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2026 SDWF Camo Coalition Legislative Watch List – Feb 13th

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Posted on: February 14, 2026

South Dakota Wildlife Federation Camo Coalition. The 2026 legislative session is now open. Here are the bills currently in the queue we are monitoring. The links should help you locate any bill and read it to understand the verbiage and intent. The SDWF Directors will be meeting via zoom weekly to discuss the legislative issues and any course of action. George Vandel and I will be in Pierre lobbying on your behalf. But, the best asset we have is the 220,000 South Dakota Sportsmen and the 3,000 members of SDWF sending in their thoughts.

When communicating with legislators, always be polite, professional and with your own words. Form letters and canned statements don’t have as much impact. Also, if you are communicating with your own representative, please let them know you are a constituent.

Link to 2026 Bills

Link to Legislators

Link to Committees

HB 1001 – provide for prescribed burning of state-owned land by a person owning adjoining land and to declare an emergency.

SDWF Will Monitor

02/05/2026 House Agriculture and Natural Resources Do Pass Amended, Passed, YEAS 13, NAYS 0.

02/09/2026 House of Representatives Do Pass Amended, Passed, YEAS 65, NAYS 0.

02/10/2026 First read in Senate and referred to Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources

HB 1005 – provide a sales and use tax exemption for goods and services related to data center operations.

SDWF Will Monitor

02/04/2026 House State Affairs Deferred to the 41st legislative day, Passed, YEAS 9, NAYS 3. Dead

HB 1019 – remove knowledge and intent from certain actions involving pesticide laws.

SDWF Will Monitor – Discussion on direction and intent of bill

01/27/2026 House Agriculture and Natural Resources Do Pass Amended, Passed, YEAS 12, NAYS 0.

02/02/2026 House of Representatives Do Pass Amended, Passed, YEAS 63, NAYS 2.

02/03/2026 First read in Senate and referred to Senate Agriculture and Natural 02/12/2026 Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Room 423 Tuesday, February 17, 2026 10:00 AM-12:00 PM

HB 1037 – exempt active-duty members of the armed forces of the United States and veterans from paying a resident fishing license fee.

SDWF Will Oppose

01/22/2026 Passed to 41^st Day vote 11-2 DEAD

HB 1047 – make an appropriation for the construction costs at the Blue Dog State Fish Hatchery, and to declare an emergency.

SDWF Will Support

01/26/2026 Joint Committee on Appropriations Do Pass, Passed, YEAS 14, NAYS 0.

01/27/2026 House of Representatives Do Pass, Passed, YEAS 58, NAYS 7.

02/02/2026 Senate Do Pass, Passed, YEAS 33, NAYS 1.

02/05/2026 Delivered to the Governor on Thursday, February 05, 2026

02/11/2026 Signed by the Governor on Wednesday, February 11, 2026

HB 1052 – authorize the transfer of certain surplus real property by the Department of Game, Fish and Parks to the Spearfish Canyon Foundation for a public purpose.

SDWF Will Support

01/15/2026 House Agriculture and Natural Resources Do Pass Amended, Passed, YEAS 12, NAYS 0.

01/20/2026 House of Representatives Do Pass, Passed, YEAS 60, NAYS 9.

01/29/2026 Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Do Pass, Passed, YEAS 6, NAYS 0.

02/02/2026 Senate Do Pass Amended, Passed, YEAS 34, NAYS 0. S.J. 162

02/05/2026 Delivered to the Governor on Thursday, February 05, 2026

02/11/2026 Signed by the Governor on Wednesday, February 11, 2026

HB 1071– establish a ten-year boat registration for owners of certain boats.

SDWF Will Oppose

01/27/2026 House Transportation Deferred to the 41st legislative day, Passed, YEAS 9, NAYS 1. DEAD

HB 1107 – modify restrictions on lands for certain public purposes.

SDWF Will Monitor – impact unclear

01/28/2026 House Judiciary Do Pass, Passed, YEAS 12, NAYS 0.

02/02/2026 House of Representatives Do Pass, Passed, YEAS 46, NAYS 19.

02/03/2026 First read in Senate and referred to Senate Judiciary S.J. 170

HB 1122 – provide for the licensure of certain fishing guides, and to provide a penalty therefor.

SDWF Will Support

02/05/2026 House Agriculture and Natural Resources Do Pass Amended, Failed, YEAS 3, NAYS 10.

02/05/2026 House Agriculture and Natural Resources Deferred to the 41st legislative day, Passed, YEAS 10, NAYS 3. DEAD

HB 1125 create a taskforce to study the impact of artificial intelligence systems on the state.

SDWF Will Support?

02/02/2026 House State Affairs Do Pass Amended, Passed, YEAS 7, NAYS 5.

02/04/2026 House of Representatives Do Pass Amended, Failed, YEAS 26, NAYS 43.

HB 1156 – extend each waterfowl hunting season for veterans and active duty personnel.

SDWF Will Monitor

01/28/2026 Referred to House Military and Veterans Affairs

02/09/2026 Withdrawn at the Request of the Prime Sponsor.

HB 1157 – establish a task force for the purpose of studying aquatic invasive species infestations, to make an appropriation therefor, and to declare an emergency.

SDWF Will Support

02/03/2026 House Agriculture and Natural Resources Do Pass, Failed, YEAS 4, NAYS 9.

02/03/2026 House Agriculture and Natural Resources Deferred to the 41st legislative day, Passed, YEAS 9, NAYS 4. DEAD

HB 1195 – provide free admission to state parks and recreation areas for residents enrolled as members of Indian tribes.

SDWF Will Monitor

02/10/2026 Withdrawn at the Request of the Prime Sponsor.

HB 1265 establish an avian special purpose salvage permit.

