Nearly every aspect of gun ownership is being scrutinized by law makers across the nation. This week the South Dakota legislature looking to increase how long a concealed weapon permit is valid. Supporters say it’s an effort to mirror what's happening nationally.
Senate Bill 166 is designed to increase the length of time concealed weapon permits are valid from four to five years. Supporters of the bill say the extension matches the National Instant Background Check System.
Secretary of State Jason Gant says the State is seeing an influx in permit renewals and an extra year will ultimately save his office time.
“I too rise in support of this legislation. It will assist us; five years down the road we will have a few less permit renewals to come in to the office. To give you an idea, over the past couple of years we’ve been averaging between fifteen and eighteen thousand permits per year. Over the last five weeks we had almost five thousand permits come through,” says Gant.
Supporters of the bill say it is a logical and reasonable expansion of South Dakotans Second Amendment rights and an ease of an administrative burden. There was no opposition to the bill. The bill goes next to the Senate Floor.