The bill amends South Dakota law to impose stricter regulations on state officers and employees regarding their involvement with contracts awarded by state agencies. It prohibits these individuals from having any interest in or deriving benefits from contracts related to their official duties, both during their term and for a specified period after leaving their position. Specifically, the bill establishes that if a state officer or employee has responsibility for approving, awarding, or administering a contract, they cannot be employed by any organization that benefited from such a contract for one year if the contract value is under one million dollars, or for two years if it exceeds that amount.

Additionally, the bill clarifies the conditions under which a governing body may authorize an officer or employee to benefit from a contract, requiring full written disclosure and a review of the contract's terms to ensure fairness and public interest. The amendments also specify that any authorization must be documented in writing and filed with the commissioner of human resources and administration, who will compile and present these authorizations to the Government Operations and Audit Committee for review. This legislation aims to enhance transparency and prevent conflicts of interest among state officials.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 01/15/2026: 5-18A-17, 5-18A-17.2