The state reserves to itself the exclusive rights and privilege of field investigation on land owned or controlled by the state, its agencies, departments, institutions, or political subdivisions in order to protect and preserve archaeological and scientific information, matter, and objects. All such information and objects deriving from state lands shall remain the property of the state and be utilized for scientific or public educational purposes.

Source: SL 1947, ch 255, § 4; SDC Supp 1960, § 29.0704; SDCL, § 1-20-6; SL 1974, ch 11, § 4; SL 2021, ch 7, § 37.