Rep. Russell Fry | Facebook
Rep. Russell Fry | Facebook
Rep. Russell Fry (R-106th District) of the South Carolina House of Representatives joins the growing list of lawmakers who have signified their intention of supporting and voting for HB 3094 or the Open Carry Law.
"I support the bill and will be voting for it today. By doing so, we will be joining 45 other states that have some sort of open carry law for handguns. Law enforcement groups are neutral on the legislation and there are no studies which show that this would encourage vigilantism," Fry wrote to his followers on Twitter.
The Open Carry Bill has already passed a South Carolina House panel by a 3-1 vote, thus helping the bill hurdle its first step into becoming a law.
Most of those who oppose the bill, including some from law enforcement, fear that the Open Carry Law will encourage vigilantism and make everybody feel less safe.
The bill would allow trained gun owners with a permit to carry a concealed weapon in public.
Charleston Police Chief Luther Reynolds expressed his concerns about the effects of the bill on public safety, The State reported.
“There’s a greater potential for disagreements to turn violent when handguns are readily available due to open carry,” Reynolds said.
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