Carry Reciprocity Reform Is Moving Along In South Carolina

By Dean Weingarten via The Truth About Guns

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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