Issue Position: Ethics

Issue Position

What I Believe

South Dakotans deserve an open, honest and accountable government. Leaders must always conduct themselves with the highest ethical standards, be completely honest and fully transparent.

Some of What I Did

After each vote on the House Floor I posted on Facebook how I voted and the reason why I voted that way. I also included a link to each bill so people could easily reference it. Of the 105 SD legislators, only one other legislator did the same thing. I posted because I thought it was important to allow constituents to know how and why I voted; and it allowed me another way to be transparent and accountable to my constituents.

I supported prohibition of unlawful self-dealing by state officers and employees (HB 1064).

I supported requiring the minutes of meetings of any state board or commission include a record of how each individual member voted on certain motions (HB 1091).

I supported clarification of notice for meetings of public bodies that the posted agenda is visible, readable, and accessible for at least an entire, continuous twenty-four hours immediately before any meeting (HB 1125).

Voted to oppose legislation that would have gone against the will of the people. The year before I was elected, South Dakotans voted to increase the minimum wage. During my first year in the legislature, a bill was introduced to return the minimum wage to a lower amount just for youth. I voted "no" to establish a lower youth minimum wage because I thought it was wrong to over-ride the will of the voters unless there were constitutional concerns (SB 177).

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