Fulfilling a campaign pledge, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem signed legislation making it possible for residents of the state to carry concealed sidearms without a permit.
The new statute takes effect July 1 of this year.
According to the Argus Leader, the governor, who is in her first term, told reporters that, “It’s special for me to be signing a bill into law that protects our Second Amendment rights.”
She asserted that the legislation will protect the rights of citizens in South Dakota, and from other parts of the country. But not everyone agrees.
According to KSFY News, a spokesperson for a local chapter of the anti-gun Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America declared, “We are frustrated and embarrassed that Governor Noem has decided to sign this into law.”
Shannon Hoime told the news agency, “I think it’s really dangerous and I’m frustrated that this has turned into a political issue instead of what the American public and the South Dakotans realize is a public safety issue.”
Sheriffs in the state also reportedly opposed the legislation, but Gov. Noem, who took office earlier in January, was quoted by The Hill observing, “I believe this legislation will further protect the Seconds Amendment rights of the citizens of South Dakota and this country.”
The National Rifle Association’s chief lobbyist Chris Cox said, “This law is a common sense measure that allows law-abiding South Dakotans to exercise their fundamental right to self-protection in the manner that best suits their needs.”
Under the new law, it will no longer be necessary to obtain a carry permit, although that option is still available. The permit would enable law abiding South Dakotans to continue enjoying reciprocity with other appropriate states when they travel.
The newspaper said there are still other bills regarding permitless concealed carry that remain under consideration in the Legislature. Apparently those measures will continue through the vetting process, the newspaper said.
Noem had indicated on the campaign trail that she supported the idea of constitutional carry.
Ammoland.com reported that the Constitutional Carry bill is in the form of amendments to existing law, reforming and repealing existing gun law restrictions. The law reforms and repeals the state’s gun statutes to approximate the level of restrictions in place when the Bill of Rights was adopted in 1791.
South Dakota passed Constitutional Carry more than once, but Republican Gov. Dennis Daugaard vetoed the versions of the measure in 2012 and 2017.
South Dakota is the 14th state to remove the concealed carry permit requirement, Fox News reported. Twenty-eight other states and the District of Columbia have a “shall-issue” system, which grants permits to those who pass background checks and other requirements. The rest of the states have “may-issue” laws.
One place in South Dakota where gun owners will not be able to carry their firearms is the Statehouse in Pierre. State senators voted 22-10 this week against a bill that would have let permit holders carry guns in the Statehouse and other state buildings.
