The bill amends South Dakota law regarding the liability of motor vehicle owners for removal costs when their vehicles are abandoned or disabled in specific circumstances. It specifies that an owner is civilly liable for the expenses incurred by the removal agency if they intentionally abandon a motor vehicle on a public highway or right-of-way, or if they drive the vehicle into a body of water—either a lake, stream, or other water body—where it becomes disabled. Additionally, liability extends to situations where the vehicle is driven onto a frozen body of water and breaks through the ice.

The amendment removes the previous language that only addressed intentional abandonment on public highways or right-of-ways, thereby expanding the scope of liability to include vehicles that are disabled in water. The bill also clarifies that the owner is responsible for any storage expenses related to the removal of the vehicle, as outlined in existing law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 01/29/2026: 32-30-18.1