South-Carolina
Led by Upstate lawmakers, South Carolina a step closer to permitless carry with Senate vote
South Carolina is a step closer to allowing residents to carry firearms without a permit.
On Feb. 1, the state Senate voted 28-15 to approve a House bill deemed “constitutional carry” by proponents. If passed into law, the bill will allow eligible residents of the state to carry firearms, whether openly or concealed, without requiring registration for a state permit or receiving any training.
The bill, H.B. 3594, will return to the House this week for a review of amendments added by senators before it heads to Gov. Henry McMaster’s desk. The legislation was initially introduced in early 2023 by Rep. Bobby Cox, R-Greenville.
Upstate lawmakers were heavily involved in promoting the legislation in both chambers.
Over the past two weeks, the bill was debated in the Senate chambers and largely championed by Sen. Shane Martin, R-Spartanburg, who called the bill’s eventual passage a major victory for Second Amendment rights.
The Senate’s amended version of the bill includes some changes to the House’s original legislation. Senators added graduated penalties for unregistered firearm carriers who violate weapons laws, a requirement for citizens to report stolen guns to law enforcement and an initiative to implement free Concealed Weapon Permit (CWP) training by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to encourage gun owners to carry responsibly.
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After some of the more contested debate on the Senate floor, the amended legislation allows businesses owners to retain the right to mark their business as a gun-free zone.
The proposed changes are a departure from the previous legislation passed in 2021 that allows for those 18 or older to own a firearm but requires that individuals be 21 years old to apply for a concealed weapons permit.
Those in opposition to the bill voiced concerns for public safety, specifically for law enforcement.
If signed into law, South Carolina would join 27 other states that have similar permitless carry laws. However, Cox told the Greenville News he is unsure if the House will concur on the revised bill or not.
“A lot of the gun groups are not happy about the amendments that were put into it,” Cox said Monday morning. “The fate of the bill is still up in the air.”
Led by Upstate proponents of “liberty,” here’s what the bill will change to firearm carry law and what’s next
Currently, South Carolina law allows concealed weapon owners to openly carry a handgun if they are at least 21 years old, obtain a permit after taking eight hours of training and pass a background check.
The proposed new law, which will be reviewed by the House this week after the Senate’s passage, would make it so anyone over the age of 18 can possess firearms without needing to register for a permit or receive any training.
The bill loosens restrictions on firearm possession after the passage of the state’s “Open Carry” law in 2021.
Previously: This week in SC politics: House advances ‘Constitutional Carry.’
Last week, Senate Republicans fueled the bill’s support with 27 votes, while 13 Democrats, one Republican and one Independent stood opposed. Sen. Mike Fanning (D-Fairfield) was the sole Democrat to vote for the bill, while three legislators were excused absent.
Proponents of the bill have argued that the Second Amendment negates the need for permit requirements.
Sen. Shane Martin (R-Spartanburg), who asserted these rights are “enshrined” in the Constitution, said the bill was a long-time goal of his during an explanation of the bill last week.
“Since I came into the Senate, I’ve campaigned on this issue, and every election since I’ve campaigned on this,” Martin said. “(People) want the right to exercise their Second Amendment rights without infringement by government.”
Martin denied the bill eliminates the need for CWPs entirely, which can allow people to validly carry a firearm in certain other states.
“Liberty has two parts – freedom and responsibility,” Martin said during introductory remarks for the bill on Wednesday, Jan. 24. “We have the freedom to exercise our rights, but we also have to have the responsibility to exercise those rights. So, anybody that isn’t comfortable or doesn’t know what they need to do with a gun, they need to look in the mirror and check themselves a little bit. But for everybody that knows what they’re doing and is a legal gun owner, they should be able to exercise their Second Amendment rights under the Constitution.”
Rep. Cox sponsored the original version of the bill in the House, which was first read before the House in January 2023.
Cox said the bill will return to the House possibly as early as Wednesday this week, and a debate will take place on whether representatives concur with the Senate’s amendments. If the House doesn’t agree with the changes, members from both chambers will meet in a committee to discuss differences in each version of the bill.
