Gov. Henry McMaster signs permitless carry bill into law

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD)- South Carolinians 18 years and older will now be able to carry a gun in public without a permit under a bill signed Thursday by Gov. Henry McMaster.

The governor signed the bill in a private ceremony in his office.

“With my signature, South Carolina is now the 29th state in the country with constitutional carry,” McMaster wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

A compromise version of the so-called ‘constitutional carry’ bill passed through both the House and Senate this week following weeks of debate.

It allows any adult who can legally own a gun to carry the weapon openly and without a permit or training. It also establishes a free gun training program that will be put on twice monthly by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).

Guns will still be banned in certain places like schools and courthouses, and the bill includes stiffer penalties for people who repeatedly carry guns in places where they are not allowed.

Additionally, the bill bars people from carrying a firearm into a business that sells liquor, beer, or wine. Anyone who does so knowingly is guilty of a misdemeanor and faces a maximum penalty fine of $2,000 or a maximum two-year prison sentence, according to the law.

Similarly to the state’s previous concealed carry law, a business operator or private property owner can post a “NO CONCEALABLE WEAPONS ALLOWED” sign on their premises to prohibit people from entering the facility with a weapon, whether carried openly or not.

The new law also includes enhanced penalties for illegal gun possession, a provision that McMaster said was crucial to his support.

“This bill expands the Second Amendment rights of our law-abiding citizens and will keep violent criminals behind bars with increased penalties for illegal gun use and possession,” McMaster wrote.

South Carolina is now the 29^th state to allow the open carry of guns without a permit.

This story is breaking and may be updated.