Next week, the House Judiciary Committee will debate H. 3096 . Simply put, the bill as currently written, would allow gun owner who have training to carry handguns in public.
This topic generates a lot of debate from both sides of the aisle and I’m curious to your thoughts?
Some think the bill doesn’t go far enough – asking “why should our 2nd amendment be restricted by having a training requirement”?
Others think the bill would lead to the “Wild West” and think we have too many guns on the street already.
During my research I’ve learned many things. One bit of information is the title of this post that means only 5 states do NOT allow Open Carry. That puts us (SC) with California, New York, Illinois and Florida. I also learned that technically a SC resident can OPEN CARRY a “long gun” (ie, rifle, shotgun) currently. Who knew?
Email me at NathanBallentine@schouse.gov and let me know your thoughts. Remember, if you’re a constituent, please put the word CONSTITUENT in the subject line and let me know your address so I know how those in our community feel.
as someone who has been hunting and shooting for over 60 yrs, I think or carry laws are too strick, if someone is legally able to own a gun, they should be legally able to carry it
If you are able to pass the course for the CWP then you should also be able to open carry! If you are training and keeping up your license, then it should be legal! I almost feel the hiding of the weapon is worse! If you are legally able to carry for a CWP, it is no different! It is not turning things into the wild wild west, just not keeping it in hiding! I feel our gun laws are too strict.
If you are able to pass the course for the CWP then you should also be able to open carry! If you are training and keeping up your license, then it should be legal! I feel our gun laws are too strict.
Anyone who has a CWP and keeping up his/her license, should be able to open carry! Being one of five states that does not have open carry priviledges is sad, especially to be linked with California and New York!
The bill does not go far enough. Our Constitution allows me to arm myself for protection in the USA. Our State laws requiring me to pay a tax, pass a test, and WAIT for 90 days to get permission to carry my pistol CONCEALED are unconstitutional and unwise. If I’m threatened by a criminal today and have not already gotten this permission to carry a sidearm, then my only recourse is to carry a long gun, which is inconvenient and less effective in a fight. My CWP permits me to carry LIKE A CRIMINAL, with my sidearm hidden, but I’m a responsible, law-abiding citizen who is willing to protect my family, and even yours, if necessary. If I were to carry my sidearm OPEN TO VIEW by criminals and law-abiding citizens, criminal activity would probably never occur in my presence. Criminals would behave and citizens would feel safe.
This is why Constitutional Carry should be passed. Open carry with a CWP is an incremental victory–and I’ll take it–but we cannot rest until Constitutional Carry is enacted.
As far as those who think open carry with permit will lead to the Wild West—they are not thinking. These guns are already being carried safely on the streets every day by responsibe, law-abiding gun owners. No more will be added by this legislation. More will simply be evident, and this is a deterrent to criminal activity.