Senate rejects bill to expand non-shooting safety zone from 660 to 1,000 feet

House Bill 12‑36, which would have expanded South Dakota’s non‑shooting safety zone from 660 feet to 1,000 feet around residences, failed in the South Dakota Senate on Feb. 26, 2025, by a roll‑call vote of 29‑5.

The bill’s prime sponsor, Senator Ryan Davis, presented the measure during second reading, saying the change was a public‑safety response to complaints from landowners and sheriffs and noting the 1990 federal Gun‑Free School Zones Act’s 1,000‑foot standard as part of the rationale. "This bill is a proactive proposal that focuses on public safety, property rights, and attempts to calm an ongoing friction between hunters and rural landowners," Davis said.

The nut graf: the proposal split lawmakers along lines of rural custom, enforcement practicality and economic concerns. Supporters said the larger buffer would protect families, livestock and property; opponents said the change would unduly…