COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Moms Demand Action (MDA) group gathered inside the State House Wednesday morning, looking for change when it comes to South Carolina's gun laws.
The group "looks to pass stronger gun laws and work to close the loopholes that jeopardize the safety of our families," according to their website.
Under current South Carolina law, anyone with a concealed weapons permit (CWP) can legally carry a handgun, openly or concealed, in public places.
A CWP holder must be at least 21 years old, pass a background check, and take basic firearms safety training -- and MDA wants to keep it that way.
"There is a bill currently in the Senate that would eliminate the concealed weapons process allowing people 18 years or older to openly or concealed carry handguns in public with no background check and no training on how to use those weapons," said MDA SC division leader Patty Tuttle.
But Lexington Republican Representative RJ May says the bill would increase safety within communities. "States where we have seen constitutional carry pass time and time again they have become safer," May said. "They have become a more hospitable place to live where shooting deaths have gone down and shooting violence have gone down."
Gun safety advocate Tisa Whack lost her only child to a bullet. She decided to help spread awareness when it comes to firearm safety.
"Not only do you bring on danger to myself and my community and my family, you bring on danger to our law enforcement because they don't know who has a gun and who has been properly trained on it," said Whack.
Richland Democratic Representative Jermaine Johnson also became a gun violence victim at a young age after losing his brother to a firearm.
"It's a personal thing for me," he said. "And with the work I do now, I really make an emphasis on making sure other people do not have to lose their siblings or lose their sons. We need to put some gun laws in place where people need to be responsible gun owners"
The constitutional carry act is expected to come up for debate this legislative session.
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