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The South Carolina House of Representatives passed a bill this week to reform the state’s restrictive reciprocity law. Currently, South Carolina only recognizes carry permits from 19 states, and “enhanced” permits from four more. The new bill would recognize permits from up to 16 more states would be recognized by South Carolina.

It seems likely that the regular permits from the four states whose enhanced permits will be recognized if the permit holders are 21 years old or older. From postandcourier.com:

COLUMBIA — House members voted Wednesday to recognize the concealed weapons permits of most adults from states that recognize permits from South Carolina.

As initially proposed, the bill would have allowed anyone who possessed a concealed weapons permit from any state to carry legally in South Carolina. But 10 states do not recognize weapons permits of any state other than their own.

From the bill H. 3240:

“(N)(1) Valid out‑of‑state permits to carry concealable weapons held by a resident of a reciprocal state, or a state that recognizes and honors a valid South Carolina permit, who is twenty‑one years old or older must be honored by this State,

The vote in the House was 85-23. There are 79 Republicans and 44 Democrats in the South Carolina House of Representatives. There are 27 Republicans and 18 Democrats in the Senate.

It appears that Governor Henry McMaster will sign the bill. He said that he would sign the Constitutional Carry bill, if it passed the legislature. This bill is smaller, incremental step, with restores a bit more of the ability to exercise Second Amendment rights.

The bill may be a “consolation prize” for the failure of the  legislature to pass Constitutional Carry in South Carolina this year.  Constitutional Carry could still pass, but the prospects are diminishing day by day.  The South Carolina legislature is expected to adjourn on 1 June, 2017.

©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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9 COMMENTS

  1. If the GOP would get their heads out of their azz and pass national reciprocity, we wouldn’t have to deal with this state by state patchwork system of “approval” …

    • Ha, SC’s got nothing on the North. We play this song when the MD session ends and we all know we are safe for another 9 months.

  2. “Constitutional Carry could still pass, but the prospects are diminishing day by day. The South Carolina legislature is expected to adjourn on 1 June, 2017.”

    True, but it won’t die at that point and they would take it back up where they left off in January 2018.

  3. “The bill may be a “consolation prize” for the failure of the legislature to pass Constitutional Carry in South Carolina this year.”

    Like the recent reduction of Texas CCW fees, South Carolina’s improved reciprocity should be considered a “booby prize.” And we’re the boobs.

  4. Constitutional Carry is the law of all 50 us states + over sea terretorials as guam !
    no compromiss !

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