Senate amends legislation to add graduated penalties, optional state CWP training
Senators made several amendments to the House version of the legislation, including free state-sponsored firearm training for citizens, mandated reporting of firearm theft, an age reduction for firearm purchasers and graduated penalties for permitless carriers who commit a crime.
After debate that pitted the individual rights of gun owners and property owners at odds, a section that would allow gun-free zones, such as schools, courts, detention facilities and private businesses, remains intact.
Late Wednesday, an amendment introduced by Sen. Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, and Sen. Chip Campsen, R-Charleston, passed that would mandate SLED to provide free CWP training twice a month in every county. That training would be optional for those wishing to carry, though many Senators broadly agreed that they would prefer those unfamiliar with firearms train.
While Cox said he is “totally in support of” citizens voluntarily training, he objects to another element of the amendment that increases graduated penalties for permitless firearm carriers who commit a crime, but not for CWP holders.
“It gives more penalties to someone who doesn’t have a CWP if they commit a crime, so it almost creates two classes of criminals,” Cox told the News. “I don’t like that amendment. I would like to kind of unify it. A crime’s a crime.”
Under current state penalties, the first offense for a concealed weapons violation is a misdemeanor with a fine of $1000 or up to a year in prison. Massey’s amendment added a second offense misdemeanor penalty carrying a sentence of up to three years, and a felony conviction with up to five years imprisonment for third and subsequent offenses.
In post on X Thursday evening, Governor Henry McMaster called the additional penalties a “huge step toward closing the ‘revolving door’ on career repeat criminals.”
An amendment introduced by Sen. Tameika Isaac Devine, D-Richland, established that civilians would have a duty to report the theft of their guns to their local law enforcement agency.
The Senate also reduced the age of handgun carry from 21 to 18, a change Cox says he supports.
Near the end of session Thursday, Sen. Mia McLeod, I-Richland, lamented her fear of the state turning into the “wild, wild west” with the bill’s passage.
Opponents of the bill cite public safety concerns for law enforcement, private citizens
Much debate centered around concerns that permitless carry poses a threat to public safety, and particularly law enforcement.
Sen. Luke Rankin, R-Horry, was the sole Republican to vote against the bill. Rankin cited concerns by law enforcement and questioned whether incentivizing handgun training, rather than requiring it, would be effective.
“I pray that everyone who picks up a gun (is motivated to train),” Rankin said during his remarks on the bill Thursday, shortly before it passed. “To all the CWP holders out there, God bless you for the training.”
According to CWP data from SLED, almost 3,000 permits were denied in 2023 and 1,605 permits were revoked. At the end of 2023, over half a million South Carolinians had an active CWP.
At a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing in April 2023, several local police chiefs voiced their objections to the bill. Rankin cited the testimony of chiefs from the cities of Conway and Myrtle Beach, both in his district, during debate.
City of Anderson Police Chief Jim Stewart also spoke at the April hearing.
“I believe there is a need for some type of training for safety reasons,” Stewart said. “We’ve seen law enforcement officers over the years that are in this position, and they’re put in that position and they freeze up. I would hate to see someone with no training whatsoever period enter a situation where their own weapon could be used against them.”
Some legislators also voiced concern that the legislation would put guns in the hands of those breaking the law.
“To give law abiding citizens and ruthless criminals equal access to guns…is senseless and reckless,” McLeod said.
‘We have to make this debate personal:’ Greenville advocates talk gun violence awareness
Advocacy groups against gun violence, like Moms Demand Action, have also consistently spoken out against the bill citing concerns for public safety. On Thursday, Devine thanked the group for showing up “every single day” of debate.
In response to Martin’s explanation of the bill, Devine also referenced national gun theft from vehicles data that put Greenville in the top 10 of cities analyzed at a rate of 141.7 per 100,000 people. Columbia and North Charleston placed third and fourth, respectively, and Charleston was also within the top 20.
