The Government Operations and Audit Committee may examine all records and vouchers, summon witnesses by request or by issuing a subpoena, and thoroughly examine all expenditures and the general management of each department of state government. The committee may issue a subpoena for an individual, a document, or both. The committee may take the deposition of any witness and issue written interrogatories and requests for production of documents or things to any person in the same manner as discovery is conducted in a civil action. The committee may use the procedure provided in chapter 21-34 to enforce its subpoena or discovery procedure when the subject of the subpoena or discovery procedure refuses to comply with the command to appear and testify before the committee or comply with the discovery procedure. The committee may authorize one or more members of the committee, or any other individual, to:

1. (1) Conduct an investigation on behalf of the committee;
2. (2) Use the discovery procedures the committee is authorized to use; and
3. (3) Use the procedure provided in chapter 21-34 to enforce the discovery procedures of the committee. Any individual authorized by the committee to conduct an investigation must comply with all applicable state and federal laws regarding confidentiality and any additional restrictions imposed by the committee. The committee may authorize the director of the Legislative Research Council to expend moneys from the legislative priority fund for the purpose of carrying out the duties of this section.

Source: SDC 1939, § 55.0610; SL 1953, ch 285 ; SL 1955, ch 234 ; SL 1957, ch 280 ; SL 1984, ch 14 , § 2; SL 2000, ch 128 , § 12; SL 2018, ch 26 , § 1; SL 2025, ch 18 , § 2.