Meghan O’Brien/South Dakota Searchlight
PIERRE — A South Dakota Senate committee unanimously voted Thursday to advance legislation that removes silencers from the state’s definition of a controlled weapon.
Unregistered possession of a controlled weapon is a felony, which could result in two years of jail time.
“State regulation is unnecessary,” said Sen. Casey Crabtree, a Republican from Madison who introduced the legislation and is seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. House. “Gun suppressors are not weapons. They are simply hearing protection.”
A suppressor quiets the reports from gunfire, and supporters of deregulation say it’s a hearing protection measure for hunters and people in the surrounding area. Opponents of deregulation, including the national organization Everytown for Gun Safety, say silencers make it harder for bystanders or law enforcement to identify and react quickly to gunshots.
Nobody testified against the bill Thursday.
Republican Attorney General Marty Jackley supports the legislation. Listing a silencer as a controlled weapon, he said, “doesn’t promote or help public safety.”
There are already protections in place at the federal level, he said.
“It’s simply extra government that doesn’t achieve any result,” Jackley told the committee.
Brian Gosch, a lobbyist who spoke on behalf of the National Rifle Association, said there’s also the “good neighbor aspect” to consider.
“If you have a suppressed AR, that’s going to be quieter for the neighbors,” he said, referring to AR-style rifles. “If we’re all out shooting suppressed shotguns in the field, we’re going to be able to communicate a lot better like that.”
The bill now goes to the full Senate.