The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.South Dakota Prohibits Weather Modification Activities and Imposes Fines Starting at $100,000
Last action · February 10, 2026: Deferred to the 41st legislative daySponsors: Bobbi Andera and 5 others
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What This Bill Proposed
South Dakota House Bill 1271 bans releasing chemicals, toxic substances, aluminum, barium, or sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere to modify weather, sunlight, or temperature. The measure creates a monitoring fund, sets civil penalties of at least $100,000 plus $10,000 per day for violations, and requires public and private airports to report aircraft equipped for atmospheric dispersion.
The bill establishes strict civil penalties for atmospheric weather modification and places new quarterly reporting obligations on public and private airport operators regarding aircraft equipped for chemical dispersion.
- House Bill 1271 was introduced during the 101st Legislative Session of the South Dakota Legislature in 2026 by Representative Andera. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
public and private airport operators
Airport operators must report quarterly to the Department of Transportation regarding aircraft equipped for atmospheric dispersion and incorporate new provisions into grant agreements.
Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources
The department administers the monitoring fund, investigates complaints, assesses civil penalties, and establishes reporting forms.
Department of Transportation
The department receives airport reports, forwards them to environmental regulators, and incorporates reporting requirements into airport grant agreements.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What activities does House Bill 1271 prohibit?
What are the financial penalties for violating the prohibition?
Are agricultural crop dusters subject to the airport reporting rules?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.
Procedural history
3 actions- Feb 10, 2026HouseDeferred to the 41st legislative day
- Feb 10, 2026HouseScheduled for hearing
- Feb 4, 2026HouseIntroducedFirst read in House and referred to
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Voting Record
Deferred to the 41st legislative day
Total
13
- Yes
- 7
- No
- 3
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 0
- Abstain
- 0
- Other positions
- 3
How they voted (1)
Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Creation of State-Level Oversight for Atmospheric Modification
The bill establishes a formal regulatory framework, monitoring fund, and civil penalty structure dedicated explicitly to policing weather and climate modification activities.
Connected Entities
Sources
sdlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
- Controversy70Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment25Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz60Current news / social attention level
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