On March 29, the South Dakota Legislature adjourned from its 2019 Legislative Session. This year saw multiple important victories for law-abiding gun owners in South Dakota. Those victories include the signing of two pro-gun bills by Governor Kristi Noem that protect the rights of law-abiding individuals to carry a firearm for self-defense. Those bills are outlined below:
Senate Bill 47 removed the requirement to obtain a permit in order to lawfully carry a firearm for self-defense. This legislation gives South Dakotans the freedom to choose the best method of carrying for them, based on their attire, and/or physical attributes. SB 47 also kept in place the current permitting system so that people who obtain a permit could still enjoy the reciprocity agreements that South Dakota has with other states.
House Bill 1056 , Enhanced Preemption Legislation, was introduced in response to the attempts by multiple local municipalities to enact their own gun control through local ordinances or resolutions. These types of unnecessary anti-gun measures attempt to go beyond state law by imposing further burdens on law-abiding gun owners in South Dakota. House Bill 1056 enhances South Dakota’s current preemption laws by further restricting the ability of local municipalities to enact a complex patchwork of gun laws throughout the state.