SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A week after a federal judge ruled against a Minnehaha County petition policy, the same organization is going after another county’s petition policy. 

In a news release, Dakotans for Health announced it is seeking a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction and permanent injunction to stop the county from enforcing its “political activity policy” which sets up designated areas where signatures for petitions could be gathered. 

Dakotans for Health, founded by Rick Weiland and his son Adam, has been approved by the South Dakota Secretary of State’s office to circulate petitions on abortion rights and end the state sales tax on groceries.     

“The Lawrence County petition policy restricting free speech is unconstitutional,” Adam Weiland said in a news release. 

The Lawrence County policy was passed in March 2020 and created designated areas for signature gathering. 

In Minnehaha County, the commission voted 5-0 on May 2 to start a new policy for people gathering petitions for a ballot issue to stay within designated areas in front of the Minnehaha County Courthouse and Minnehaha County Administration Building. 

Federal judge Roberto Lange’s order prevents the county from enforcing any part of their new ‘Limited Use Policy’ that required ‘check-ins’ with the County Auditor, or restriction of petition gatherers to ‘designated area.’