South Dakota Republican Governor Larry Rhoden signed several gun-related bills into law on Monday, making significant changes to the state’s firearms policies, including the allowance of concealed carry in bars and on public college campuses.
Among the newly signed measures, Senate Bill 100 permits individuals with enhanced concealed carry permits, or reciprocal permits from other states, to carry concealed guns on state university and technical college campuses. These permits, available to individuals as young as 18, require a background check and completion of a handgun safety course.
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The legislation also lays out guidelines for firearm storage on campuses, stating that guns and ammunition must be stored in a locked case or safe when not in use. However, institutions can restrict firearms in select locations, such as air-quality-controlled labs, areas requiring security clearance, special events monitored with metal detectors and armed security, and any labs containing hazardous materials like flammable liquids or dangerous chemicals.
The bill received limited opposition but sparked debate. Rep. Jim Halverson, R-Winner, a former state trooper, raised concerns about gun safety in dorm settings, reports the South Dakota Searchlight.
“A locked box in a dorm room just doesn’t seem like a good plan,” Halverson said during testimony.
Laws Repeal Concealed Carry Ban in Bars, Allow Guns in Cars on School Property
Another significant development comes with House Bill 1218, which prevents local governments from adopting policies that restrict concealed carry by employees, officers, and volunteers in government buildings, vehicles, and facilities.
Additionally, the bill repeals a state law that previously banned concealed carry in bars. This change, added late in the legislative process, received criticism for bypassing a public committee hearing. Nathan Sanderson, representing the South Dakota Retailers Association, stated, “Small business owners deserved the opportunity to share how this law would impact them.”
Gov. Rhoden also signed House Bill 1222, allowing concealed carry permit holders to keep their pistols inside vehicles on school property.
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Furthermore, in a separate move, the governor sent a letter to the U.S. attorney general and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, urging the removal of the seven-day waiting period for purchasing firearms or accessories, including silencers, across state lines.
Rhoden’s actions occur against a backdrop of fluctuating gun death statistics in South Dakota. A report from the state Department of Health indicates that firearm-related deaths reached a peak of 138 in 2022, following the adoption of constitutional carry laws in 2019. The numbers declined slightly to 112 in 2023, with suicide being the most common cause of firearm-related deaths each year.
