South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster holds up a copy of the Constitution while speaking at the 56th Annual Silver Elephant Dinner hosted by the South Carolina Republican Party in in Columbia, S.C., on Aug. 5, 2023. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)
Published March 11, 2024
A gun rights advocate says a growing number of legislatures are sending a message to the federal government by expanding Second Amendment protections.
South Carolina is now the 29th state to allow any resident who is legally able to carry a firearm to do so without a permit—so-called constitutional carry.
On March 7, Gov. Henry McMaster signed H 3594 into law, which eliminates the requirement for a concealed weapons permit, sets the minimum age to receive a license to 18, and sets a comprehensive list of “sensitive areas” where guns are prohibited.
The list includes schools, government buildings, health care facilities, places of worship, law enforcement centers, and any place where guns are prohibited by federal law.
It leaves the current permitting process in place for those who wish to get a permit to carry in states that recognize South Carolina’s license. South Carolina’s concealed carry permit requires eight hours of training.
The new law also sets steeper penalties for those convicted of carrying a gun in a sensitive area without a permit as an incentive to get licensed.
Mr. McMaster released a statement celebrating the new law.
