Introduced to the South Carolina House on January 12th, 2021, a bill proposal may grant the citizens of South Carolina to openly carry handguns in a public setting. South Carolina is one of the last few remaining states that outright bans the open carrying of handguns in public places. The South Carolina Bill – House Bill 3094 “Open Carry With Training” – would allow a person who has obtained a concealed weapons permit to open carry a handgun. The bill as presented on the South Carolina Statehouse is copied below.

Photo: Adam Scepaniak

South Carolina Bill May Allow Residents to Open Carry

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 23-31-210, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF CONCEALED WEAPON PERMITS, SO AS TO ENACT THE “OPEN CARRY WITH TRAINING ACT” BY REVISING THE DEFINITION OF THE TERM “CONCEALABLE WEAPON” TO ALLOW A PERMIT HOLDER TO CARRY A CONCEALABLE WEAPON OPENLY ON HIS PERSON; AND TO AMEND SECTION 16-23-20, RELATING TO THE CARRYING OF A HANDGUN, SO AS TO PROVIDE A PERSON WHO POSSESSES A CONCEALED WEAPON PERMIT MAY CARRY IT OPENLY ON OR ABOUT HIS PERSON IN A VEHICLE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    This act may be cited as the “Open Carry With Training Act”.

SECTION    2.    Section 23-31-210(5) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

“(5)    ‘Concealable weapon’ means a firearm having a length of less than twelve inches measured along its greatest dimension that must may be carried openly on one’s person or in a manner that is hidden from public view in normal wear of clothing except when needed for self-defense, defense of others, and the protection of real or personal property.”

SECTION    3.    Section 16-23-20(9) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

“(9)    a person in a vehicle if the handgun is:

(a)    secured in a closed glove compartment, closed console, closed trunk, or in a closed container secured by an integral fastener and transported in the luggage compartment of the vehicle; however, this item is not violated if the glove compartment, console, or trunk is opened in the presence of a law enforcement officer for the sole purpose of retrieving a driver’s license, registration, or proof of insurance. If the person has been issued a concealed weapon permit pursuant to Article 4, Chapter 31, Title 23, then the person also may secure his weapon under a seat in a vehicle, or in any open or closed storage compartment within the vehicle’s passenger compartment; or

(b)    carried openly or concealed on or about his person, and he has a valid concealed weapons permit pursuant to the provisions of Article 4, Chapter 31, Title 23;”

SECTION    4.    This act takes effect sixty days after approval by the Governor.

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Photo: Shutterstock/Sean Pavone

South Carolina is currently one of only 5 states that still outright ban openly carrying a handgun in one form or another. Most states allow those who possess a concealed carry weapons permit to openly carry handguns or even rifles in some cases. Hopefully, this bill passes, and South Carolina’s citizens can gain back some of their firearms rights.