Governor Henry McMaster has once again vetoed a bill that would have automatically dismissed hundreds of pending gun charges in South Carolina. These charges are for offenses no longer considered crimes under the state’s permitless carry law, enacted last year.
For two years in a row, a bipartisan effort to clear these cases passed the General Assembly with strong support, only to be rejected by the Governor. The bill aimed to dismiss charges like unlawful handgun possession for individuals who, for instance, carried a gun without a concealed weapons permit before the new law took effect. However, charges serving as probable cause for other offenses would not be dismissed.
Governor McMaster stated his concern about taking away prosecutors’ discretion, arguing that the offenses were crimes when committed. He compared it to not voiding speeding tickets if a speed limit were later raised.
Despite the Senate unanimously voting to override the veto, the House of Representatives adjourned without taking a vote, meaning the bill’s fate is uncertain for now. However, House members could still vote on overriding the veto when the General Assembly reconvenes in January.
