Include certain types of vehicles in the abandoned titling process.
SB 174 amends South Dakota’s abandoned vehicle title law to expand the types of vehicles that can be handled through the abandoned titling process. The bill updates the statutory definition of “motor vehicle” in Chapter 32-36 to expressly include boats, house trailers, mopeds, off-road vehicles, snowmobiles, trailers, and other vehicles propelled by power other than muscular power, while continuing to exclude certain equipment such as engines, farm wagons, road rollers, traction engines, and rail vehicles.
By broadening the definition, the bill allows these additional vehicle types to be treated as abandoned, impounded, junk, or scrap vehicles for purposes of removal, salvage, and title processing under state law. This affects owners, landowners, tenants, removal agencies, salvage operators, junk dealers, and public bodies that deal with abandoned property and vehicle disposal.
The bill primarily affects Chapter 32-36 of the South Dakota Codified Laws by revising the statutory definition section used throughout the abandoned vehicle and titling framework. In practical terms, it extends the abandoned titling process to more categories of conveyances and recreational vehicles, which can streamline cleanup and title resolution for boats, trailers, snowmobiles, off-road vehicles, and similar property left abandoned on public or private land. It may also reduce uncertainty for towing, salvage, and removal agencies when handling these items.
The available voting history shows strong bipartisan support and little opposition. The bill advanced through committee and floor votes with unanimous or near-unanimous “do pass” recommendations, and the final recorded vote was 68-1 in favor. No committee transcript objections are available, suggesting the measure was viewed as a practical housekeeping or cleanup bill rather than a controversial policy change.
There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available record. The only possible area of debate would be the scope of the expanded definition—specifically, whether adding boats, trailers, snowmobiles, off-road vehicles, and similar property could affect owners’ rights, notice requirements, or salvage practices. However, the recorded votes indicate broad agreement, and no specific objections or amendments are reflected in the provided materials.