'Lame duck' lawmakers rack up thousands in out-of-state travel expenses

Five former legislators part of several to charge state for work related conferences

(Austin Goss/The Dakota Scout)

PIERRE — A handful of South Dakota state lawmakers racked up thousands of dollars in expenses traveling out-of-state in 2024.

But at least five of those former policymakers racked up the expenses after deciding they would not run for re-election last year, or after losing a primary contest in June 2024.

That’s according to a review of state records obtained by The Dakota Scout, which shows that all together, 24 lawmakers spent a total of $52,977.39 on travel reimbursements in 2024.

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