New legislation filed today in SC - No CWP Required :)

[Danno]

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- A South Carolina House member is filing a bill to allow residents to carry weapons without a permit.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Cooper of Piedmont said Tuesday he has filed legislation to allow any law-abiding citizen to carry a weapon.

The Republican says concealed weapons permit laws and other restrictions make it less likely people who obey the law will be armed and does nothing to disarm people willing to break the law.

Tuesday is the first day House members can file new bills for the legislative session that starts Jan. 13.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

House getting concealed weapons bill : News : WACH

I personally sent a note to Dan Cooper on his website, telling him how happy I was for this, and that I was supporting him 100%.

[Red Hat]

I like it. I hope it gets support. Now if they would get rid of not being able to carry in restaurants that serve alcohol!

[Danno]

For sure! I don't drink personally, but I do eat at restaurants that serve it... not that often, but still, it's a pain.

[340mopar]

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- A South Carolina House member is filing a bill to allow residents to carry weapons without a permit.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Cooper of Piedmont said Tuesday he has filed legislation to allow any law-abiding citizen to carry a weapon.

The Republican says concealed weapons permit laws and other restrictions make it less likely people who obey the law will be armed and does nothing to disarm people willing to break the law.

Tuesday is the first day House members can file new bills for the legislative session that starts Jan. 13.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

House getting concealed weapons bill : News : WACH

I personally sent a note to Dan Cooper on his website, telling him how happy I was for this, and that I was supporting him 100%.

You would have to have a permit to conceal carry per this bill, but not to open carry

[blume357@]

that's great! We need open carry in this state... I would not do it often but think it would be a good thing... almost as good as the carry in restaurants.... the simple solution to the alcohol problem is to make it illegal to carry while intoxicated.

I'm pretty sure open carry won't float this time...but at least it will be entertaining to read / hear some of the idiotic statements some of our reps will make.

[Aggressive1]

How do we keep up with the responses and status of the bill?

[Red Hat]

How do we keep up with the responses and status of the bill?

Once the bill has a number we can follow it. Here is Coopers web site South Carolina Legislature Online the bill has not been posted yet.

[FN1910]

Bill Information - South Carolina Legislature Online

House Bill H 3003

[tattedupboy]

You would have to have a permit to conceal carry per this bill, but not to open carry

Can you point out where it specifies that? I don't see anything that specifies that.

[Germanicus]

Open carry should be tolerated in very rural areas. Personally, I feel that carrying openly in populated areas without a badge (as a LEO) is intimidating to the public, and in some ways violates their inalienable rights to feeling safe and secure in a public, social environment. Open carry is a sensitive issue when comes populated areas; bystanders get intimidated or suspicious, this in turn makes for a very unhappy law enforcement. Plus, with the current political climate, its best not to fly in the face of those Utopian Liberals. And last but not least, there cannot be enough said about the value of a concealed firearm. I have never seen a successful tactical situation that wasn't heavily dependent the element of surprise.