 11). Former Rep. Fred Deutsch also wrote an editorial with concerns about the proposed law urging individuals not to sign the petitions. Please inform your staff related to this important issue.
Petitions in circulation for 2018 general election:
- An initiated Measure authorizing a South Dakota-licensed physician to prescribes drugs that a terminally ill patient may take for the purpose of ending life.
- An initiated Measure to legalize certain amounts of marijuana drugs made from marijuana, and drug paraphernalia, and to regulate and tax marijuana establishments.
- An initiate measure to legalize marijuana for medical use.
Potential 2018 ballot measures:
- Others efforts underway include: Two transgender bathroom measures, an anti-corruption amendment (IM-22 revised with a vengeance), a measure to allow for open primaries, another marijuana legalization measure and a voter initiative protection amendment.
To learn more about any of these proposed measures visit: https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/upcoming-elections/general-information/2018-ballot-questions.aspx
