Open carry gun bill still stalled over details

[UPDATED, 5 p.m., 2/27/24] Progress on open carry gun legislation remained stalled in the S.C. General Assembly this week as infighting among gun-rights groups over differences between the House- and Senate-passed versions of the bill threatened to derail the measure.

Dubbed “constitutional carry” by supporters, the legislation would allow South Carolinians to carry handguns openly or in a concealed fashion without a permit, with specific exceptions for facilities like schools, hospitals and public buildings. Both versions of the bill would also stiffen penalties for certain firearms offenses, including unlawful possession of a gun – provisions that many saw as key to muting local law enforcement officials’ oft-stated objections to the proposal.

Proponents say the bill would simply bring South Carolina into line with the majority of U.S. states that already allow open carry, while opponents argue that the laws in those states are often quite different from the proposed South Carolina legislation. For instance, in Pennsylvania where open carry is generally allowed, Philadelphia is specifically exempted due to its high population density. No such geographical exclusions exist in either the state House or Senate versions currently under consideration.

But with large majorities in both chambers favoring open carry in principle, the real sticking points are a series of National Rifle Association-approved Senate amendments that have drawn the ire of less compromise-oriented groups such as the National Association for Gun Rights and its state affiliate, Palmetto Gun Rights (PGR). Those amendments include provisions that would increase penalties for carrying a gun in restricted locations, require the state to provide free monthly gun training classes in all 46 counties, and allow members of the legislature to carry in restricted locations without penalty.

“We are tired of the compromises,” PGR executive director Tommy Dimsdale said in a recent video. “We are tired of waiting, we are tired of backroom deals, and we are tired of South Carolina Republicans circling the wagons around their colleagues, weakening good bills so that weaker members get to vote on them and pretend that they are pro-gun.”

With the two chambers seemingly deadlocked over the Senate amendments, a conference committee composed of three members from each body — Reps. Justin Bamberg, D-Bamberg/Orangeburg; Micah Caskey, R-Lexington; and Bobby Cox, R-Greenville, and Sens. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg; Shane Martin, R-Spartanburg; and Shane Massey, R-Edgefield — will try to find a workable compromise.

Conferees held their first meeting on February 27, at which no action was taken.