SDWF Will Monitor and support

02/04/2026 First read in House and referred to House Agriculture and Natural Resources H.J. 217 N/A

02/10/2026 House Agriculture and Natural Resources Do Pass, Passed, YEAS 9, NAYS 1.

02/11/2026 House of Representatives Do Pass, Passed, YEAS 54, NAYS 11.

02/12/2026 First read in Senate and referred to Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources S.J. 260

HB 1272 – require that a snow bear be titled and licensed.

SDWF Will Support

02/04/2026 First read in House and referred to House Transportation H.J. 220

02/12/2026 House Transportation Motion to amend, Passed. Amendment 1272A

02/12/2026 House Transportation Do Pass Amended, Passed, YEAS 9, NAYS 1.

HB 1273 revise certain mining statutes.

SDW Will Monitor – IWL supports

02/04/2026 First read in House and referred to House Agriculture and Natural 02/12/2026 House Agriculture and Natural Resources Motion to amend, Passed. Amendment 1273A

02/12/2026 House Agriculture and Natural Resources Deferred to the 41st legislative day, Passed, YEAS 9, NAYS 2. DEAD

HB 1288 modify the authority of a political subdivision to adopt mining ordinances.

SDWF Will Monitor –

02/04/2026 First read in House and referred to House Agriculture and Natural Resources H.J. 217

02/12/2026 House Agriculture and Natural Resources Room 414 Tuesday, February 17, 2026 7:45 AM-9:45 AM

HCR 6003 – recognizing the importance of conservation and restoration practices in addressing water shortages and forest fire mitigation in the Black Hills, and commending the organizations engaged in this work.

01/22/2026 House of Representatives Adopt Resolution, Passed, YEAS 68, NAYS 0.

01/26/2026 Senate Concurred in Resolution, Passed, YEAS 33, NAYS 0.

SB 2 – provide that a firearm silencer is not a controlled weapon.

SDWF Will Support – Very common and saves hearing.

01/23/2026 Senate Do Pass Amended, Passed, YEAS 34, NAYS 0.

01/29/2026 House of Representatives Do Pass Amended, Passed, YEAS 66, NAYS 0.

02/05/2026 Delivered to the Governor on Thursday, February 05, 2026

02/11/2026 Signed by the Governor on Tuesday, February 10, 2026

SB 16 – provide for the licensure of fishing and hunting guides, and to provide a

penalty therefor.

SDWF Will Monitor

01/20/2026 Withdrawn at the Request of the Prime Sponsor S.J. 66 DEAD

SB 37 – make appropriations for water and environmental purposes and to declare an emergency.

SDWF Will Monitor – Annual Omnibus Water Bill

01/13/2026 First read in Senate and referred to Senate Committee on Appropriations

01/21/2026 Referred to Joint Committee on Appropriations, Passed S.J. 74

02/11/2026 Joint Committee on Appropriations Room 362 8:00 AM

SB 103 – address the assumption of risk by an individual present at a shooting range.

SDWF Will Monitor

01/29/2026 Senate Judiciary Deferred to the 41st legislative day, Passed, YEAS 6, NAYS 1. DEAD

SB 115 – remove the prohibition pertaining to the shooting of mourning doves located within specific areas.

SDWF Will Support

01/29/2026 Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Do Pass, Failed, YEAS 3, NAYS 3.

01/29/2026 Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Report out of committee without recommendation, Passed, YEAS 5, NAYS 1.

02/02/2026 Placed on calendar pursuant to JR 6F-6, Passed, YEAS 21, NAYS 13.

02/02/2026 Senate Do Pass, Passed, YEAS 19, NAYS 15. S.J.

02/03/2026 First read in House and referred to House Agriculture and Natural Resources

SB 131 – revise the season in which a nonprofit organization may host a special pheasant hunt for disabled veterans and Purple Heart recipients.

SDWF Will Monitor

02/04/2026 Senate Military and Veterans Affairs Do Pass, Passed, YEAS 5, NAYS 0.

02/06/2026 Senate Do Pass, Passed, YEAS 34, NAYS 0. S.J. 215

02/09/2026 First read in House and referred to House Military and Veterans Affairs

SB 133 – provide additional legislative oversight of rulemaking.

SDWF Will Monitor

01/26/2026 First Reading Senate

01/27/2026 Referred to Senate State Affairs

SB 148 – terminate bounty payments for the control of nest predation.

SDWF Will Support

Deferred to 02/12/2026 after Motion to 41^st day vote 3-3 with 1 excused.

02/12/2026 Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Deferred to the 41st legislative day, Passed, YEAS 7, NAYS 0. DEAD

NOTE: An amendment was drafted but not passed forward. Sen ANR committee chair recommended ‘sending a letter’ to the GFP Commission asking the Commission to adjust the program and create a youth trapping program.

SB 160 – require the registration of fishing guides.

SDWF Will Support

01/29/2026 First read in Senate and referred to Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources S.J. 138

2/12/2026 Scheduled in Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Room 423 Tuesday, February 17, 2026 10:00 AM-12:00 PM

SB 188 – revise public notice requirements for new sand, gravel, and construction aggregate mines.

SDWF will monitor – IWL will support

01/29/2026 First read in Senate and referred to Senate Commerce and Energy S.J.

02/12/2026 Scheduled for hearing Senate Commerce and Energy Motion to amend, Passed. Amendment 188A

02/12/2026 Senate Commerce and Energy Deferred to the 41st legislative day, Passed, YEAS 7, NAYS 1. DEAD

SB 201 – authorize the use of a drone for the location and recovery of mortally wounded deer and elk and to provide a penalty therefor.

SDWF Will Monitor and oppose

02/05/2026 Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Deferred to the 41st legislative day, Passed, YEAS 6, NAYS 1. DEAD