Three Aiken County S.C. House members back constitutional carry bill

Matthew Christian, Aiken Standard, S.C.
·2 min read
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Feb. 20—The South Carolina House of Representatives is expected to consider a bill Wednesday eliminating the requirement for people wishing to carry firearms openly or concealed to get a permit before doing so.

On the House calendar is H.B. 3594, South Carolina Constitutional Carry/Second Amendment Preservation Act of 2023.

S.C. Reps. Bill Hixon, R-North Augusta, Melissa Oremus, R-Burnettown and Bill Taylor, R-Aiken, are among the 67 sponsors of the bill that was prefiled by S.C. Rep. Bobby Cox, R-Greenville.

The Associated Press reported when the bill was recommended to be approved by the House Judiciary Committee with an amendment that Democrats and gun control advocates are opposed to the bill.

Though the bill eliminates the permit requirement, a prohibition on carrying weapons in a law enforcement facility, a jail, a prison, a courthouse, a polling place on Election Day, a government meeting, a school or athletic event not related to firearms, a school or daycare, where prohibited by federal law, a church or religious building, medical facility, a private residence of another person or a place prohibiting concealed carry would remain in effect.

Law enforcement officials including "qualified" retired law enforcement officials, on-duty members of the Armed Forces and people with permission of the property owner are exempt from the prohibition against carrying in certain places.

An amendment recommended by the House Judiciary Committee would also exempt judges, solicitors, worker's comp commissioners, the attorney general and assistant attorneys general and clerks of court with a permit from the prohibition on carrying in certain places.

The amendment would also strengthen the prohibition on convicted criminals carrying firearms or ammunition. In specific, it changes the law from preventing a person convicted of a violent felony from possessing a firearm or ammunition to anyone convicted of a crime carrying a sentence of more than one year in prison.

Violations of the proposed law preventing criminals from possession would carry a penalty of up to five years on first offense, between five and 20 years for the second offense (five is a minimum) and between 10-30 years for a third offense (10 is a minimum).