Bill allowing gun owners to carry in public heads to SC House floor for debate
The South Carolina House is expected to debate on the floor in two weeks a mostly Republican-backed proposal that would allow hand gun owners to open carry their weapon with a permit.
But more conservative Republicans hope to use the debate to advance another long-held priority: removing any requirements on gun owners to get permits to carry their weapons in public, concealed or not.
The legislation cleared another hurdle in the House Tuesday after a 16-8 House Judiciary Committee vote.
Filed by Upstate Republican Rep. Bobby Cox, the proposal would allow South Carolinians with a permit to openly carry their hand guns where already allowed in the state. Gun owners still could not openly carry inside the State House or schools, for example.
South Carolina is one of five states without some degree of open carry law on the books, and Republicans are eager to change that.
Bolstered after wins in November, legislative Republicans have this year sought to push through measures that both State House chambers have been uneasy to pass in years past. The Republican-controlled General Assembly increased its membership this year after flipping five legislative seats.
But some lawmakers want the Legislature to take the bill even further, broadening it to allow open carry regardless of a permit, called constitutional carry. State Rep. Jonathon Hill, R-Anderson, has publicly criticized his colleagues for not taking more aggressive stances on traditional Republican-backed measures, including open carry and abortion legislation.
The bill does not have much support from some of the top officials in the law enforcement community.
State Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel told The State he worries that, if the bill passes, law enforcement officers will be faced with challenging calls to make when responding to 911 calls of a person brandishing a gun. And sheriffs and police chiefs of large police departments, including in Charleston and Richland counties, have echoed the same concerns. Meanwhile, the South Carolina Sheriff’s Association has opted to take a “neutral” position, but has asked that state lawmakers consider tweaking the proposal to restrict where people can carry, such as protests or parades.
“This is a recipe for disaster,” said state Rep. Cezar McKnight, D-Williamsburg, who said he backs the Second Amendment and hunts.
“And in this real world with real prejudices and real fears and real suspicions, we’re going to end up with real dead people.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
