South Carolina permitless carry bill heads to Gov. McMaster's desk after Senate approval
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The state Senate has passed South Carolina's permitless "constitutional" carry bill, leaving only Governor Henry McMaster's signature as the last step before it becomes state law.
The legislation, passed Wednesday, will allow eligible individuals to carry firearms, whether openly or concealed, without requiring registration for a state permit or receiving any training.
The bill could potentially be signed into law and take effect as early as tomorrow, the bill's lead sponsor, Rep. Bobby Cox, R-Greenville, told the Greenville News Wednesday evening. South Carolina will become the 29th state to enact a "constitutional carry" law.
On Tuesday, a joint legislative committee comprised of three members of the Senate and three members of the House convened to compromise on a version of House Bill 3594. Senate and House members have adamantly advocated for their respective versions of the legislation since the Senate initially passed the bill with several amendments in early February.
The committee ultimately reached an agreement and a final version of the bill was passed by the House the same day.
Previously: Joint legislature committee, SC House approve revised permitless carry bill
Both chambers discussed the committee's report Tuesday afternoon and the House approved the report by a margin of 86-33 just hours after it was published. A number of legislators spoke in favor and bemoaned the bill. Cox, the Vice President for Government Affairs at Sig Sauer, a firearms company, called it a major advancement of "2nd Amendment freedoms."
Today the Senate approved the committee's report 28-18.
Ultimately, the Senate version of the bill emerged mostly intact including the addition of enhanced penalties for repeat weapons offense violators. The committee also settled on places where guns may and may not be carried, the duty by civilians to report stolen weapons and several provisions related to concealed weapons permits, such as free state-funded CWP training.
The proposed changes are a departure from previous open carry legislation passed in 2021 that allows for those 18 or older to own a firearm but requires that individuals be 21 years old to apply for a concealed weapons permit.
Upstate legislators played a key role in advancing the bill through both chambers and on the six-member committee. Sen. Shane Martin, R-Spartanburg, was a vocal proponent of the bill in the Senate during debate one month ago. Cox is the bill's lead sponsor and was on the special joint committee.
Early February: Led by Upstate lawmakers, South Carolina a step closer to permitless carry with Senate vote
Cox and Martin joined Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, who chaired the committee Tuesday, as well as Sen. Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, and Reps. Micah Caskey, R-Lexington, and Justin Bamberg, D-Bamberg.
Chalmers Rogland covers public safety for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal and USA Today Network. Reach him via email at crogland@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Permitless carry to become law in South Carolina after Senate approval
