Attorney General Alan Wilson joins letter protecting citizens’ right to self-defense

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – November 21, 2017 South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson is urging Congress to protect citizens’ right to self-defense by passing a law requiring every state to recognize the concealed weapon permits from all other states.

“States should not be able to deny citizens of other states the basic constitutional right to self-defense,” Attorney General Wilson said. “South Carolinians who have gone through the process of getting concealed weapon permits shouldn’t have to worry about whether they can protect themselves and their families when they travel in other states.”

Attorney General Wilson signed onto a letter with other states— author state Missouri, Alabama, Louisiana, and Montana so far—urging Congress to pass either the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, which is a U.S. Senate bill, or the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, which is a U.S. House bill.

These bills aim to protect the rights of law-abiding citizens to carry a concealed handgun. They do not allow for carrying firearms by convicted felons, those involuntarily committed to mental health facilities, and other persons prohibited by federal law from possessing or receiving firearms. The bills also allow states, local governments, and private entities to prohibit concealed weapons on their property.

“Passing this law would not expand who’s allowed to have a concealed weapon permit,” Attorney General Wilson said. “It just eliminates the confusion we have now over which states recognize which other states’ permits, and makes that constitutional right uniform across the country. The Framers were unwavering in their right to self-protection and steadfast in their support of the Second Amendment.”