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House Bill 797, of particular interest to citizens in Todd and Tripp Counties, was vetoed Friday by Governor Richard O’. Kneip. The bill, worded to provide for a special election to ee the status of the organizatio ne and Todd Counties, pa wt Gemaie last Tues bie’ pean 15, with 20 senators voting, in favor of passage, 12 against, 2 absent and not voting and 1 excused. Among the two senators absent and not voting was District 23 Republican Clint Roberts, Presho. The state legislature recessed Friday, March 18, for two weeks and will come back for its forty-fifth working day on Mon day, April 4, for the express purpose of overriding guberna torial votes. Kneip, in vetoing HB 797, was quoted as saying, ‘Todd County lacks a sufficient tax base to support an independent county government, and the bill does not provide a source of revenue to support the administrative struc ture in Todd County. “He also said, ‘Statutes are vague about what may happen in Todd County and to its citizens sllowing a severance?’ In addressing a similar issue in Fall River and Shannon Count ies, Kneip said he believed that the ‘‘constitutional right to parti cipate in the election process is too important, too sacred to be tampered with (in this act).’’ He said this bill is unwarranted and may be unconstitutional. The governor said, in discuss ing the Fall River - Shannon legislation, that the U.S. Justice Department told him the bill could very well deny Shannon County residents equal protec tion under the 14th Amendment.
Newspaper Details
Mission Todd County Tribune
Mission, South Dakota, US
Thu, Mar 24, 1977
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Richmond C.
USA 11 Dec 2025
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Mission Todd County Tribune
