South Dakota legislature votes to allow concealed handguns without a permit

The South Dakota legislature has passed a bill allowing residents to carry concealed handguns without a permit, sending the measure to Gov. Kristi Noem (R) for a signature. The state House passed the Senate legislation in a 47-23 vote on Tuesday to allow for the so-called “constitutional carry,” The Argus Leader reported. Noem has vocalized support for the measure before but said she will consider the language in the bill before signing it into law. "We are pleased to see constitutional carry pass the state Senate and House of Representatives. Hopefully Gov. Noem will see the benefit in providing law-abiding South Dakotans with the ability to better defend themselves and their families," an NRA spokesperson said in a statement.