H3594 enacts the South Carolina Constitutional Carry/Second Amendment Preservation Act of 2023, eliminating the need for a concealed weapon permit to carry or store a firearm in specific areas. It grants law enforcement the authority to manage found firearms, repeals certain illegal carry charges, broadens penalties for those with prior convictions for certain crimes, and allows individuals with a first-time unlawful possession offense to seek record expungement.
The South Carolina State House of Representatives passed H3594 on February 23, 2023 by a vote of 87 to 26. We have assigned the pluses to the ayes because the fundamental right of the American people to keep and bear arms is protected by the U.S. Constitution, particularly in the 2nd, 9th, and 10th Amendments, and should not be infringed. The Constitution does not restrict where one can or cannot possess a firearm.