In re Noem

Held that the contract clause of the state constitution prohibits a legislator, or former legislator within one year following the expiration of the legislator’s term, from being interested, directly or indirectly, in contracts that are authorized by laws passed during the legislator’s term, but does not categorically prohibit all contracts between legislators and the State. In so holding, the court overruled two prior cases, Asphalt Surfacing Co. v. South Dakota Department of Transportation, 385 N.W.2d 115 (1986) and Pitts v. Larson, 638 N.W.2d 254 (2001).