Right now in South Dakota, you have to have a permit to carry a concealed handgun. But that could soon change.

Tuesday, the state Senate passed Senate Bill 47 on a 23 to 11 vote. This piece of legislation would “repeal and revise certain provisions” concerning concealed carry permits. On Tuesday night KELOLAND News talked to Sen. Reynold Nesiba, who is the minority whip, and Sen. Kris Langer, the majority leader. Nesiba voted against the bill, while Langer supported it.

“I’m opposed to this bill. I just don’t think it’s necessary,” Nesiba said.

“This just simply lets you, decriminalizes the fact that if you have a firearm with you, and you’re somehow, your suitcoat covers it or that kind of thing, that you’re not in violation of South Dakota law,” Langer said.

Langer supports the bill that would remove some regulations for concealed handguns. She also gave an example if someone has a permit and leaves it in a car.

“And he runs in the grocery store, and I’m left there, and I don’t have a permit, now I’m in violation of the law, so I just, I think that’s really what South Dakotans want,” Langer said.

On the opposite side, Nesiba says he is a gun owner who agrees with the Second Amendment.

“But that doesn’t extend to being able to concealing it, and that’s really what this does. This is a permitless concealed carry bill that I don’t think solves a problem,” Nesiba said.