North Carolina House Representatives vote on concealed carry permit bill

WFMY News 2 ^ | 5/03/23 | Amber Lake

[Libloather]

GREENSBORO, N.C. — North Carolina House representatives will be voting on house bill 189 today pertaining to concealed carry permits.

Republican lawmakers advanced legislation yesterday to make it to where anyone would be able to carry a concealed handgun without getting a permit from a local sheriff.

This comes barely a month after the Republican-controlled General Assembly agreed with gun-rights groups and repealed — overriding Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto — another kind of permit issued by sheriffs before someone could buy a pistol.

Those groups now are lobbying to eliminate the concealed handgun permit mandate, which has been in place in North Carolina for nearly 30 years.

The bill would also lower the age that someone can carry a concealed firearm from 21 to 18.

There are 27 states that already allow people to carry concealed weapons without a permit.

The measure cleared the House judiciary committee by a 7-4 vote despite opposition by the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, which calls the vetting necessary to help deputies know who may be armed.

Gun-control advocates say our state needs to strengthen concealed carry permitting system - not eliminate it.

"We've seen what happens in states where they've weakened or repealed their concealed carry weapons permit. They see an increase of about 10.8% higher firearm homicide rate gets worse at 29% higher firearm violent crime rate," said NC Against Gun Violence Executive Director, Becky Ceartas.

They said statistics show that getting rid of the permits would mean higher rates of gun-related homicides, violent crimes, and gun thefts.

**SNIP**

The permitting process itself wouldn’t be removed from state law. It would remain in place for people who still want a permit as evidence to qualify to hold a concealed weapon in another state.

[Libloather]

My guess - it'll probably need a veto override.

[OldGoatCPO]

Cooper will veto it and it will be overridden. But, actually an opportunity for Cooper to do some horse trading, but he will pontificate rather than negotiate. 18-21 years old there is nothing wrong with requiring a learners permit that involves some training. Unless the person is in the military or completed police training. It is an issue of maturity, knowledge of weapons and handling them. Cooper could agree to sign the bill if that was included. Cooper could also negotiate for required training and background checks if the person has been convicted of a misdemeanor in the last five years that would not otherwise prevent possession of a weapon. I do agree that having the permit tied to my drivers lic was a good idea. State Trooper pulled me over, I was speeding. He asked if I was carrying I said yes and told him where the weapon was on my person. Kept lic/registration on the visor so my hands stayed where he good see them. He stayed relax, I kept my hands on the wheel. Cops will not be so relaxed without permits. This is where an untrained immature 19 tear old could set off a unhappy chain of events reaching for registration in a glove box holding a pistol.

NC is a big military state, allow military personnel to purchase concealed carry permits and skip the training. Since it requires a State drivers lic, state and county will still make money on fees. Military personnel travel a lot, as the article pointed out you need issued permits for reciprocity with other States. Maybe if enough states push constitutional carry, the Feds will have to act and create nationwide reciprocity.

[bicyclerepair]

DeSantis just signed this into law here. Less infringement is good.

[Dandy]

Great. Laws like that also tend to repel the kind of people that hate guns to move here.

[SunTzuWu]

there is nothing wrong with requiring a learners permit that involves some training.

What would you think of the same type of condition on the First Amendment. You must attend a class on "right think" before you are allowed to speak, or write anything.

Permits before you can worship as you please? Your group of friends scrutinized before you are "allowed" to peacefully assemble? Where does it end?

We are putting conditions on the Bill Of Rights, and that is a dangerous precedent.

[mabarker1]

reaching for registration in a glove box holding a pistol.

Way back in the late 80's in Texas I was working on a customer's Jaguar and exited the freeway doing 69 in a 55 and the Exit was 35.The radar car was sitting up on the hill of the Exit and I didn't see him till it was too late. I showed the officer the Signed Work Order (that releases the vehicle to the Service Shop/Technician for all uses) and he wrote Me a ticket and I went on My way. When I got back to the shop I opened the glovebox to update the Service Records in the back of the Owner's manual. Laying on top of it was a loaded 4" .357 Magnum S&W revolver. I'm glad the LEO didn't want to see the Registration Papers.

I asked the owner to please let Me know if she was leaving a weapon in the car next time.

She said "Oh, that's where I left it."

[FLT-bird]

Excellent! No doubt Cooper would veto it. It would be immensely satisfying to shove Constitutional Carry down his throat just like we did the repeal of the Jim Crow pistol purchase permit law.

[Chode]

*

[OldGoatCPO]

You are comparing apples and oranges, There are limits to the First Amendment. Go yell fire in a crowded theater and try to claim the right to free speech. You are being hyperbolic and ridiculous. The State has the right even under the 2A to require training for concealed carry permits. This is not an infringement since NC is already an open carry state. Anyone who can legally own a gun,(despite the 2A not everyone can legally own a gun) can openly carry said weapon. To conceal it the State can require training. Besides, to have CC reciprocity with many other states, NC must require training. Except where unreasonable, like NY State, name one case where requiring training for concealed carry has been successfully challenged under the 2A. Maybe you should study the rules a little before firing off about the 2A. Sometimes you are protecting the individual carrying by making them learn the laws and understand how to not run afoul of the law. An 18 year with a gun in the glove box and no carry permit could find themselves facing felony charges after crossing into VA or SC where permits are required. A simple class held over a weekend (like hunter safety) a piece of paper and that 18 year old would have reciprocity, Go hunting without a permit and see what happens to your weapon if caught. Tell the Game Warden he can’t take your gun because you have a right to keep and bear arms.

[fini]

Here is my only problem with carrying a weapon without "training": the law for using deadly force. When I had my training for concealed carry it was a good class. It was a one day class and they had us do things that would not be allowed on a range, e.g. shooting while moving and drawing and shooting, and (most important) covering the NC state laws on when deadly force is legal. The class on the use of deadly force was very good and well worth the fee for the whole course.

In fact, it would be well worth teaching in high school to everyone.

[OldGoatCPO]

I agree. People have found themselves in trouble when they think they are behaving within the law only to find out later they violated the law and are looking at prison time. Which is why I would advocate for anyone 18 - 21, having completed a conceal carry class not different than a hunters safety class to hunt in NC. I am not pushing for background checks etc, just a safety course.