HJR 5003 South Dakota House · 2025 Regular Session

Proposing and submitting to the voters at the next general election an amendment to the Constitution of the State of South Dakota, requiring that a constitutional amendment receive an affirmative vote of sixty percent of the votes cast before the measure is enacted.

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment that would require a 60% affirmative vote from voters to pass any future constitutional changes in South Dakota. It directly affects all South Dakota voters by raising the approval threshold above the current majority requirement. The key mechanism is changing the voting rule so that measures need supermajority support rather than a simple majority. This change would make it more difficult to amend the state constitution but does not alter any existing constitutional provisions.

Bill status passed 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 14, 2025 Last action Mar 12, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Enrolled → HJR5003C · 1 edit

MINOR

This bill amends the South Dakota Constitution to require a higher voting threshold for constitutional amendments. Previously, amendments needed a simple majority (more than 50%) of votes cast. The new requirement mandates an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds (66.67%) of votes cast before any constitutional amendment can be enacted.

Scope change

The amendment applies to all future constitutional amendments and revisions submitted to South Dakota voters, raising the approval threshold from a simple majority to a supermajority.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the voting threshold for constitutional amendments from a simple majority (more than 50%) to an affirmative vote of two-thirds (66.67%) of votes cast.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 10, 2025 · House Jan 22, 2025

How they voted

29–4

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 35

Mar 10, 2025

D Democratic3

2 Nay 1

66% Nay

R Republican32

29 Yea 2 Nay 1

90% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Mar 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Signed by the President S.J. 522

lower

Mar 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Signed by the Speaker H.J. 524

lower

Mar 10, 2025

Lower · Passed

Senate Do Pass Amended , Passed, YEAS 29, NAYS 4 S.J. 497

lower

Mar 10, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (29-4-2)

senate

Mar 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

State Affairs Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 6, NAYS 1

lower

Jan 29, 2025

Committee

Referred to S.J. 128

lower

Jan 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

House of Representatives Do Pass Amended , Passed, YEAS 61, NAYS 5 H.J. 53

lower

Jan 22, 2025

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (60-5-3)

house

Jan 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

State Affairs Do Pass Amended , Passed, YEAS 11, NAYS 2

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

State Affairs Motion to amend , Passed, Amendment HJR5003C

lower

Jan 14, 2025

Introduced

First read in House and referred to H.J. 14

lower

20 primary · 0 co-sponsors