On Friday, February 24, the South Dakota Senate Judiciary Committee voted 5 to 2 to defer consideration of House Bill 1132 until the forty-first day of a forty day session. This politically motivated, procedural tactic effectively killed one of the NRA’s top legislative priorities for the 2012 session.

Despite what gun control advocates claim, the true purpose of HB 1132 was to ensure the constitutional right of self-defense for all employed South Dakotans. Allowing South Dakotans to store their guns safely in their locked personal vehicles while at work is a sensible way to strike a balance between the private property rights of employers and the self-defense rights of law-abiding gun owners.

The NRA will continue to pursue introduction and passage of this legislation in the future. We thank NRA members who contacted their state Senators and state Representatives in support of this bill.