GOAC met Thursday morning in Pierre

PIERRE, S.D.(KELO)- South Dakota has a new Vehicle Registration system in place…but state legislators are still dealing with problems from the old system.

Several state employees were prosecuted for fraudulent activities related to the vehicle registration process over the past year.

Thursday morning, the legislature’s Government Operations and Audit Committee heard from the Department of Legislative Audit on actions taken to deal with internal controls for the old system.

They were also given assurances that the new 605-Drive system would have adequate protection.

The Attorney General’s office investigated and prosecuted three cases of employee fraud in the Department of Revenue last year.

A legislative oversight committee dipped its toe into the years-long struggle over the South Dakota Brand Board.

Complaints about a backlog of brand registrations are ongoing.

Brand Board President Scott Vance was among those appearing before the legislature’s Governor Operations and Audit Committee Thursday morning.

Committee member, Representative Julie Auch of Yankton offered first-hand evidence of problems dealing with the Brand Board…saying she’s been waiting for a return call from the board for more than a year.

The legislature rejected a bill this year to move the Brand Board’s financial reporting functions from the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources to the Office of School and Public Lands.

Brand Inspectors, producers and lawmakers are calling for more accountability from the Brand Board.