South Dakota isn’t exactly the kind of state you look to when you think of gun control. There’s nothing on the horizon that would suggest that’s likely to change, either. It’s way too rural for a real anti-gun movement to start.
But that has never stopped urban officials from wanting more.
In this case, the mayor of Sioux Falls thinks that there needs to be more gun control on the books, at least for his city.
Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken wants to see better gun control laws when it comes to safety inside city buildings across the state.
In South Dakota, it is illegal to bring a gun into the state capitol or inside a county courthouse.
State law reads a person is guilty of a misdemeanor if they knowingly bring a gun or any dangerous weapon inside those buildings.There are some exceptions to the existing law. For example, law enforcement officers or other federal officials can carry concealed firearms inside state and county buildings if the possession is authorized by law.
However, that’s not the case when it comes to municipal buildings across the state, like the Sioux Falls City Hall.
“It’s always bothered me that when I go to Pierre, I go through a metal detector because the state legislators want to be protected from craziness,” TenHaken said. “When I go to the county courthouse, same process. When you go to the city chambers on a Tuesday night, you just walk in with whatever you want.”
Of course, TenHaken sees this as a bad thing. He wants the same legal protections as the courthouse or the state capitol.
However, let’s also understand that there’s not quite the same environment in city hall as there is in the local courthouse or in the state capitol.
For one thing, people have regular business to conduct in city hall. They need to pay for permits, get licenses for various things, or just exist as a member of a community. That’s just part of their day-to-day lives, and there’s generally not the high levels of tension you’d find in a courthouse.
I mean, no one is going to prison from city hall. In court, that’s different. The stakes are higher.
As for the state capitol, I’m not a fan of a gun ban there, either. However, many people go their whole lives, even engaging in politics, without darkening the door of the state capitol. Plus, as state lawmakers can create felonies, the stakes are also a bit higher than with the local government.
I’m not excusing that for the state capitol’s thinking they can keep guns out, mind you, only saying that Sioux Falls City Hall isn’t quite the same thing as the state capitol. Further, it’s South Dakota. They’re not exactly a high-crime state. I think it’s unlikely that anyone would mean anything nefarious toward city leaders, and if they do, then anyone can carry into a city council meeting, meaning good guys with guns are a thing.
TenHaken might not like it, but I’m sure he can learn to deal with disappointment. Especially since he’s safer without the metal detectors than he might believe.
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