Cory Heidelberger wants to refer the sub minimum wage bill for teens and the recently signed law which makes it very difficult for Independents to get on any election ballot in South Dakota. He has set up a place on his blog for you get to information and access to the petitions.

Here are the basics:

I think the sub-minimum wage for teens (SB 177) is morally and ethically wrong.

We, the voters, approved in November of 2014 a proposal to raise the state minimum wage to $8.50 an hour. It easily passed. Before the ink was dry, legislators decided to single out teen workers, who can't vote,  and pay them less.

The bill (SB 177) was introduced by Aberdeen businessman David Novstrup, a Republican, and co-sponsored by numerous other lawmakers. For workers under the age of 18, as of July 1st, the wage will be a dollar less per hour ($7.50) than someone over 18.

The work, responsibilities, and training may be the same as an adult, but because of age, the hourly rate will be less. This legislative action has enraged many people.

The law on ballot access (SB 69) started off as a solution to problems with verifying candidate petition signatures and time frames for getting that job done. The legislature modified the bill, so the essence of it denies reasonable access to the ballot for anyone who has the audacity to be an Independent.

There are over 100,000 people who have chosen not to affiliate with either the Republicans or Democrats. The punishment for that choice is banishment from the ballot.

Republican State Senator Ernie Otten from Lincoln County proposed the changes.

I think the sub-minimum wage for teens (SB 177) is morally and ethically wrong. There was no discussion during the election process to differentiate the age of workers and their pay.

The negative changes made to what started out to be a good piece of legislation (SB 69), requires a firm response from all the voters.

At a time when the public is clamoring for new ideas and voices, outside of the two party straight jacket, limiting ballot access to those voices with new ideas runs counter to the participation our country purports to believe.

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