Triangle Tactical Podcast and Blog on Guns, Gear, and Competition Shooting
This is exciting news for our friends in South Carolina! Gov. Haley has announced that she will be signing the S308 into law at 10:30AM. SC S308 will allow for concealed carry in restaurants that serve alcohol, as well as speeding up permit times for LEO’s and former military personnel who have had prior training (which I’m not sure I agree with).
The bill also strengthens the penalties for CCW permit holders who violate “no concealable weapons allowed” signage on posted restaurants:
In addition to the penalties described above, a person who violates this section while carrying a concealable weapon pursuant to Article 4, Chapter 31, Title 23 must have his concealed weapon permit revoked for a period of five years.
So, if you carry into a place that doesn’t allow guns and you get caught, or if you are asked to leave an establishment for carrying and you don’t immediately leave, you will essentially lose your right to self defense for 5 years. That’s a long time, and I think it’s a bit too harsh.
Also of note here, is the interesting language that businesses have to post for their sign to be binding:
(2) A property owner, holder of a lease interest, or operator of a business may prohibit the carrying of concealable weapons into the business by posting a ‘NO CONCEALABLE WEAPONS ALLOWED’ sign in compliance with Section 23-31-235
“No Concealable Weapons Allowed” is strange language, but I think there may be more going on here with another gun bill working it’s way through the SC legislature, S115, which will allow constitutional carry in the state if passed, which if passes looks like it will require “No Weapons Allowed” signage if the concealed carry permits are done away with.
All in all, I think it’s a good bill, and a step in the right direction. I’d encourage any SC readers to really put some heat on your legislators about S115. I have not doubt that SC getting restaurant carry right now is a response to NC passing it in 2013, so I’d love to see the same reciprocal effect come to NC if SC were to get constitutional carry.
Definitely like the sound of those bills down in SC. Do you know if NC has a statute that suspends the CHP for any period of time or is it 1 and done on violations? While I don’t like 5 years for a misdemeanor offense, it’s still better than never again. I also like that they have a standardized sign. Some people may mistake this as me wanting more gun buster signs, but by having one legally defined sign, it avoids turning permit holders into criminals for simply missing a small sign or even the guerilla posting of businesses by groups like the Misguided Moms. I know NC has the “conspicuously posted” language in our law, but personally, I can’t afford to go to court to straighten out that grey area in the wording of the law.
I’m not aware of anything in the NC statutes that requires the removal of someones permit for violating the restaurant carry statutes. It’s a Class 1 Misdemeanor since HB937 getting passed, but as far as I know one should keep his permit.
They went in the right direction with the required verbiage on the sign, but I don’t see anything requiring it in a certain size or color, so it may end up being somewhat hidden or too small.
Ah ok. I thought certain types of trespassing would be grounds for either revoking or being blocked from renewing your carry permit. Good to know.
I remember checking a few years ago before a trip to Myrtle Beach and I seem to remember SC having specific requirements for the size of the lettering on a sign and height from the ground that it had to be posted. I really hope they wouldn’t have gotten rid of that. Either way, it sounds like things are moving in the right direction down there. I’ll see if I can find the requirements later today.
You may be right, I didn’t look any further than these two bills.