In 2025, the Levin Center conducted a study of all 50 states to examine how legislatures ensure government programs work effectively for citizens. Factors such as legislative oversight committees, routine engagement with executive agencies, collection of casework data, digital transparency tools, and user-centered policy evaluation were of particular importance. The full report can be found here.
State Summary #
The South Dakota Legislature, through its Government Operations and Audit Committee, produces an extensive report each year on agency performance benchmarks and progress toward them. This process, required by law, is an important tool to “close the loop” between the Legislature and agencies in terms of policy implementation. Many of the metrics collected are strong indicators of citizen experience with government (though some could be better focused to provide a clearer picture of program implementation at the ground level). While it is not uncommon for state governments to have this level of information available, South Dakota is unique in that its collection appears to be a primarily legislative function.
