South Dakota law currently protects certain property from being seized to pay debts, and this bill adds one motor vehicle to that list of protected property. Debtors will now be able to keep one vehicle from being taken through legal collection processes, similar to how they can already keep essential household items, clothing, and religious property. This change helps ensure debtors retain basic transportation while satisfying their creditors through other means.
This amendment completely rewrites the bill—it was "hoghoused"—transforming it from a narrow exemption for one motor vehicle into a comprehensive listing of all property exempt from debtor collection, including family pictures, religious items, clothing, food, retirement accounts, health aids, and domestic support payments, while also lowering the motor vehicle exemption cap from an unspecified amount to five thousand dollars in value. The change fundamentally redirects the bill from a single-issue motor vehicle protection into a broad debtor protection statute covering multiple categories of essential property.
Other amendments
Senate Do Pass Amended Failed, YEAS 15, NAYS 19. S.J. 312
Senate Deferred to another day S.J. 270
Senate Reconsidered Passed, YEAS 24, NAYS 10. S.J. 269
Senate Intent to reconsider S.J. 263
Senate Do Pass Amended Failed, YEAS 16, NAYS 17. S.J. 262
Senate Motion to amend S.J. 262
Senate Deferred to another day S.J. 220
Judiciary Do Pass Amended Passed, YEAS 4, NAYS 2. S.J. 16
Judiciary Motion to amend S.J. 15
Judiciary Scheduled for hearing S.J. 1
First read in Senate and referred to Senate Judiciary S.J. 129
Prime sponsor · Sen.
D
Do Pass Amended
Reconsidered
Do Pass Amended
Judiciary — Do Pass Amended