PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - A South Dakota House committee has advanced a bill that would make concealed weapons permits valid for five years, up from the current four years.
The Local Government Committee voted unanimously to send the measure to the full House.
The measure's main sponsor, Sen. Larry Rhoden of Union Center, says he had hoped to use the bill to make other changes in South Dakota's gun laws. But he says those additional changes cannot be made this year because additional study is needed.
Rhoden says he eventually wants to change the law so that once people get concealed weapons permits, they would not undergo separate background checks every time they buy a gun. That would require issuing concealed weapons permits based on the same database used to approve gun sales.
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