Governor Kristi Noem is announcing new mandatory annual training for state employees.
The move comes in the form of an executive order in the wake of fake titling schemes by former state employees in the Department of Motor Vehicles unearthed by the Attorney General.
Those titles were allegedly used to secure loans.
"Every dollar that we spend or invest as a state belongs to the people of South Dakota, and they trust us to be wise and responsible with those dollars,” said Gov. Noem. “We are taking enhanced measures to strengthen the fortitude of our financial infrastructure and make sure that we are taking care of taxpayer dollars. And we will guarantee that state employees are responsible stewards for the people that they serve.”
In a release, the governor's office said the trainings will center around public trust, duty to act, internal controls, conflict of interest and a service mindset.
A legislative panel recently approved subpoenas to compel the leaders of the department of revenue and motor vehicles to testify about new internal controls to detect fraud.
Noem, who was recently picked by the Trump administration for Secretary of Homeland Security, is also announcing a legislative package for the upcoming 2025 session.
She says it will include clearer and stronger accountability measures.
