A bill that was aimed at trying to prevent future scandals similar to the Gear UP program, failed in a House Committee Wednesday February 22, 2017 on a vote of 11-2.

Representative Liz May says the bill would have required those on a state board, authority or commission to have a buffer of two years after the end of their position before having a financial interest in a state contract.

May says with Gear Up and other scandals, this bill can’t change what has happened, but it’s important to know where all the money is going to with similar organizations in the future.  May says this bill would put the information on where the money from state contracts is flowing to in front of the legislature…

If we have any concerns when we see a quarterly report, we put our concerns in writing, send it to the auditor general, with an explanation. That's all we're basically doing.  I want to put us in the loop, we're not in the loop, we haven't been in the loop and it's time we got in the loop.

Those opposing the bill included Govenor Daugaard's office and Wade Pogany with Associated School Boards of South Dakota. Those against the bills say it is redundant as Speaker Mark Mickelson's HB 1170 that would tighten restrictions of public officials on public contracts.

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