Twenty-seven other states allow open carry of guns without a permit, including nearly every state in the Deep South. To encourage training, the Senate bill would pay at least $4 million to hold free classes across the state. The Senate's version left plenty of supporters of the open carry idea unhappy, including gun rights groups. Palmetto Gun Rights said it believes in “100% firearms liberty” and is an affiliate of the National Association for Gun Rights. He put the blame squarely on the South Carolina House, saying last week that representatives are keeping “the ‘revolving door’ for career violent criminals wide open.”

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Persons: ”, Bobby Cox, Shane Massey, “, Tommy Dimsdale, Henry McMaster’s, don’t Organizations: COLUMBIA, South Carolina's General Assembly, Republican, National Rifle Association, Palmetto, Rights, South, South Carolina Republicans, Palmetto Gun Rights, National Association for Gun Rights, Gov, South Carolina House Locations: South Carolina's, Greer, South Carolina, “