According to four-year estimates of mortality data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 2018 to 2021, 1,044 people die on average each year in South Carolina from gun violence.
Data directly from the CDC from 2021, the most recent available, shows South Carolina had a firearm mortality rate of 22.4 per 100,000 people, the 11th highest rate in the country.
Chalmers Rogland covers public safety for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal and USA Today Network. Reach him via email at crogland@gannett.com.
The University of South Carolina athletic program tied for third in the Southeastern Conference in the latest Graduation Success Rate, released Wednesday by the NCAA.
The Graduation Success Rate (GSR) measures the number of scholarship student-athletes that graduate within a six-year period of their initial full-time enrollment. For this report, the GSR is based on student-athletes who entered college in the fall of 2017.
South Carolina’s athletic teams had a 94 percent score, which tied with Auburn University and the University of Mississippi in the SEC behind Vanderbilt (96) and Alabama (96). South Carolina’s Football GSR score (95) ranked second among SEC schools and South Carolina schools. It tied for ninth among all Power 5 schools.
“I am so proud of the academic achievements of our student-athletes,” said Athletics Director Ray Tanner. “Our student-athletes work hard in practice and in games, and they also put in the time with their academics. We have the staff and resources to help our student-athletes reach their goal of graduation.
An outstanding nine teams scored a perfect GSR (100): Men’s Soccer, Men’s Tennis, Women’s Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Softball, Women’s Soccer, Women’s Tennis, Women’s Track & Field, and Volleyball.
Thirteen of South Carolina’s NCAA-sponsored teams met or exceeded the Division I national average for their sport.
“Once again our student-athletes have demonstrated a strong tradition of academic dedication and tenacity”, said Charlie Ball, Associate AD. “Student-athletes at the University of South Carolina have a competitive edge in the classroom and in their respective sports. We are excited to have the ability to offer notable academic support and provide a one-of-a-kind SEC academic experience.”
A Record of Academic Success
Gamecock Athletics has developed a proud tradition of academic success, achieving numerous honors and reaching high levels of achievement during the 2023-24 academic year.
- Student-athletes at USC ended the Spring 2024 semester with a departmental grade point average (GPA) of 3.37. It was the 35th consecutive semester with a departmental GPA above 3.0. The cumulative GPA for all student-athletes in each sport since they arrived at Carolina is 3.41, which is the third highest cumulative grade point average ever for Gamecock student-athletes.
- 133 Gamecock student-athletes earned their degrees during the 2023-24 academic year.
- South Carolina had 430 members on the SEC Academic Honor Roll (fall, winter, spring, first-year), which was third in the SEC. Since 2015-16, South Carolina leads all schools with 3,748 members of the SEC Academic Honor Roll. South Carolina led all schools in SEC Academic Honor Roll in seven of the last nine years (2nd – 2017-18; 3rd – 2023-24).
- Six Gamecocks earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-America honors. It is the first time since 2021 that Gamecocks have had multiple first-team and six overall Academic All-Americans. The list includes Dylan Taggart, Men’s Track & Field (1st Team / CSC Academic All-America Track & Field Team Member of the Year), Sarah Hamner, Women’s Tennis (1st Team), Anass Essayi , Men’s Track & Field (2ndTeam), Cole Messina, Baseball (3rd Team), Skylar Allen, Beach Volleyball (3rd Team) and Louise Rydqvist, Women’s Golf (3rd Team).
- 43 Gamecocks earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors and four earned conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors in their respective sports – Dylan Taggart (SEC Indoor & Outdoor Track Scholar-Athlete of the Year), Louis Rvdqvist (SEC women’s golf), Ayana Akli (SEC women’s tennis) and Skylar Allen (CCSA Beach Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year).
South-Carolina
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Sports Seriously
Technically, Feast Week is still three days away, but given some of the star-powered matchups this week in women’s college hoops, those who are craving good basketball are going to get their fill — and then some.
