PIERRE, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW) The Executive Board of the South Dakota Legislature has directed its Leadership Committee to bring a human resources plan to the next Executive Board meeting, which is scheduled for June 24, 2024 in Pierre.
Initial cost estimates place outside human resources advice at an annual cost at $5000 for the South Dakota Legislature and $10,000 if the Department of Legislative Audit is also included. The State of South Dakota has a Bureau of Human Resources and Administration that offers similar services, but the Legislature is a separate branch of government and desires more independence and autonomy in the hope of getting more neutral and balanced advice on personnel matters.
The Legislature operates as an independent unit, with its own personnel and technology systems. The Legislative Research Director and the Auditor General are hired by the Legislature’s Executive Board which determines their salaries and pay levels for the relevant staff. The Legislative Research Council and its employees are directly accountable to the Legislature. The Legislative Research Council is budgeted for 37.6 employees while the Auditor General’s office is budgeted for 42 full time employees.