Recently new firearm legislation was passed in the state of South Carolina. This new constitutional carry bill grants SC residents multiple rights not permitted before.
Here is the short and simple version of the document from SLED:
- Concealed carry no longer requires a special permit within the state
- Open carry is permitted
- Both concealed and open carry is permitted from the age of 18
- Police are not permitted to stop a citizen merely for possessing a firearm
- Citizens are not required to disclose that they are carrying a firearm when stopped by police (but should still do this)
- Businesses and government buildings with "no weapons" signs displayed are still no-carry zones
Although this is on the books in SC as of summer 2024, not everyone got the memo and not everyone cares. Here is an image of a law abiding citizen being arrested for possessing a firearm in public without a CWP.
Always be pragmatic when it comes to firearms and police interaction. It would probably be good for everyone to watch some videos of police brutalizing or shooting unarmed suspects just to give a healthy respect for what can happen unless you are very careful. The most important thing is to keep still and avoid moving your hands or putting them near your pockets or belt.