Governor Daugaard Proclaims a Special Session for the South Dakota Legislature

The South Dakota Legislature completed its forty day session at the end of March, and all the legislators returned home.

Then on May 22, Governor Daugaard proclaimed that a special session would necessitate that the legislators return to Pierre on Saturday June 22. The Constitution gives the governor the authority to convene a special session to conduct business named by him, and only this business can be considered during the session.

The 2013 Special Session is being called to amend a bill passed during the regular session which approved building a 41.3 million dollar veterans home in Hot Springs. KELO reported that a Sioux Falls architectural firm had estimated that a new veterans home would cost 41.3 million, but when the bids came in, the lowest bid was 51.3 million. It has become important that the legislature meet soon to amend the cost of the home. If the legislature does not approve the change, the state could lose a significant grant that would help cover part of the cost of building it.

In most cases the governor convenes a special session by proclamation, however the South Dakota Constitution also provides for the legislature to do so if 2/3 of each house has petitioned in writing to convene a special session. The legislature, like the governor, must state the purpose of the special session.

(This entry was originally written and posted by Candice Spurlin)