South Carolina received a D- on an annual report card that offers a comprehensive, 50-state analysis on gun laws and gun violence rates.
South Carolina received such a low grade for failing to pass significant legislation to curb gun violence, according to the report by the Giffords Law Center (GLC) to Prevent Gun Violence. Other Southern states, except Florida, Virginia and neighboring North Carolina, received grades of F.
“We know gun laws save lives — but South Carolina has failed to take significant steps to protect its constituents,” said Peter Ambler, executive director of GLC. “More can and must be done. It’s time for lawmakers to get on the same page as most Americans and pass policies to make their states safer.”
This year as of Dec. 22, some 1,114 people were shot in 997 shooting incidents in South Carolina, according to gunviolencearchive.org. Out of those shot, 395 died. The numbers show little significant differences from the year before — 1,143 people were shot in South Carolina in 2022 across 1,004 incidents. Of those, 431 died.
The numbers give the Palmetto state an average of 21.3 gun deaths per 100,000 people this year, 48% higher than the national average. The data, combined with the lack of significant gun laws passed this year, gives the state the low grade.
In fact, state legislators worked this year to pass legislation that would allow gun owners to carry their firearms in public without a permit. The bill, H. 3594, passed in the S.C. House of Representatives, but a different version passed in the state Senate. The two versions are expected to be reconciled in 2024.
Legal experts with the GLC track and analyze gun legislation across 50 states, allotting point values based on the strengths and weaknesses of existing laws and policies. The points are then compared to national gun death data.
”Every year, our scorecard is a reminder to states that progress is possible, but it’s also a warning of the work we have left to accomplish,” Ambler said. “The Gun Law Scorecard should be both a resource and roadmap for elected leaders, activists, and concerned citizens to take action.”
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