The South Dakota Senate Judiciary Committee passed the current “permitless” or Constitutional carry bill, HB 1072 on March 1, 2017. The next stop for the bill is in the full Senate. The bill has already passed the House of Representatives on February 23. From volanteonline.com:
House Bill 1072 passed the state House of Representatives last Thursday by a vote of 37 to 30.
In South Dakota, no state permits are required to possess a gun. According to the South Dakota Firearm Laws, “A person does not need a permit to own a pistol, keep it in his home, business, or property, or visibly carry it.”
A permit is currently required, however, to carry a firearm hidden by a coat or in a purse. Concealed carry permits can be obtained from the sheriff in the county a resident lives in.
Supporters of the bill say it’s a Constitutional right to carry a gun even if concealed, while those opposed believe it provides too much freedom and could pose a safety risk.
At the end of February, 2017, South Dakota has 92,850 active carry permits. From sunherald.com:
At the end of February, there were 92,850 active regular and enhanced permits in South Dakota, according to the Secretary of State’s office. In 2016, 1,460 new enhanced permits were issued.
South Dakota has a population of 868,799 in early 2017. Permit holders are about 10.7% of the total population, and over 25% of the number of people who voted in 2016.
Constitutional or “permitless” carry will likely pass the senate. The senate has 27 Republicans and 8 Democrats. But Governor Dennis Daugaard has said that he will veto the bill.
In Alabama SB 24, the “permitless” or Constitutional carry bill, cleared another hurdle on the first of March, 2017. It passed the Senate Judiciary committee. From thenewstribune.com:
A bill that would add Alabama to the list of states that allow people to carry a concealed handgun without a permit advanced through the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
The committee voted 6-3 for the bill after a fiery public hearing with law enforcement officers largely opposing it and gun rights groups speaking in favor of it. The bill now moves to the Senate floor.
There were numerous Second Amendment supporters speaking in favor of the bill. Many said the should not have to pay or ask for government permission to exercise a Constitutional right.
Those speaking against the bill were a faction of law enforcement, mainly Sheriffs. They claimed the bill would remove an important tool of law enforcement. Not all sheriffs were against the bill. Some spoke for it, claiming that it only supported Second Amendment rights.
Some supporters of the bill say that Sheriffs oppose it because they are the recipients of the concealed carry permit fees. From comments at legiscan.com:
Pistol permits have been the sacred cash cow for Alabama Sheriffs for too long. Their opposition is not public safety, but loss of the almost unchecked use of the funds these permits generate. NO one person should have the power to take away a right guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. That power allows Sheriffs to not issue a permit to a person based on personal, political, or many other issues that have nothing to do with public safety.
Alabama is on track to be the second state to pass Constitutional carry this year. New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu signed a bill that brought New Hampshire into the Constitutional carry club on 22 February, 2017.
North Dakota and Kentucky are in the race to be the second state to join the Constitutional carry club as well.
There are 12 current members. They are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Vermont, Wyoming, and West Virginia.
Several other states have legislation introduced or in process. Indiana, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, North Dakota, Texas, Virgina, Utah, and Wisconsin are all considering Constitutional carry. That list may increase as the year progresses. Montana passed a “permitless” carry bill for the third time this year. The bill would have extended “permitless” carry to the 1% of the state where a permit is required, but it was vetoed for a second time by Governor Bullock.
©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included. Link to Gun Watch.
On paper this is very encouraging, except for "the Governor factor". Alabama has a 2A friendly Governor in Robert Bentley (R) who should sign, however, gun-hating South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard (R) has made it plain he will veto any Constitutional Carry bill. It can only be hoped that a veto can find enough votes to achieve nullification. Progress nationwide these days is encouraging and there are now all but 25% of states doing the right thing -- it is hoped momentum can be maintained if not increased.