UPDATE: House Bill 1028 was signed into law by Gov. Noem.
House Bill 1028 undermines a key principle of American democracy: a person’s right to speak to their government about issues of public interest.
We oppose House Bill 1028 because it violates the First Amendment rights of citizens to petition the issuance of a water right permit. This bill limits people who have the ability to attend a hearing for a water permit application before the water management board to people with "unique injury upon approval of the application." It does so without defining what a unique injury would be. This bill could have a profound effecton our Indigenous communities.