The two biggest games of the week are both taking place in L.A., more proof that Hollywood really does attract the biggest and best stars. While USC-Notre Dame and UCLA-South Carolina will command plenty of attention, don’t discount some of the unranked and/or mid-major schools listed below. November is a great time to get familiar with non-brand names that could make a run come March.
And with that, here are five women’s college games to watch this week.
Belmont at No. 14 Duke
Thursday, 7 p.m. on ACC Network
Don’t be fooled by Belmont’s 2-2 record — the Bruins took No. 11 Ohio State to the wire last week, and Bart Brooks is one of the best coaches in the country, period. Belmont boasts a balanced scoring attack, with five players averaging 8.0 points or more, but in order to pull an upset in historic Cameron Indoor Stadium, they’re going to need Kendall Holmes (12.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and Emily La Chapell (11.5 ppg, 3.0 apg) to step up. Duke, which also has a balanced attack, won’t make it easy, especially if Ashlon Jackson (13.2 ppg, 40% 3FG) and Reigan Richardson (11.4 ppg, 41.2% 3FG) are hitting from outside.
No. 9 Oklahoma at UNLV
Friday, 3:30 ET on Mountain West Network
This could be interesting. UNLV has ruled the Mountain West for a few years, and is often ranked at the end of the regular season. But the Rebels have yet to make major noise in the NCAA tournament, even though they’re often a popular upset pick. Could a win at home over a top 10 team help build the confidence they need to do some damage in March? To upset the Sooners they’ll have to figure out how to handle junior center Raegan Beers (21.2 ppg, 11.8 rpg), arguably the top transfer in the country.
Harvard at Northwestern
Saturday, 1 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network+
Harvard’s already picked up one win against a Big Ten team, knocking off then-ranked Indiana in Bloomington in the second game of the season. And given that the Crimson feature one of the best players in the country you haven’t heard of — senior guard Harmoni Turner is averaging 23.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and shooting 45.1% from the field — the chances of notching another big road win look good.
No. 5 Notre Dame at No. 3 USC
Saturday, 4 p.m. ET on NBC/Peacock
The two best sophomores in the country, USC’s JuJu Watkins and Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo take centerstage in a game that could very well break scoring records based on how much these two guards love to push pace. Watkins (21.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 4.8 spg) is pro-ready in just her second year of college hoops and Hidalgo (25.0 ppg, 5.2 spg) is maybe the best on-ball defender in the country, a pest who knows how to steal the ball and turn it into points on the other end. But these two are hardly one-woman shows. USC got a gem out of the transfer portal in Kiki Iriafen (17.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and the Irish’s other star guard, Olivia Miles (18.3 ppg, 6.8), is healthy after missing last season. You’re going to want popcorn handy when you tune into this game.
No. 1 South Carolina at No. 6 UCLA
Sunday, 4 p.m. ET on FS1
UCLA junior center Lauren Betts (21.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg) is an early favorite to contend for national player of the year honors. One thing that would help make a case for her: a stellar performance against the defending champs. That’s a tall task though, even for the 6-foot-7 Betts. She’ll be going up against Gamecocks like Joyce Edwards (10.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg), a freshman who plays like a veteran, and Ashlyn Watkins (5.7 ppg, 1.3 bpg), who proved last year she’s one of the best defenders in the country. Will UCLA and Betts be able to slow Chloe Kitts (17.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg) and Te-Hina Paopao (13.5 ppg, 44% 3FG)? They’ll have to in order to beat South Carolina. A big game from transfer Timea Gardiner (14.5 ppg, 57.7% 3FG) would also help.
USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll: Defending national champions remain at No. 1
Email Lindsay Schnell at lschnell@usatoday.com and follow her on social media @Lindsay_Schnell
The South Carolina football record for single-year NFL Draft selections in the modern era is seven. Both the 2009 draft and 2013 draft saw seven Gamecocks selected. (Back in 1954, nine USC alums went in a much longer draft.)
The 2025 NFL Draft could challenge those numbers.
The Gamecocks will be well-represented in April’s draft, especially on defense. You can check out some recent draft projections below. (The only underclassmen included are TJ Sanders and Nick Emmanwori because of their expected early-round selections.)
