Court Rules Deadline Change Violates Free Speech | Pierre News

A federal appeals court just handed a major win to citizen petition groups, ruling that shortening the ballot initiative signature deadline by three months violates free speech rights. The court rejected the state’s claim that the earlier deadline was needed for legal challenges, calling the evidence insufficient. This decision reinforces a prior ruling and reignites debate over whether lawmakers are stifling grassroots democracy — especially as the state’s Attorney General vows to push for a full review. With petitioners needing tens of thousands of signatures, the timing battle is far from over, exposing the ongoing tension between legislative control and citizen power. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/039fa5bbbfb552b4