South Carolina H 3159: Law enforcement officers

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3159 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 06, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3159

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING 
SECTION 23-31-600, RELATING TO RETIRED PERSONNEL, IDENTIFICATION CARDS, AND 
QUALIFICATION FOR CARRYING CONCEALED WEAPONS, SO AS TO DELETE THE PROVISION 
THAT RESTRICTS THE CARRYING OF CONCEALED WEAPONS ONTO CERTAIN PREMISES, AND TO 
PROVIDE AT NO CHARGE, THE STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION SHALL ISSUE CONCEALED 
WEAPON PERMITS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES TO CERTAIN HOLDERS OF QUALIFIED 
RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER CREDENTIALS.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 23-31-600 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
23-31-600. (A) For purposes of this 
section:

 (1) 
"Identification card" is a photographic identification card complying with 18 
U.S.C. Section 926C.

 (2) 
"Qualified retired law enforcement officer" shall have the same meaning as in 
18 U.S.C. Section 926C.

 (B) 
An agency or department within this State may comply with 18 U.S.C. Section 
926C, by issuing an identification card to any qualified retired law 
enforcement officer. If the agency or department currently issues credentials 
to active law enforcement officers, the agency or department may comply with 
the requirements of this section by issuing the same credentials to qualified 
retired law enforcement officers. If the same credentials are issued, then the 
agency or department must stamp the credentials with the word "RETIRED."

 (C)(1) Subject to 
the limitations of subsection (E), A qualified retired law enforcement 
officer may carry a concealed weapon in this State if the qualified retired law 
enforcement officer possesses an identification card along with a certification 
that the qualified retired law enforcement officer has, not less recently than 
one year before the date the individual is carrying the firearm, has met the standards established by the agency for 
training and qualification for active law enforcement officers to carry a 
firearm of the same type as the concealed firearm.

 (2) 
The firearms certification required by this subsection may be reflected on the 
identification card or may be in a separate document carried with the 
identification card.

 (D) The restrictions contained in Section 23-31-220 are applicable 
to a person carrying a concealed weapon pursuant to this section. 
Carrying a concealed weapon into the residence or dwelling place of another 
person is prohibited without the expressed permission of the owner or person in 
legal control or possession of the premises, as appropriate.

 (E) 
The agency or department must provide the qualified retired law enforcement 
officer with the opportunity to qualify to carry a firearm under the same 
standards for training and qualification for active law enforcement officers to 
carry firearms. However, the agency or department, as provided in 18 U.S.C. 
Section 926C, may require the qualified retired law enforcement officer to pay 
the actual expenses of the training and qualification.

 (F) At no charge, the State Law 
Enforcement Division shall issue concealed weapon permits to holders of 
qualified retired law enforcement officer credentials who:

 (1) are allowed to carry a concealed 
weapon pursuant to subsection (C); and

 (2) do not possess a valid South 
Carolina Concealed Weapon Permit.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on December 06, 2024 at 10:36 AM