[GamecockCentral: $1 for 7 days and 50% off first year]
TJ Sanders
The player most consistently mocked in the 1st round among the draft-eligible Gamecocks is big TJ Sanders. The athletic defensive tackle has gotten top-30 love from CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso and Mike Renner. Other outlets predict a 2nd or 3rd-round selection, but Sanders appears to be a lock in the top 100.
Nick Emmanwori
Nick Emmanwori has been one of several standouts on this year’s defense at South Carolina. Because of that, the talented safety has become one of the top players at his position in the 2025 draft. Some even consider him this cycle’s best overall safety. Emmanwori is big, fast, and great on the back end. CBS’ Ryan Wilson views the freaky athlete as a 1st-rounder. Most outlets seem to position him in the 2nd round.
Kyle Kennard
Coming into 2024 as a late-round guy, Kyle Kennard has played himself into a new future. Now, following an All-American showing this fall, he has been mocked as high as the late 1st round but seems settled into somewhere in the top 100 according to most sources. That is exactly where The Draft Network’s Keith Sanchez projects Kennard. Sanchez calls him a “Day 2” pick, meaning he believes Kennard will go in the 2nd or 3rd round.
Rocket Sanders
Running backs aren’t nearly as highly coveted in the draft as they used to be, but Rocket Sanders is among the names garnering consideration. The 33rd Team’s Kyle Crabbs projects Sanders to be a 5th-round pick. That also tracks with other NFL Draft big boards and mocks. Most outlets seem to think Sanders will be off the board between the fourth and seventh rounds.
DeAndre Jules
An under-the-radar Gamecock in draft circles in DeAndre Jules. The big defensive tackle has missed some time this fall, but the NFL is still intrigued by the big fella. Walter Football’s Charlie Campbell projects Jules to go in the 3rd or 4th round in April. That is higher than most other mocks, though. When Jules is included on other NFL Draft boards, it is as a potential late-round pick.
Josh Simon
As part of a strong season, Josh Simon tied USC’s single-season touchdown record for tight ends (6) against Missouri. Because of his production, the NFL is taking notice. AtoZSports NFL Draft analyst Ryan Roberts called Simon “a better pro than college player,” which is significant because he’s a really good college tight end. NFL Draft pundits are late to the party, but he’s starting to get late-round buzz as a possible 5th-round to 7th-round selection. The offseason should be kind to Simon’s draft stock.
O’Donnell Fortune
O’Donnell Fortune could be the next South Carolina cornerback to make his way into the draft. In fact, earlier this fall, NFL Draft analyst Tony Pauline gave the Palmetto State native a 6th-round grade. Several other outlets have followed suit recently. Fortune has had a strong senior season in Columbia and should find himself in professional football next year, whether via draft selection or free agent contract. He is a “stock up” candidate.
Demetrius Knight
Demetrius Knight is an NFL linebacker. Because he didn’t play until last year (with Charlotte) and has just one season in the SEC, his stock isn’t high. As things stand, Walter Football’s Charlie Campbell lists Knight as a 6th or 7th-round pick. However, Knight’s size and speed should see him be an offseason riser. His physical testing numbers and pop on film should impress scouts.
Tonka Hemingway
Heading into the season, Tonka Hemingway was viewed as a potential major riser for the 2025 NFL Draft. With other players also stepping up around the country at the position, a solid year for Hemingway hasn’t seen that draft stock bump come to fruition. Walter Football’s Charlie Campbell calls Hemingway a 6th or 7th-round pick.
[Win two tickets to the South Carolina-Wofford football game]
Other Late-Round/Undrafted Free Agent Hopefuls
*The players listed below have received 7th-round or undrafted free agent grades from various outlets*
LB Debo Williams
G/C Torricelli Simpkins
C/G Vershon Lee
LB Bam Martin-Scott
DT Boogie Huntley
WR Gage Larvadain
P Kai Kroeger
LS Hunter Rogers
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