South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) on Thursday signed a law allowing residents to carry concealed handguns without a permit.
Noem, who just entered office earlier this month, signed the bill repealing the permit requirement that was passed by the state legislature, The Argus Leader reported.
She said she was “proud” that it was the first bill she signed as South Dakota governor.
“It's special for me to be signing a bill into law that protects our Second Amendment rights," Noem said.
The law, referred to by its proponents as “constitutional carry,” gives South Dakotans to choose whether to obtain a concealed carry permit.
It does not change the restrictions around who is allowed to carry a concealed weapon, which excludes those with convictions for a felony, weapons related misdemeanor or for controlled substances, the newspaper previously reported.
