South Dakota smoking ban heads to court next week

August 17, 2009

PIERRE, South Dakota: A court hearing is scheduled for August 24, 2009 to begin discussing the smoking ban dispute. The dispute arose after South Dakota citizens began a campaign to place the South Dakota Smoking Ban Referendum (2010) on the November 2010 ballot. The measure, if approved, would ask voters to veto the expanded smoking ban that was set to begin July 1, 2009 on the November 2010 ballot. The American Cancer Society is claiming, in newly-filed court papers, that South Dakota’s expanded smoking-ban law can’t be referred to a public vote because it would violate the state constitution.

Below is a brief overview of the events surrounding the smoking ban dispute:

• June 22, 2009: Referendum supporters submitted 25,000 signatures
• July 1, 2009: Smoking ban scheduled to go into effect
• July 6, 2009: Smoking ban referendum challenged
• July 23, 2009: Smoking ban referendum short 221 signatures
• July 27, 2009: Circuit judge delays the smoking ban from going into effect

See also

* South Dakota 2010 ballot measures

• South Dakota Smoking Ban Referendum (2010)