FOR AN ACT ENTITLED, An Act to provide certain protections for public employees.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA:
    Section 1. That the code be amended by adding a NEW SECTION to read:

    No department, bureau, board, or commission of the state or any of its political subdivisions may dismiss, suspend from employment, demote, decrease the compensation of, or take any other retaliatory action against an employee because the employee reports in good faith to an appropriate authority a violation or suspected violation of a law or rule, an abuse of funds or abuse of authority, or substantial and specific danger to public health or safety, unless the report is specifically prohibited by law. The provisions of this section do not apply to any employee who knows the report is false or was made in a reckless disregard for the truth.
    Section 2. That the code be amended by adding a NEW SECTION to read:

    No state government employer may discharge, discipline, threaten, or otherwise retaliate against an employee regarding the employee's compensation, terms, conditions, location, or privileges of employment because:

            (1)    The employee communicates information that he or she believes, in good faith, to be

truthful or accurate and relates to local or state services, including the financing of local or state services, to:

            (a)    A legislator or a legislative auditor; or

            (b)    A constitutional officer.