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Read. Follow. Verify.South Dakota limits liability for officers and towing agents clearing disabled vehicles and watercraft
Last action · March 9, 2026: Signed by the GovernorSponsors: Kent Roe and 2 others
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What This Bill Does
South Dakota law now shields law enforcement officers, state agency personnel, and authorized towing agents from liability for property damage when removing disabled vehicles, cargo, or watercraft from highways, rights-of-way, and public waters, unless or willful misconduct occurs.
Vehicle and watercraft owners remain financially liable for all towing and removal costs incurred by state agencies, local governments, or removal contractors, while responders are protected from property-damage claims arising during clearance operations.
- The South Dakota Legislature convenes annually for legislative sessions, during which measures relating to traffic laws, transportation, and state liability are enacted. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Vehicle and watercraft owners
Owners remain legally responsible for all costs incurred by the state or removal agencies when their disabled vehicle, boat, or equipment is towed from a highway, right-of-way, or public waters.
Law enforcement officers and state agency personnel
Officers and personnel gain statutory immunity from property damage claims when ordering or conducting the clearance of hazardous or disabled vehicles and watercraft.
Removal agencies and towing operators
Towing and removal contractors are protected from civil liability for damage to towed property or surrounding areas during authorized clearance operations absent gross negligence.
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
Who can authorize the removal of a disabled vehicle from a highway under this law?
Are towing companies and removal agencies protected from liability under the new act?
Who pays for the costs of removing a disabled vehicle or boat?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
19 actions- Mar 9, 2026HouseEnrolledSigned by the Governor
- Mar 5, 2026HouseEnrolledDelivered to the Governor
- Mar 4, 2026SenateSigned by the President
- Mar 3, 2026HouseSigned by the Speaker
- Mar 2, 2026HouseCommitteeConcurred in amendments
- Feb 25, 2026SenateCommitteeDo Pass Amended
Show 13 earlier actions
- Feb 24, 2026SenateDeferred to another day
- Feb 20, 2026SenateCertified uncontested, placed on consent
- Feb 20, 2026SenateCommitteeDo Pass Amended
- Feb 20, 2026SenateMotion to amend
- Feb 20, 2026SenateScheduled for hearing
- Feb 11, 2026SenateIntroducedFirst read in Senate and referred to
- Feb 10, 2026HouseCommitteeDo Pass Amended
- Feb 9, 2026HouseRemove from Consent Calendar
- Feb 5, 2026HouseCertified uncontested, placed on consent
- Feb 5, 2026HouseCommitteeDo Pass Amended
- Feb 5, 2026HouseMotion to amend
- Feb 5, 2026HouseScheduled for hearing
- Jan 29, 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
Do Pass Amended
Total
70
- Yes
- 53
- No
- 13
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 0
- Abstain
- 0
- Other positions
- 4
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
Connected Entities
Sources
sdlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance50How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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