PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota state employees will be subject to annual ethics and financial stewardship training under order of Gov. Kristi Noem.
The governor’s office announced that the second-term Republican has signed an executive order mandating the Bureau of Human Resources and Administration to develop a training program. The program is touted as a step toward ensuring state employees understand their duties in maintaining public trust, their responsibility to report wrongdoing, how to avoid conflicts of interest, and internal controls.
“Every dollar that we spend or invest as a state belongs to the people of South Dakota, and they trust us to be wise and responsible with those dollars,” Noem said in a release, publicizing the signing of Executive Order 2024-07.
The executive order is part of a four-pillar initiative unveiled by Noem’s office, which is also expected to include a legislative package during the upcoming session of the South Dakota Legislature.
Referred to as her “cornerstones to enhance government accountability,” the initiative also includes strengthening the state’s internal policies, procedures, systems, and technology to better track tax dollars and providing additional resources for the South Dakota Board of Internal Controls.
“We are taking enhanced measures to strengthen the fortitude of our financial infrastructure and make sure that we are taking care of taxpayer dollars. And we will guarantee that state employees are responsible stewards for the people that they serve,” Noem said.
The initiative follows a series of criminal investigations by the Attorney General’s Office involving former state employees accused of abusing their positions for personal financial gain.
Lonna Carroll, a former staffer in the Department of Social Services, faces felony charges for allegedly stealing more than a million dollars over the course about a 10 year period. And in August, The Dakota Scout reported on a fake vehicle titling scheme orchestrated by a former supervisor in the Department of Revenue. Investigators declined to press charges in that case because the employee, Sandy O’Day, died before the alleged crimes were discovered. After that investigation became public, two more revenue department employees were also charged, one for allegedly lying to investigators in relation to the O’Day investigation. Another was accused of altering title documents in order to pay less on a vehicle purchase.
South Dakota’s state workforce includes about 13,000 employees, most of whom work in departments overseen by the governor’s office.
The governor’s office noted that while Noem will push for additional resources for the Board of Internal Controls, she has already authorized one additional Internal Control Officer for the panel. That position was recently filled.
A new state accounting system and motor vehicle titling process will soon be implemented, as well.
“We have more to do,” the release said. “The upcoming implementation of the new BISON state accounting system and the 605 Drive motor vehicle system will provide more safeguards to protect taxpayer dollars that simply were not possible with the state’s aging technology systems.”
Attorney General Marty Jackley also intends ask lawmakers to consider a series of measures intended to address financial malfeasance within state government. Earlier this fall, he told The Dakota Scout that he’d been considering a mandatory reporting law for state employees aware of wrongdoing by their coworkers, bosses or direct reports.
“We intend on introducing our government anti-corruption and accountability legislative package that we have discussed for months,” he said. “We learned of the (governor’s) initiative recently, and if it enhances accountability, we would most certainly be supportive.”
