South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden Signs Bill to Deregulate Firearm Suppressors

South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden (R) signed legislation Tuesday to remove firearm suppressors from the state’s “controlled weapon” list.

This step means there will be no state requirement for registration under the National Firearms Act if Congress succeeds in removing the devices from NFA oversight.

The South Dakota Government webpage announced the signing of the bill, SB 2, and described the moment as one that sends “a message of support for further deregulation to happen at the national level.”

Gov. Rhoden said, “South Dakota is the most Second Amendment-friendly state in America, and this is yet another opportunity for us to pave the way and set an example for the rest of the nation. By removing unnecessary state-level restrictions, we are standing up for freedom and protecting the constitutional right of law-abiding citizens.”

Senator Casey Crabtree (R-SD) and Rep. Drew Peterson (R-SD) attended the signing ceremony and were vocal in their support for the deregulatory action.

Crabtree said, “I am proud to stand with President Trump and Governor Rhoden to support the Second Amendment. Gun suppressors are hearing protection, not a weapon, and I’m glad that South Dakota will no longer be regulating them.”

Drew observed, “Firearms Suppressor’s primary purpose is to protect hearing and reduce noise, which makes firearm use safer for hunters, sportsmen, and neighboring landowners alike. Senate Bill 2 is a clean, common‑sense update. It reduces redundancy, respects federal oversight, and keeps our laws aligned with the actual purpose of suppressors as safety tools.”

National Shooting Sports Foundation senior vice president and legal counsel Larry Keane praised the signing of the bill, saying:

This is what proactive and commonsense leadership looks like. South Dakota is taking the steps to ensure that its citizens can lawfully obtain, possess, and use a hearing protection device should we ever get to a point that they are removed from the NFA. Suppressors are hearing safety devices that make recreational shooting and hunting a safer and more enjoyable activity. We will continue to press to have these devices removed from the NFA so that they are more accessible to the public.

The deregulation of suppressors in South Dakota erases the cumbersome processes for taking possession of the devices should Congress pass the Hearing Protection Act or if any other action results in an end to the NFA’s registration requirement.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio and the director of global marketing for Lone Star Hunts. He holds a PhD in Military History with a focus on the Vietnam War (brown water navy), U.S. Navy since Inception, the Civil War, and Early Modern Europe. He enjoys reading Philosophy and novels by Jack Carr and Nelson DeMille. Follow him on X: @awrhawkins. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.