Gov. McMaster signs Constitutional Carry Bill at ceremonial event

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — Earlier this month, Governor Henry McMaster signed the Constitutional Carry Bill that passed both the House and Senate.

It makes South Carolina the 29th state to allow anyone who can legally own a gun to also carry it in public with no permit or training.

“This bill was signed immediately after it was passed because we wanted to get it into effect at that moment,” said the governor. “It gave new tools to law enforcement as well as to judges and also comfort to our people.”

The Constitutional Carry Bill allows anyone in South Carolina who can legally own a gun to carry it in public without having to obtain a permit. 

“I’m just so glad to get it across the finish line,” said Sen. Shane Martin, a Republican from Spartanburg County. “For me, it has always been about protecting our God-given rights under the Constitution and making sure that the government doesn’t interfere.”

The bill also includes increased penalties for illegal gun possession. 

“The one group of people that is never going to follow the law are the criminals,” Martin said. “They are the ones that are going to be punished under this legislation. The law-abiding citizens are going to be protected.”

The bill passed by a vote of 28 to 18 in the Senate and 86 to 33 in the House. Groups like Moms Demand Action agree with the lawmakers who voted against the bill. 

“What has happened on average in states that have weakened their permitting laws for handguns is gun deaths have gone up. That’s what we’re expecting in the next few years,” said Patty Tuttle with Moms Demand Action. “It’s going to be a disappointment but it’s going to be directly on the governor and legislators who voted for this law.”

However, House majority leader David Hiott does not believe this will be the case. 

“We believe that this is going to cut down on some of the crime in South Carolina,” said Rep. Hiott, majority leader. “We hope it will. I think time will tell.”