This bill establishes protections for state employees in South Dakota who report improper governmental conduct or crimes. It introduces definitions for key terms such as "adverse employment action," "good faith report," and "improper governmental conduct." The bill ensures that employees who make good faith reports are immune from civil or criminal liability and prohibits state agencies from taking adverse employment actions against these reporters. However, this immunity does not apply to employees who participated in the reported misconduct or who knowingly made false reports.

Additionally, the bill allows reporters to bring civil actions against their supervisors or state agencies for violations of the protections outlined in the bill. It specifies that such actions must be filed within two years of the violation and that reporters are not required to exhaust internal procedures before pursuing legal action. The court may grant various remedies, including reinstatement, back pay, and attorney fees, to ensure that employees are protected when they report misconduct in good faith.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 01/10/2025: 3-6C-1