Interesting Perspective

So the Governor has the Constutional Carry bill on his desk. He's not sure if he's going to sign it or not. (He's got until next week to make up his mind.)


Looking through the Codified Laws of South Dakota, he has 3 options available to him. He can 1) sign the bill, 2) veto the bill, or 3) not sign the bill and allow it to become law. My bet is on #3. Why? Let's face it. Consitutional Carry is a controvesial issue right now. CC is the unknown factor here. Only 4 states allow for concealed carry without a permit: Alaska, Vermont, Arizona, and Wyoming. But it's not like were talking about overturning May Issue and replacing it with CC here.


Just look at the vote totals. In the state house, HB 1248 passed 50-18. In the state senate, it passed 22-11. In order to override a veto, there needs to be 2/3 vote of each house. According to my math, the only concern is in the senate wher it passed with exactly 67%.


South Dakota concealed carry permits are the most easily obtainable permit to get in the country. How easy? $10 and a trip to the Sherriff's Department to fill out the half sheet sized application. No training requirement. No firing demonstration. No fingerprints. No serial numbers. That easy.


I've made my thoughts on CC pretty clear. And they've grown over the years. At first, I didn't mind the mimimal cost. But as I've read about the subject and educated myself over the 7 yrs I've had a permit, I've grown to loathe them. So even at $10, you are still paying the government for the priviledge of exercising your Constitutionally protected civil right to keep and bear arms.


Which brings us to the Chief of the Rapid City Police Department, Steve Allender. Chief Allender has his concerns about the bill. Understandably, he's concerned for the safety of his officers. I get it. I really do. But here's the rub. He's concerned about the workload this will put on his officers. It's refreshing to note he's not opposed to it in the usual sense like most other police chiefs. I do note however that without this piece of legislation, the criminal element is still going to carry their guns illegally. They are still going to try to puff up on his officers.

But that is not reason enough to impede the law-biding from exercising their rights.