South Dakota as of July 1 allows students to carry concealed weapons on campus, "a good way, once again, for South Dakota to demonstrate we're the free state in the nation," Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden said in a Newsmax interview.
"We've done more to defend our Second Amendment rights, I think, than any other state," Rhoden, who signed bills into law in March that allow concealed pistols in bars and on public college campuses, among other gun rights-related changes, told Newsmax's "Carl Higbie FRONTLINE."
Senate Bill 100 makes South Dakota the 12th state to allow concealed carry on college campuses.
Former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem in 2019 signed into law a measure allowing people to carry concealed pistols without a permit in South Dakota.
"There were a lot of concerns that I'd heard from law enforcement for years and years," about that bill, Rhoden told Newsmax.
"I was born in Sturgis, South Dakota. And there were all kinds of concerns about restoring those Second Amendment rights through constitutional carry.
"We went ahead and signed that into law six years ago, and I've not heard one peep out of any issues that they had. So, I think that was a good setup for Senate Bill 100 to restore Second Amendment rights to our college students. And I think we'll have the same results. We'll find that nothing was harmed by restoring our Second Amendment rights," he added.
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.