Senate Expands 'Community Safety Zone' to Licensed and Registered Daycares

The South Dakota Senate approved Senate Bill 107 on Feb. 4, 2026, extending the state’s "community safety zone" residency restrictions to include licensed and registered childcare programs. Sponsor Senator Nelson argued that daycares are hubs for children and should be protected by the same residency limitations that already apply to schools, pools and shelters.

Nelson told colleagues that, as of 2025, there are roughly 765 licensed or registered childcare programs in South Dakota serving more than 32,000 children, and stressed that the bill applies only to licensed/registered facilities. He said the statute includes court discretion for hardship exceptions and noted that residency rules are not retroactive unless expressly stated.

During debate Senator Grove and others asked for evidence of the effectiveness of safety zones and cautioned about lumping different offender categories together; Nelson said practical data are limited because safety experiments cannot put people at risk, but recounted an anecdote from a licensed daycare owner who said a registered offender moved in nearby, installed cameras, and made staff uncomfortable. After questions about radius sizes and examples from other states, the Senate passed the bill by roll-call (33 ayes, 1 nay, 1 excused).