This month is a big one for the Second Amendment and law-abiding citizens who don’t want to surrender their right to legal self-defense when they leave home. Governors in Louisiana and South Carolina signed Constitutional Carry measures last week. The law became effective immediately in the Palmetto State, while residents in the Pelican State must wait until July 4 to lawfully exercise the newfound freedom.
The news quickly spread on gun-news outlets, although most overlooked language in the Louisiana measure that deserves its own headlines. It didn’t escape the notice of News6, an ABC-affiliate up in Philadelphia, however. On March 6 it reported that, “The law also makes Louisiana the first state to grant concealed carry license holders a degree of qualified immunity from lawsuits if they use their weapons in self-defense, a provision currently reserved primarily for law enforcement officers.”
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (seen above right) signed a total of 11 crime-related bills into law on March 5, including the Constitutional carry measure. “Today, we made good on our promise to deliver sweeping reforms to our criminal justice system. Reforms that put the interests of victims before the interests of criminals. Reforms that uplift and support our police officers. Reforms that deliver true justice to the victims of crime. Reforms that make our streets and communities safer for all. I am proud of the work we have accomplished, and I am thankful to the victims of crime, the legislature, and all those involved in this special session,” he said during the signing ceremony.
Gov. Henry McMaster’s March 7 signature on South Carolina’s Constitutional Carry measure also brought with it modifications to other gun-related statutes. Previously it was illegal for permit owners to carry into establishments that serve alcohol. It’s now legal if the permittee doesn’t consume while on the premises. Charleston, SC’s Post and Courier explains the changes in detail, with one of the more noteworthy being removal of a requirement that gun owners have their handgun “…secured in a closed glove compartment, center console, in the trunk or inside of a secure compartment…” while driving.
Louisiana and South Carolina have joined 27 other states in recognizing Constitutional Carry. The others on that roll are: Alabama; Alaska; Arizona; Arkansas; Florida; Georgia; Idaho; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Maine; Mississippi; Missouri; Montana; Nebraska; New Hampshire; North Dakota; Ohio; Oklahoma; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Vermont; West Virginia; and Wyoming.
