The South Dakota Senate State Affairs heard testimony on SB 69 on Wednesday, January 21. This bill moves the deadline for a newly-qualifying party from March to February, even though in 1984 the state settled out of court and agreed that it would no longer require such petitions in February. The 1984 legislature had moved the deadline to April, but the 2007 legislature had then moved it to March.

The committee heard testimony that the bill should be amended, to allow newly-qualifying parties to submit petitions later in the year, and nominate by convention. Currently South Dakota is the only state in the nation in which it is impossible for a previously unqualified party to have its presidential nominee on the November ballot, with the party label, unless it qualified in time to participate in a primary. The committee will vote on the bill on Friday, January 23.