South DakotaSouth Dakota law bars unauthorized drone flights over secure facilities
South Dakota law bars unauthorized drone flights over certain facility grounds and allows officers to use authorized countermeasures in response.
What it does
Drone flights over prison, correctional facility, jail, juvenile detention facility, or military facility grounds require the administrator’s express permission. Violations are Class 6 felonies.
Law enforcement officers may use authorized techniques to respond to violations of the drone flight restriction. The Department of Public Safety may set rules on those tools and officer training.
Argument forAuthorized countermeasures could help law enforcement respond when drones fly over covered facility grounds without permission.
Argument againstA Class 6 felony could expose drone operators to serious criminal consequences for unauthorized flights over covered facility grounds.
More detail
A person may not operate a drone over covered facility grounds without the administrator’s express permission. A violation is a Class 6 felony. The rule covers the grounds of a prison, correctional facility, jail, juvenile detention facility, or military facility. The facility administrator must expressly authorize the flight for it to be allowed.
Law enforcement officers may use mitigation techniques and drone countermeasures in response to a violation of the flight restriction. This applies to law enforcement officers responding to a violation of the restriction on drone flights over covered facility grounds. The Department of Public Safety may make rules identifying the techniques and countermeasures officers may use and creating a training program for officers.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 12Signed by the Governor Larry Rhoden on 2026-03-12 H.J. 562Became Law
- Mar 10Delivered to the Governor on 2026-03-10 H.J. 546To Governor
- Mar 10Signed by the President S.J. 512Passed Senate
- Mar 9Signed by the Speaker H.J. 542Passed House
- Mar 5Senate Do Pass Amended , Passed, YEAS 34, NAYS 0 S.J. 481
- Mar 3Certified uncontested, placed on consent , Passed, S.J. 34
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 3Judiciary Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 7, NAYS 0 S.J. 34Minor
- Mar 3Scheduled for hearing S.J. 1
- Feb 25First read in Senate and referred to Senate Judiciary S.J. 398Minor
- Feb 24House of Representatives Do Pass Amended , Passed, YEAS 61, NAYS 5 H.J. 423
- Feb 19Certified uncontested, placed on consent , Passed,
- Vote recorded Do Pass Amended. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 19Military and Veterans Affairs Do Pass Amended , Passed, YEAS 11, NAYS 0
- Feb 19Military and Veterans Affairs Motion to amend , Passed, Amendment 1280BMajor
- Feb 19Scheduled for hearing H.J. 1
- Feb 9Scheduled for hearing
- Feb 4First read in House and referred to House Military and Veterans Affairs H.J. 219Introduced
Public SafetyCriminal Justice