Pro-Gun Bills Finding Difficulty in South Carolina Legislature

Make Your Voice Heard Today!

The South Carolina General Assembly is winding down for the year, and while the session has been productive, two key provisions have not yet passed. 

H 3202, the Right to Hunt and Fish Constitutional Amendment, appears to be dead.  NRA was unable to negotiate clear language that would have strongly protected our hunting heritage for future generations, and it appears that the Senate will not take any action on this legislation.  We will continue to work with legislators and South Carolina’s Department of Natural Resources to promote this important protection. 

H 3212, the concealed carry permit reciprocity bill, is also facing problems.  This bill was passed by the House as a straight recognition bill that would have required South Carolina to recognize all valid Right-to-Carry permits issued by other states.  NRA supported this language.  In the Senate, straight recognition faced strong opposition, so NRA worked to amend the legislation to ensure its passage through that chamber.  The Senate language would have established a conditional reciprocity standard, which would have required the recognition of permits issued by other states as long as the issuing process for those states included a background check and proof of training for the permittee.  NRA also supported this language.  Although it did not go as far as the straight recognition language passed by the House, it still would have expanded the number of states South Carolina recognizes, as well as the number of states recognized by South Carolina.  The House refused to concur with the Senate amendment, sending it back to the Senate more than a month ago.  Normally, this would lead to a Conference Committee, with the House and Senate assigning members to work out the differences between the two bills.  But the Senate has failed to take action on H 3212, leaving this critical reform in limbo. 

It is imperative that supporters of our Right to Keep and Bear Arms contact their Senators IMMEDIATELY and urge them to support sending H 3212 to Conference Committee.  Encourage your friends and family to call, as well.  If the Senate fails to take action, this bill will simply die, and there will be no expansion of reciprocity for Right-to-Carry this year.  To find your State Senator please click here.