South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) signed legislation earlier this week to allow concealed carry permit holders to carry their handguns openly, if they so choose.
Rep. Bobby Cox (R-Dist. 21) sponsored the legislation, H.3094.
Jurist.org noted McMaster’s signature on H.3094 means South Carolina will become the 46th open carry state when the law takes effect on August 16, 2021.
Upon signing the bill, McMaster tweeted, “I will proudly support any legislation that protects or enhances a South Carolinian’s ability to exercise their 2nd Amendment rights.”
He pointed out that, in addition to legalizing the permitted open carry of handguns, the new law also “eliminates the $50 permit fee for a concealed weapons permit.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed open carry into law on June 13, 2015.
In the lead-up to signing the bill, Abbott said, “Let me briefly follow up on a word I mentioned a moment ago–liberty. In a single word, it encapsulates what the country stands for, what Texas symbolizes. I will expand liberty in Texas by singing a law that makes Texas the 45th state to allow Open Carry.”
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.
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