Unsuppressed Suppressors

By: Gov. Larry Rhoden

February 13, 2026

I just signed Senate Bill 2 (or as some are calling it, SB 2A), which fittingly protects our 2^nd Amendment. South Dakota is the most pro-2nd Amendment state in America, and we take protecting this right seriously. SB 2A sends a clear message: South Dakota will not suppress the rights of law-abiding citizens.

This straightforward legislation removes suppressors from our state’s list of “controlled weapons.” It eliminates unnecessary state-level restrictions in the hope that suppressors will soon be similarly deregulated federally. We shouldn't treat a simple piece of hearing protection like it belongs in the same category as machine guns. For hunters, firearms enthusiasts, and families who value safety and responsibility, this is common-sense conservatism at its finest.

Here in South Dakota, we understand firearms better than most. We have the highest number of hunters per-capita in the nation. Many of us grew up on ranches and farms where a rifle or shotgun is a tool of the trade, not a political statement.

I carried pro-Second Amendment bills myself during my years in the Legislature, including a half-dozen that became law. And I’m proud to continue that work as governor. Suppressors aren’t weapons – they’re about protecting your hearing, reducing noise for those around you, and making shooting sports safer and more accessible.

We held the signing ceremony at Silencer Central in Sioux Falls. Silencer Central is a company that has built a national reputation by making quality suppressors right here in South Dakota. Last year, I started my “Open for Opportunity” tour at their facility, and that wasn’t an accident. It highlighted both our support for the Second Amendment and what can be possible when government gets out of the way: innovation, jobs, and proud South Dakota businesses that don’t have to hide what they do. In too many states, companies like this operate quietly. Here, we celebrate them.

South Dakota has earned its reputation as the most Second Amendment-friendly state in the nation. We led with constitutional carry – the first bill that Former Governor Noem signed under the Noem-Rhoden Administration. We became the first state to offer free concealed carry permits. Now, with SB 2A, we’re once again showing the rest of the country how to respect the rights of responsible citizens without unnecessary red tape.

Critics will claim this somehow makes us less safe. That’s the same tired argument we hear every time we expand freedom. The facts say otherwise. Law-abiding South Dakotans who pass federal background checks aren’t the problem. Over-regulating everyday tools only burdens the people who follow the rules. Real safety comes from strong enforcement of existing laws and from a culture that teaches responsibility – not from piling on more restrictions that criminals ignore anyway.

This bill is about more than suppressors. It’s about rejecting the idea that government knows better than free citizens how to exercise their constitutional rights. It’s about keeping South Dakota strong, safe, and free for the next generation of hunters, ranchers, and families who call this state home.

I’m betting other states will follow our lead, just as they have on constitutional carry. South Dakota isn’t waiting for permission from Washington. We’re leading by example, the way we always have. Our rights are now a little more unsuppressed – and that’s exactly how it should be.

###