Main change I would make is that i don’t think you can describe the nuances of a proposal in one page. Maybe a 15-20 page limit. Too many times people can’t even read the bill entirely before its time to vote. Also, single issue bills will ensure that one side can’t say the other voted against it and it would have been the case because there was other stuff in it that they didn’t like. That leads to misleading the public on why someone voted against a bill. Single issue bills would completely eliminate that.
1 Like
Ok I am glad you asked for this because it was not exactly as I thought. It deals with amending the state constitution. The text is as follows:
In South Dakota, the single-subject rule for ballot measures was established in 2018 with the approval of Constitutional Amendment Z 1. This rule mandates that all citizen initiatives, including both initiated constitutional amendments and state statutes, must address only one subject1. The purpose is to ensure clarity and prevent confusion among voters.
This is Article III Section 21 from our state constitution…
§21. One subject expressed in title.
No law shall embrace more than one subject, which shall be expressed in its
title.
Still looking for the item that speaks directly to legislation.
2 Likes
This is the simplest, most cost effective way to hold our politicians accountable. We can know exactly what they’re voting for and hold them accountable come the next election cycle.
3 Likes
Agreed proof that they are only there for their own interest and not of the taxpayers.
Single Issue Bills are a must. If you can’t read the bill in one hour/day it should not be presented or voted on. When we’re paying pork for a congressman’s/ Senators child to get a grant for their college so they can “scientifically watch a shrimp run on a miniature treadmill things have gone to far. The Left keeps bringing up the boarder bill that Trump encouraged the Republicans to vote against it was because of the 118 million dollar bill $61.4 Billion was for Ukraine , 14.3 Billion was for Israel, only 11% of that bill 13.6 billion was for the border. If this was truly a bill about fixing our border it should have been shut down and all $118 Billion should have gone to finish the wall and support border control and vetting period.
1 Like
It’s all the more insane when you realize that a term limit for president was even created because a president died while in office. Meanwhile, we now have a problem of members of Congress and the Senate who have been in office so old they clearly have cognitive problems, if not due to age then due to things like strokes.
1 Like
One page is not enough, many bills even if a single topic need to have quite a bit of supporting information and nuance to protect from overlooked loopholes. But otherwise this is great, and really needs to be implemented. Single topic bills will almost never be insanely long, so it seems redundant to limit them to one page.
1 Like
I agree no more than 5 pages. You need enough pages that the point come across but not so many that they can not be read in a short period of time.
2 Likes
Congress will NEVER agree to this…but we can do this through a convention of the states.
1 Like
IF an “Issue” has merit, it should pass ON IT"S OWN. - ANYTHING, WITHOUT Merit should NEVER be attached to something that has merit. EVER. The ONLY way to control this? STAND ALONE LEGISLATION. SURE - Congress must vote more often. UMMM - That is their job. Legislation would be: shorter to read, easier to read, and easier to decide. The ENDS Justify the Means. UNTIL we get a REAL Handle on our budget and spending - ZERO Appropriations for Foreign Interests or Humanitarian purposes. WE have Humanitarian issues right here at home that need addressing FIRST. WITHOUT a strong America, we could not help others. SO we need to help OURSELVES FIRST, so we can go back to helping others in the future. TAXING the already OVER-TAXED is NOT the answer. NONSENSE Grants & Research Projects are CUT-OFF to ZERO, Go ask Canada or Mexico for money if your project is so good. NOT IN MY LIFE have I EVER heard of where ANY Country has sent America Humanitarian aide. We send $'s to Governments, who DO NOT distribute to the people the help is intended for. Our CIA, {Cultural Attaché’s} stationed in our embassy’s around the world create & orchestrate Regime changes all the time, in the name of “Spreading Democracy”. HOGWASH!!!. WHAT IS OUR GOVERNMENT THINKING, FUNDING, PROMOTING abroad, and in our very own country IGNORING?
1 Like
A single bill protocol is priceless! Imagine how much could get accomplished if congress doesn’t have to figure out how to read and comprehend a 2000 page bill with too much legalise incorporated into it to hide the shenanigans going on within it.
1 Like
What is LLM?
I don’t agree with term limits we have to pay their retirement and there are a few that are there to work for we the people not tow the party line, vote the ones out that are not doing their job.
2 Likes
SINGLE ISSUE BILLS? – If ANY “NEW” Legislation is proposed - Propose Legislation that REQUIRES ALL Agencies, follow the LAWS / POLICIES / MANUALS / ALREADY APPROVED & ON THE BOOKS. ONE Law that covers ALL of Government, EVERY Agency, to STOP the inter-office B.S. of ignoring laws and policy, and hold those to account who cherry-pick & / or violate. {Knowing how Gov’t. works, it is safe to assume, those ESTABLISHED / APPROVED manuals ALREADY cover the consequences of NOT following the manuals} - There is Annual - Remedial Training that takes place in ALL Gov’t. positions, so NO ONE can say “They did not know”. (IMMEDIATE Cause for Termination, ending salary, benefits AND Pension, PLUS Judicial Justice if need be) IF a dozen or so violators are held to a severe account, others will rapidly second guess their activities in the future.
In MY Opinion, the longer / larger a Bill is, the more WORDY - GARBAGE that is written that people need to sort through, offers COUNTLESS opportunities to find AND USE Loop-Holes intentionally INJECTED into the legislation for when it becomes necessary. Those who write the bill, KNOW what and where those loop holes are, and the “Legal Experts” are indeed privy to the details.
1 Like
This is so incredibly well thought out down to naming, sunsetting, categorization. Wow this could really transform our legislative process and force congress to actually do their job well done!
2 Likes
Only thing I would add is a consideration for the federal budget. All departments budgets must be approved by equal party representation committees and then presented as a whole budget for a vote.
This issue has been used against each paty. Recently ive heard from harris that weve put forth the effot to help with the migrant situation and it keeps getting shot down by the republicans. Well the reason it was shot down is you had 800billion dollars going here and there to other countries. 1 billion going to gender studies and crap like that. Of course it gets shot down. And then they use it as a political talking point. Single policy voting is the only way to do it. People will say it will take forever to get anything done but at this point it is the fastest route to get anything actually accomplished.
1 Like
Could they be cited with contempt of Congress?
@Thomas_Greene the concern with mondo budget bills is that’s where they hide the fat. Too big to read and understand both in their entirity and in the details.
By making budget funding for department or service each its own bill, it’s possible to comprehend how the money is actually spent, and to challenge the efficience, usefulness, constitutionality, scope, and appropriateness of the money spent.
The only way I see that we get reasonable and rational budgeting is by bringing individual smaller-scope budgets into the light so any average citizen can read, understand, and evaluate where their money is going.
1 Like