Focus on ethics, conflicts coming in South Dakota Legislature

Regular briefings stopped during Ravnsborg tenure

Attorney General Marty Jackley and staff attend a press conference in Pierre. (Austin Goss/The Dakota Scout)

South Dakota lawmakers can expect some refresher courses on the dos and don’ts of interacting with state government.

Potential financial conflicts involving legislators have dominated conversations in South Dakota political circles and spilled into the public in recent weeks stemming from the fallout of Sen. Jessica Castleberry’s acceptance of legislative-appropriated funds, which rose to a violation of the state Constitution and her resignation from office last week. And top officials in Pierre say a more deliberate education process for lawmakers and potentially added controls during the contractual process are necessary to curb the potential for further violations among state legislators.

“We need to look at the contracts and understand what controls are in place, or what changes need to be made to uphold the Constitution and see that it doesn’t happen again,” Senate President Pro Tempore Lee Schoenbeck told The Dakota Scout, suggesting the Legislature could assist the executive branch, auditor and treasurer in monitoring for potential violations. “Everyone wants that.”

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