test.sls

user@workstation:/srv/salt/formulas/openstack-formula.git% cat /srv/salt/base.hg/test.sls  
pillarkey_to_check:
    test.check_pillar:
        - string: 'nova:database:password'
user@workstation:/srv/salt/formulas/openstack-formula.git% sudo salt con\* state.sls test
controller:
----------
          ID: pillarkey_to_check
    Function: test.check_pillar
      Result: True
     Comment: 
     Started: 17:05:28.890215
    Duration: 1.563 ms
     Changes:   

Summary
------------
Succeeded: 1
Failed:    0
------------
Total states run:     1
user@workstation:/srv/salt/formulas/openstack-formula.git% cat ./test.sls 
pillarkey_to_check:
    test.check_pillar:
        - string: 'nova:database:password'
user@workstation:/srv/salt/formulas/openstack-formula.git% sudo salt con\* state.sls test saltenv=openstack
controller:
----------
          ID: pillarkey_to_check
    Function: test.check_pillar
      Result: False
     Comment: Pillar key "nova:database:password" is missing.
     Started: 17:05:47.288721
    Duration: 1.365 ms
     Changes:   

Summary
------------
Succeeded: 0
Failed:    1
------------
Total states run:     1