House Subcommittee Passes Two NRA-Backed Firearms Bills!

[Red Hat]

South Carolina: House Subcommittee Passes Two NRA-Backed Firearms Bills!



Yesterday, the South Carolina House General Laws Subcommittee approved two NRA-backed bills, both of which would make a number of significant improvements for firearms owners and dealers in the Palmetto State. Both bills will now be scheduled for a hearing by the House Judiciary Committee in the upcoming weeks.

House Bill 3665, introduced by state Representatives Dan Cooper (now resigned), Mike Pitts (R-14), and Bill Taylor (R-86), would repeal the unnecessary requirement that Federal Firearms License (FFL) holders also be licensed by the state in order to sell handguns. This requirement is a remnant of the old One-Handgun-A-Month law that the NRA worked to repeal in 2004. This bill would also repeal the prohibition on selling handguns in South Carolina that fail to meet an arbitrarily determined "melting point" standard, which is also tied into the handgun licensing provision. The subcommittee removed the state dealer licensing repeal language, when it was decided a fiscal impact would need to be determined for this provision. Rather than delay consideration of the ?melting point? repeal provision, that section was passed on its own, and the NRA will work with legislators to address the handgun dealer licensing repeal after the fiscal impact has been determined.

House Bill 4494, introduced by state Representatives Chip Huggins (R-85), Deborah Long (R-45), and Mike Pitts, would amend South Carolina law to comply with the federal standard that allows long guns to be purchased by South Carolinians in non-contiguous (not bordering) states. Current law in the Palmetto State restricts residents to purchasing long guns only in contiguous (bordering) states.


While no hearings have been set at this time, both of these bills will be heard by the full House Judiciary Committee in the near future. You may contact the members of the House Judiciary Committee to encourage their support by clicking here.


Your NRA-ILA will continue to keep you updated on the status of these bills and other firearms-related legislation being considered by the South Carolina Legislature this session.



This alert is posted at: http://www.nraila.org/legislation/state ... s=&st=&ps=

 

[carsontech]

It's about time. It only took a freaking year to get these out of subcommittee. It's a shame these bills even had to exist to repeal these statutes...

Thanks for the good news, Red Hat!

 

[bigfutz]

Current law in the Palmetto State restricts residents to purchasing long guns only in contiguous (bordering) states.

Can someone explain the current law to me? I haven't purchased guns in other states than SC. I thought you always had to do a FFL transfer when purchasing out of state. Let's take a for example... I go to Bass Pro in NC, pick out a Ruger American 308, then present my SCDL at the register. What would happen before this bill passes and after? What does the Bass Pro counter clerk know about SC law, and how does NC law apply? What if it were TX or some other non-contiguous state?

 

[Red Hat]

Basically contiguous state means a state that borders SC. So that only give you NC and GA that's legal now. Federal law says you can buy a long gun in any state, however a few states like ours has opted to create limiting laws like contiguous states. All long guns must be purchased from a FFL dealer. You can't buy or sell from a private individual any firearm. If the law passes we still would be required to abide by other states laws. I don't know if Fl has changed their laws but they also require(d) the buyer to be from a contiguous state and Tn is the same way. So if the law changes you still wouldn't be able to purchase a firearm in these states or others that have similar laws. Walmart had a map at one time that showed all the states that could purchase long guns in SC and there were states listed on that map.

 

[armaborealis]

Current law in the Palmetto State restricts residents to purchasing long guns only in contiguous (bordering) states.

Can someone explain the current law to me? I haven't purchased guns in other states than SC. I thought you always had to do a FFL transfer when purchasing out of state. Let's take a for example... I go to Bass Pro in NC, pick out a Ruger American 308, then present my SCDL at the register. What would happen before this bill passes and after? What does the Bass Pro counter clerk know about SC law, and how does NC law apply? What if it were TX or some other non-contiguous state?

Today, you can buy a long gun from...
...a private party in SC.
...an FFL in SC.
...an FFL in GA or NC.

If you go to Virginia and buy a long gun from an FFL it is a crime.

If this bill passes, then you can go with federal law which allows you to buy a rifle or shotgun in any state from an FFL.