Special Session Shaping Up

What’s said to possibly be the first impeachment proceeding against a state official in South Dakota history is starting to take shape.

House Speaker Spencer Gosch says the petition seeking a special session of the Legislature will go out this week.

The target of the special session is state Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg. The car he was driving hit and killed pedestrian Joe Boever on the night of September 12th, 2020.

Ravnsborg had his defense attorney plead no-contest for him to two traffic misdemeanors. Ravnsborg never appeared in court on the charges.

The petition calls for a special session on impeachment to start November 9th. The Legislature will already be at the Capitol in Pierre for a special session that starts November 8th on drawing legislative-election districts for the next ten years.

For the November 9th impeachment special session to occur, the petition needs support from at least 47 of the 70 House of Representatives members and at least 24 of the 35 Senate members.