During this year’s executive session, the South Carolina Legislature passed on an open carry bill that was signed into law by Gov. Henry McMaster on March 7.

The bill would allow for anyone over the age of 18 that does not have a criminal record to legally carry a firearm on them in public without a permit. Firearms would no longer have to be securely stored in a vehicle and simply carrying a weapon in public is no longer enough for a citizen to be suspected of a crime.

Firearms, however, are still prohibited at some locations including government buildings and schools, and businesses can prohibit open carry on the property with expressed signage.

The bill also makes provisions that establish state-funded firearm training that is taught by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and Concealed Weapons Permit officials.

Penalties for unlawfully carrying or possessing a firearm were increased, increasing prison time and fines for the first two offenses before charging the unlawful possessor with a felony and five years in prison. It also establishes a mandatory requirement for reporting a stolen or missing firearm.

The bill passed the House on March 5 with 86 for and 33 against and passed the Senate on March 6 with 28 for and 18 against.

Out of Lexington County’s 14 state senators and representatives, 10 members of the delegation voted for the bill and four members voted against.

State senators Katrina Shealy, Ronnie Cromer and Shane Massey voted for and senators Nikki Setzler and Dick Harpootilan voted against. State representatives Cal Forrest, Micah Caskey, Jay Kilmartin, Paula Calhoon, Chris Wooten, Donald McCabe and RJ May voted for the bill and representatives Russell Ott and Chris Hart voted against.

The members of the delegation that supported the bill are Republicans and members that voted against are Democrats.

Harpootlian spoke during debate on the bill saying it would lead to more deaths.

“It is a torturous, horrible death,” he said. “And what this bill will do is allow more people to insert hot lead into people that are living and breathing and take that life away.”

Shane Massey led the Republican Party to pass this bill saying that it will support freedoms for South Carolinians.

“My decade-long fight to enable responsible gun owners to carry a firearm without asking permission from the government concluded in a resounding victory today. Soon, freedom-loving South Carolinians will wake up to a new era of expanded second amendment rights.”

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division issued guidance for its officers soon after the bill was passed, highlighting the increase in penalties for those committing a crime with a firearm and for illegally possessing a firearm.

Upon signing the bill, McMaster wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that the bill preserves freedom and increases criminal penalties.

“With my signature, South Carolina is now the 29th state in the country with constitutional carry. 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,” he wrote.