Transparency in the South Dakota government

Lobbying disclosure information
URL: http://www.state.sd.us/applications/st12odrs/LobbyistViewlist.asp?order=LobbyistName

Description:
 * South Dakota Secretary of State website permits lobbyist search by name and years, starting from 1998.

Campaign finance disclosure
URL: http://www.sdsos.gov/electionsvoteregistration/campaignfinance.shtm

Description:
 * Lists different campaign finance reports, including for candidates, committees, political parties, and 527 orgs. Site notes that the information has not been audited for accuracy.

Open South Dakota
URL: http://www.open.sd.gov/

Description:
 * Open South Dakota provides press releases, audio, RSS feeds, and search-able financial information on the state government, including, but not limited to:
 * State budget
 * Payroll information (ie executive salaries)
 * Revenues & expenditures

South Dakota legislature website
URL: http://legis.state.sd.us/

Description:
 * Site provides information on the SD legislature dating from 1997.

Proposed legislation
Track bills here

SB 143

(Bill text) Sponsors: Sens. Gant, Abdallah, Gray, Miles, Nesselhuf, Olson (Russell), Schmidt, and Turbak Berry; Reps. Schlekeway, Bolin, Brunner, Curd, Cutler, Hamiel, Kirkeby, Lucas, and Steele


 * Requires Governor to continue to maintain the Open SD Web site, including information on the state's finances, economy, budget, expenditures, revenue, payroll, staffing, and vendor payment information.
 * External article: Aberdeen News, "Open records fight brewing"

SB 144

(Bill text) Sponsors: Sens. Gant, Abdallah, Gray, Miles, Nesselhuf, Schmidt, and Turbak Berry; Reps. Kirkeby, Brunner, Cutler, Engels, Schlekeway, and Vanderlinde


 * Requires all state contracts to be posted on the Open SD Web site.

SB 147

(Bill text) Sponsors: Sens. Knudson, Adelstein, Dempster, Gant, Gray, Hansen (Tom), Heidepriem, Rhoden, and Turbak Berry; Reps. Faehn, Cutler, Hunhoff (Bernie), Kirschman, Lust, Noem, Rausch, Rave, and Schlekeway


 * Makes all government records open to the public, except those specifically noted to be kept closed.

More legislative information
For more on transparency legislation, see the South Dakota transparency legislation webpage at Sunshine Review.