SC Rep Hixon: Concealed weapons bill treats Georgia like a good neighbor

When you live on the Georgia border, you go back and forth over the state line several times a day; it’s like living in Columbia and crossing the Broad River. That’s why it’s so important to me and my constituents for Georgia to allow us to carry our concealed weapons into that state. And this will only happen if we make it legal for Georgians with concealed-weapons permits to carry their weapons in South Carolina.

My bill to allow this, H.3799, passed the House by an overwhelming 101-5, and it recently passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by a 21-0 vote.

Despite what critics say, Georgia requires an extensive series of background checks before an applicant can get a concealed-weapon permit. The Georgia application form is 3 ½ pages, and it asks about an applicant’s criminal history, mental health and well-being. It even requires applicants to report if they have been arrested. By contrast, South Carolina’s application is only about three-quarters of a page.

South Carolina already recognizes concealed-weapons permits from more than 30 states, an arrangement called reciprocity. We have reciprocity with Virginia, even though Virginia does not require a safety course or shooting proficiency test. Georgia is the only Southeastern state with whom South Carolina does not have permit reciprocity. We even have reciprocity with Alaska. Why are we not doing so with our next-door neighbor?

The S.C. law enforcement community — which typically does an excellent job in the face of many difficult challenges — opposed concealed-weapon permits when they were first proposed in 1994. Police have opposed most if not all proposed amendments to the concealed-weapons law, even though they have failed to cite any statistics showing concealed-weapon permit holders to be dangerous.

My bill simply gives Georgia the same reciprocity that we grant 30 other states, which would allow properly permitted South Carolinians to carry their protection weapon on them in Georgia.

Our current situation isn’t working. Allowing South Carolinians to carry their concealed weapons in Georgia is the No. 1 request I get from my constituents. Please join me in encouraging our senators to treat our next-door neighbors the same way we treat our good friends in North Carolina, Virginia, Alaska and so many other states.

This story was originally published April 25, 2016 at 1:41 PM with the headline "SC Rep Hixon: Concealed weapons bill treats Georgia like a good neighbor."