revise registration fees for drones and establish a fund to support drone aviation.
SB 205 revises drone registration fees in South Dakota, charging 1.5% of purchase price for agricultural drones and 2% for all other drones. The collected fees fund a new "drone aviation fund" administered by the Board of Technical Education to support drone training grants at state technical colleges. This bill directly affects drone owners (especially agricultural users) by changing their registration tax rates and creating a dedicated funding source for drone industry workforce development. The fund will receive all drone registration fees and interest, with expenditures requiring annual budget approval. The bill does not apply to small unmanned aircraft systems covered under federal regulations.
Bill status
failed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Feb 2026
House Failed
Feb 2026
Governor
Introduced Feb 2, 2026
Last action Feb 24, 2026
Floor votes · Senate Feb 17, 2026 · House Feb 24, 2026
How they voted
31–2
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 35
Feb 17, 2026
D
Democratic3
100% Yea
R
Republican32
87% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
9
Key actions
3
Committee
2
Feb 24, 2026
Vote failed
House Vote: fail (29-37-4)
house
Feb 23, 2026
Lower · Passed
Commerce and Energy Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 7, NAYS 4
lower
Feb 18, 2026
Introduced
First read in House and referred to House Commerce and Energy H.J. 355
lower
Feb 17, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 31, NAYS 2 S.J. 281
upper
Feb 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
Commerce and Energy Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 6, NAYS 1
upper
Feb 2, 2026
Introduced
First read in Senate and referred to Senate Commerce and Energy S.J. 160
upper
7 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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