U.S.A. -(AmmoLand.com)- Yesterday, Governor Henry McMaster signed House Bill 3094 into law. This bill allows citizens who hold a Concealed Weapons Permit (CWP) to carry a handgun in the manner they choose, whether openly or concealed. In addition, it also eliminates the $50 application fee for a CWP. This law takes effect in 90 days.
NRA thanks Gov. McMaster for promptly signing this critical legislation. His signature improves access to the right-to-carry for all law-abiding citizens, regardless of economic means, and ensures that South Carolina is no longer like California and New York in not allowing open carry. NRA also thanks bill sponsor, Rep. Bobby Cox.
Please stay tuned to www.nraila.org and your email inbox for further updates.
About NRA-ILA:
Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the “lobbying” arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess, and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Visit: www.nra.org
It should also be pointed out that the bill included protection against SC resources or personnel being used to enforce Federal government overreach on our 2A rights. There were some downsides to the bill, such as the removal of a key gun protection clause which previously stated that state and local government could not confiscate a gun (e.g. in a Katrina-like scenario) unless it was incident to an arrest. That clause now seems to only apply to confiscation of a gun near a public rally, or other event with a permit that has applied for it to be a gun-free… Read more »
I live in South Carolina and have had a CWP for over 20 years. I am hesitant to open carry under this bill. The provisions have been weakened by a few RINO’S in our state legislature. This is sad, since republicans control both houses in our state legislature. I live in Charleston county which now has elected a democratic sheriff, (good luck with that). That fact alone gives me pause as to my carrying openly under this bill. I will wait and see how many people get harassed or arrested while carrying under this bill.
You’re 100% correct about our RINO’S in SC! I too have had a CWP since their first issue. I too will not be openly carrying my firearm, not for any legal concern, I just want those SOB’S with criminal intent to keep guessing who’s carrying!
NOW, we must insure that when the next election season is upon us, we have constitutional conservatives ready to replace those that have forgot who the hell brought them to the ‘dance’!!
good start, as for the training it should be done in elementary school or jr high, safety with guns,knives hoes shovels saws I know more people missing at least part of a finger from saws of various types than gunshot wounds; and that includes vets
I don’t see any verbiage in the bill pertaining to reciprocity.
So does this bill also cover out-of-staters whose CHP is recognized by SC?
Inquiring minds want to know.
That is a very good question! I would hope that at a minimum, it would cover holders of CWP’s who had to undergo some form of training to get their permit, who hold out-of-state permits. The reason I say that is that the bill when it was in play, was called “Open Carry With Training” as opposed to “Constitutional Carry” where no training was required, which was what we were hoping for.
I have often wondered if I could legally OC in Tennessee, where they have a similar “OC With Permit” law, or if that is for residents only.
SC should recognize all out of state permits, regardless of arbitrary training requirements. Hopefully, that is coming now that these recent hurdles have been overcome.
I skimmed over the text of the bill but grew tired of the endless drivel. I do not feel confident that I can travel through South Carolina and carry my pistol and rifle in some form in my vehicle without harassment from taxpayer funded bullies.
HLB
The requirement for reciprocity with SC is that the State has substantially similar training requirements to SC, so IMO your out-of-State Permit to carry qualifies to Open Carry here. I suppose you could email or call the Governor’s Office to get a clarification on that.
Congrats to SC…
Thank You! Not where we should have been, but a step in the right direction, for sure! While the passage of time will not be terrible, I think the 90 day delay before it takes effect, “to allow LE to educate the public and prepare” was excessive. Gun rights groups are wise to ride the current wave of national support for Constitutional Carry and related bills, but I do hope to see a reduction in “prohibited” places and de-criminalization of violating those stupid “Rob Me” signs. Those were a totally unnecessary nod to “property owners’ rights” that should have never… Read more »
The 90 day delay was part of the Bill. They could have made it any length of time or even upon the Governor signing it into law. I believe 90 days is the maximum allowed by law.
I know, man! It just seems they could have accomplished all that in 45, or even 30 days. Yeah, I would have probably griped about that, too.
😀
We need this in Illinois
In antipation of it becoming law I ordered an OWB Retention holster a few weeks a go and wear it while shopping in North Carolina where Open Carry is legal with no permit. Nobody ever said a thing to me about it. Oh, one time a few years ago a worker stocking at IGA asked me what I was carrying.
This is good news for us South Carolinian’s, but I do have concerns, like some people with no training carrying around a deadly weapon and playing the hero when not necessary and other scenarios that might bring concern . For us that train and know how to use many weapons , I am not worried about , but some will want to grow up a little too fast . Good luck and stay safe to all gun holders in our state !
Hi Kenno! Please allow me to make a couple of points. First, sadly the permitless or Constitutional Carry did not pass this year in SC. The only people who will be able to carry, openly or concealed, will still be CWP holders, who jumped through the government sanctioned hoops, if that makes you feel better. Second, around twenty states, give or take, have or will soon have permitless or Constitutional Carry. Some of those, like Arizona have had it for around a decade. Others, like Vermont, have had it for many decades. Despite what you might think, there have been… Read more »