South Carolina Senate Passes Constitutional Carry

Last month, I posted a story detailing Constitutional Carry. In it, I mentioned that South Carolina was likely going to be the next state that passed a Constitutional Carry law.

The Palmetto State took a step towards that possibility last week. It’s just the beginning of the legal process, but it’s also the largest hurdle the bill had to overcome. It looks as though South Carolina may become the 28th state to pass a Constitutional Carry law.

What’s Going On

On February 1, South Carolina’s state’s Senate passed a law that would do away with current concealed carry licensing requirements. Residents can still apply for a concealed carry license to receive reciprocity with other states.

In addition, the law included a section requiring the state to offer free gun safety classes. The classes must occur twice per month in each county. The bill lowered the age to carry a concealed weapon from 21 to 18, too.

The law also included new punishments for breaking certain gun laws. These additions include harsher penalties for prohibited persons who carry firearms and criminals caught with stolen guns.

The Breakdown

Next, the South Carolina House of Representatives needs to vote on the bill. The assembly is controlled overwhelmingly by Republicans, so it’s expected to pass with a supermajority. After that, South Carolina’s Governor Henry McMaster needs to sign the bill into law.

McMaster has hinted that he’ll sign the bill if House Republicans approve the provisions creating harsher punishments for carrying illegal guns.

We’ll keep an eye on this situation as it develops and report any changes.