In 2021, Texas House Bill 957 was passed to deregulate firearm suppressors. It stated that those manufactured in Texas and kept within the state are not subject to federal law, that mandate taxes and registration. Since its passage, that law has met federal resistance and has been in legal “hell” waiting for the courts and other nonsense to move along. Now, with $0 tax fees on certain NFA items, and the ongoing lawsuits at the federal level to remove silencers, SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs from the NFA, more states are jumping on the Texas bandwagon. (Well, kind of, but you’ll see what I mean). South Dakota is the latest to do so.
What’s Happening in South Dakota?
Down in Sioux Falls, Silencer Central is supporting a South Dakota legislative effort that could quietly transform suppressor ownership—not just in the Mount Rushmore State, but potentially nationwide.
Here’s the summary: suppressors are currently legal in South Dakota only if you go through the federal NFA process and get a stamp. Although that stamp fee has dropped to zero as of 2026, the bigger goal is to remove suppressors entirely from the National Firearms Act. But, there’s a catch. Even if the federal government fully deregulates suppressors, outdated state laws in states like South Dakota would still keep them in a legal gray area.
That’s what this new bill aims to fix. It sailed through the state senate without opposition and would remove suppressors from the state’s “controlled weapon” category, clearing the way for straightforward, lawful ownership no matter how federal rules evolve.
Zooming Out
Silencer Central, working alongside the National Shooting Sports Foundation, sees South Dakota as a test case. There are 16 other states with similar outdated laws. Success here could light the fuse for broader reform. Yes, this is not exactly like the Texas case. However, these are preemptive measures to deregulate suppressors once (or if) they and other NFA items are removed from the NFA.
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Sources:
Cory Ross is currently a writer for OutdoorHub who has chosen not to write a short bio at this time.
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