Aberdeen Republican goes one for two on transparency efforts

Sen. Michael Rohl succeeds in shortening length of time governor, lieutenant governor records kept private

Sen. Michael Rohl pitches bills to the Senate State Affairs committee. (Austin Goss/The Dakota Scout)

PIERRE — A series of scandals involving state employees over the last year was part of the onus for Sen. Michael Rohl’s effort to require cabinet secretaries and statewide elected officials to make their planners available to the public.

But when the Aberdeen Republican presented Senate Bill 9 to the Senate State Affairs committee Wednesday, he amended it to exclude the cabinet secretaries.

Despite cutting out cabinet secretaries, it wasn’t enough to garner the support of a majority of the committee’s Republicans, who were concerned that the legislation would not have its intended impact. They voted 7-2 to defeat Rohl’s proposal, with Sen. Arch Beal joining Democrat Liz Larson in opposing its demise.

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