Escapees RV Club has a long history of advocating on behalf of RVers to fight against detrimental laws and unfair regulations. Escapees also aims to inform RVers about legislation that may impact the RV lifestyle and the freedoms we enjoy. It has come to our attention that proposed bills House Bill 1232 and Senate Bill 124 contain language which will affect RVers who use South Dakota for their domicile, but most importantly will impede their right to vote.
Sponsored by Karla Lems, a District 16 Republican, HB1232 declares “the term, residence, means the place in which a person has fixed the person’s habitation and to which the person, whenever absent, intends to return.” Additionally, the bill states “no person may register to vote using a business location or campground as a registration address.”
Introduced by Julie Frye-Mueller, a Republican from District 30, SB124 is to “ensure that the address provided in the voter registration application is confirmed as a residence and not a commercial or industrial address…”
This is not the first time that South Dakota has had legislation along these lines introduced. Fortunately, similar bills have not been voted into law in the past. Escapees Advocacy will once again reach out to SD legislators, but it’s important that legislators hear from you as well! No one should be forced to live in a sticks-and-bricks home in order exercise their right to vote. These bills are not out of committee yet, and with your help, they will die before ever hitting the House or Senate Floor.
Should you choose to contact your legislators or representatives, please consider the following tips:
Identify yourself and how you are connected with the issue and the elected official.
Provide relevant materials and include your contact information for potential follow-up.
Be specific and prioritize your requests in a clear and effective manner.
Always be polite and remember you not only represent yourself but also your RVing community. Be a resource, not an adversary.
House Bill 1232, Representative Karla Lems-
Karla.Lems@sdlegislature.gov
Senate Bull 124, Senator Julie Frye-Mueller-
Julie.FryeMueller@sdlegislature.gov
For additional information and a breakdown on these bills, we recommend visiting RVTravel.com.