Last night, HB 937, “An Act to Amend State Firearm Laws,” passed in both houses of the General Assembly. The bill is headed to the governor, where it will be signed in to law. Here is a quick breakdown of the provisions included in the law.
The Good:
- Concealed carriers may now leave their weapons in a locked vehicle on a college campus. In 2002, an active shooter at a Tennessee law school was halted by two concealed carry permit holders who retrieved their handguns from their cars when they heard gunfire.
- Increased penalties for violators. Felons who use or brandish a firearm can have added years tacked on their sentence – up to 72 months. The law also creates a status of “armed habitual offender” that can be applied to felons who commit more than one firearm-related felony.
- Enhanced enforcement of existing laws. Involuntary commitment (institutionalization) and other legal findings of mental incapacity are now reported to NICS, the national criminal background check used for firearms purchases. This allows gun stores to identify mentally ill people who attempt to obtain weapons.
- Concealed carriers may now carry at funerals, parades, establishments that sell alcohol, and establishments that charge admission. The last two are a particular improvement over existing laws.
- Handgun purchase permits and concealed carry permits are no longer public records. Earlier this year, a New York newspaper published a database of concealed carry holders. North Carolina has passed legislation to prevent a similar thing from happening in the Tar Heel State.
- Hunters can now use suppressors. Suppressors reduce recoil slightly and minimize the potential for hearing loss.
The Bad:
- The handgun purchase permit system is still in place. We wrote about this previously – NC is one of only 12 states that require citizens to have a permit to purchase a handgun. Sheriffs will retain control over the purchase permit system, but under the new law they must give a written explanation if a purchase permit is denied.
The Verdict:
All told, this is a victory for North Carolina gun owners and for gun rights. HB 937 is not perfect, but it is a huge step in the right direction.
Repealing the Pistol Purchase Permit should be the next step in modernizing the NC Gun Laws.
North Carolina is a “Must Issue State” for CCW Permits…..and in that spirit…..the Sheriff’s should not have the power to prevent law abiding Citizens from purchasing Handguns.
Write the NC Law to require a Three Day waiting period for gun purchases for non CCW Permit Holders, and abolish the Pistol Permit system.
Copy the Florida System for CCW’s…..and take it out of the hand of the Sheriff’s Offices and put it into the hands of the State. The Florida system is much more efficient and free of influence by any one Individual….as is our system.
Florida does it the best of any State I have been in.
I like the fact that it forces restaurants that serve alcohol and establishments charging admission to post criminal protection zone notices. They can no longer hide behind the law.
North Carolina has also had an event of data base publication of firearms owners. WRAL did this to Triangle gun owners.
The so called Permit system is simply a way a Sheriff can harass some that is trying to buy a handgun. It’s not antiquated, it’s simply ridiculous.
Getting the Sheriff out of that loop will not mean you don’t have the background check. Federal Law requires that and, as such, renders the Sheriff superfluous. The Sheriff has no need to be involved. The house really screwed up there.
Where is the Moral Monday Marxist Mob? The requirement to acquire a Sheriff permission to purchase a pistol is a Jim Crow era law that was never halted after the Civil Rights Act of 1965.
I think it also has something to do with the fees the Sheriff collects. All about the money.
Until the Pistol Permit issue is resolved….go get a CCW permit! $90 for a 5 year permit, buy weapons when you wish, no registration, no interference, Obama/Bloomberg secret agents to stop you.
The suppressor thing….. Do you still have to be a Class III dealer to possess one, even while hunting? The $200.00 tax thing?
Agreed, deer God there is no need for the Pistol Crow Law anymore. The sheriff should not have this power. The don’t get full details for past charges or convictions decades ago that may look a lot worse on paper and den you because a paper says your XYZ and doesn’t explain a thing about what actually happen in one immature outing ears ago in our past. The Brady law covers everything anyway which will now properly be updated and there’s no need for the extra hassle of driving to the sheriff’s office ever time you want a new handgun and follow the LAW. Plus, you look at him the wrong way and have any old convictions on your record, im talking years and of one occurrence and not a Brady law violation you can still be barred by that sheriff. It’s not right.
I remember being at the N’club in downtown Greensboro many years ago and talking with a guy at the bar who told me he was working for the Greensboro Sheriff Department as a Deputy Sheriff. He told me he had to be at work at 7 am in the morning it was then roughly 1:30am and we had been drinking for several hours. We were chatting drinking and he told me the best part of his job was he gets to go in at 7am and kick peoples A$%legally. This is the same guy sizing you up at the sheriffs office deciding whether your of “good moral character” before issuing you a permit.. Someone please explain to me the logic here.