Dist. 7 mixed on permitless carry

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BROOKINGS – District 7 lawmakers’ positions are mixed on proposals in the state Legislature to allow South Dakotans to carry concealed weapons without a permit.

That was one of many topics addressed at Saturday’s legislative forum, hosted by the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce Public Affairs Committee at the Brookings City & County Government Center. The next forum is set for 9 a.m. Feb. 9 at the same location and will feature both District 4 and District 7 lawmakers.

On the House side, HB1112 has been referred to the House State Affairs Committee. In the Senate, SB47 has already been approved on a 23-11 vote and also moves on to House State Affairs.

District 7 Rep. Tim Reed and Sen. V.J. Smith said Saturday they are against the proposals.

Reed said the bills would not change where a person can carry a concealed weapon. “So right now private entities can ban guns from their premises. You can’t have guns in courthouses or schools, and I think you can’t conceal-carry in bars, also.”

He noted that there may be some bills trying to change that, but he hasn’t seen them.

“As far as the permitless carry goes, I’m against it,” Reed said. “I think we have a fine system that’s been used. The sheriffs and the police all like that system. They say that it’s working, so I’m going to go with them.”

Smith said he voted against the proposal in the Senate.

“It was because of my conversations with local law enforcement,” Smith said, noting permits are also supported by the South Dakota Sheriffs’ Association.

Smith said he’s never owned a pistol, but he’s had a permit in the past in case he needed to show that he’d passed a background check. “The other thing is, a permit, it was good enough for my great-grandfather, good enough for my grandfather, good enough for my father, and as far as I was concerned, it’s good enough for me.”

District 7 Rep. Doug Post said he planned on supporting the proposal and wanted to address some of the concerns of people who are against permitless carry. Post said almost all of those concerns are incorrect versus what’s in the Senate bill.

“This changes only one thing – whether you can see it or not. It does not change who owns a firearm, how they can buy it, if their kids can carry it. All it (changes) is that if someone can legally now carry a pistol openly without a permit, they can also conceal it,” Post said. 

“And for the safety of the person carrying it, and for those who do not wish to view a firearm, I would actually prefer that they are concealed, because it actually reduces the stress of the situation. If you’re put into a situation where a responsible citizen who is carrying would have to use it, they wouldn’t be identified immediately as a danger.”

Contact Jill Fier at jfier@brookingsregister.com.