Find out who represents you in the NC general assembly
The following is a list of current legislation working it’s way through the NC General Assembly. Some legislation will have both a House version and a Senate version, I will try to notate those accordingly. The links listed below will link you to the specific piece of legislation where you can see the exact text and the progress so far.
As a general rule if it a House Bill you would contact your House representative and likewise for Senate Bills, however once a bill passes one side of the assembly it moves to the other and you would have to make contact accordingly. Once again I will try to notate these instances as they come along.
If you happen to hear of a specific piece of legislation that is not list on this website please let me know on the contact form so that I may get it added.
Firearms/State of emergency – Senate
Senate bill 594
HB 843 has been passed and will go into effect on Oct 1st of this year. This new law which is an emergency preparedness bill includes verbage that goes along with the findings of Bateman V. Perdue and removes the ban during state of emergencies.
I was recently enlightened about this bill by Paul Valone of Grass Roots North Carolina. When he first told me in an email that I should not back this bill as it would threaten an existing lawsuit (Bateman v. Perdue) I couldn’t help but think why should 3 people’s lawsuit matter more than a bill that would lift the restriction that is the basic need for the lawsuit. I more or less said that to Paul in a reply. Before he had the chance to respond with more detail I spent a little more time reading the suit and thinking about it and came to the realization he was right in saying that the dismissal of the suit would be very detrimental to our 2nd amendment rights.
You see the suit which has a chance of getting to the Supreme Court of the US shows the unconstitutionality of the State of Emergency restrictions which would be much further reaching in the United States than a state bill.
The suit actually references one of the few times (not me personally but the storm) that I was put in the position of nowhere to go because I was half way through a 3 hour drive home when the SoE was declared therefore making me an INSTANT criminal due to the pistol that is with me pretty much all the time.
And with that being said I have to withdraw my support of SB 594 or it’s wording being added to the text of any other bills at this time. Of course if things do not go well for the suit in the future I will renew my effort for a repeal of State of Emergency limitations in NC. In the mean time I will just have to do my best to avoid becoming an incedental criminal during my trips back and forth to work. And if it happens i do become one, maybe that would be another suit.
This bill as introduced looks to protect your 2nd amendment rights during a state of emergency. Current law prohibits you from carrying your firearms during a state of emergency. Many may remember when katrina hit many citizens had their valuable firearms confiscating for trying to transport them rather than leave them to be ruined, stolen, or used for malicious purposes by looters. I urge you strongly to contact your reps to help push this bill though the senate before the crossover deadline of May 12th.
This bill is one that I have been writing my reps about ever since a storm caused a state of emergency to be declared in my home town, I was halfway home from a business trip with my pistol on my person when i learned of this, so unfortunately I had to choose between continuing home in violation of the law or stop and spend money on a hotel for the night.
The Castle Doctrine - Crossed, House Judiciary A
Rolled into HB 650 (see below)
House Bills 52 and 74
Senate Bill 34
This would give the homeowner the right to defend himself, his family and his domicile from intruders without the worry of being prosecuting. It will place the burden of proof on the state to show the shooting was unjustified rather than the homeowner proving it was justified. It also removes the retreat requirement.
North Carolina Firearms Freedom Act – House Judiciary
House Bill 241
This act looks to limit federal regulations on firearms that are manufactured and remain in North Carolina by way of the 9th and 10th amendments which leaves regulation of intrastate commerce to the the state.
Firearm in locked motor vehicle/parking lot – House Judiciary A
Portions rolled into HB 650
House Bill 63
Thisa act with a few limitations will allow you to keep a firearm locked in your vehicle in parking lots, where this would help is if you have a concealed carry permit your employer cannot keep you from carrying to and from work as long as the handgun doesn’t leave the vehicle.
Repeal crossbow purchase permit requirement – Passed into law and in effect - SL2011-56
Senate Bill 358
Senate Bill 406
This will do exactly what it says, remove the requirement of pistol purchase permit to buy a crossbow.
Repeal Pistol/Crossbow transfer Permit – House Judiciary
House Bill 390
Just what it says.
Handgun permit valid in parks and restaurants – Crossed, Senate Judiciary II
State parks version rolled into SB679
House Bill 111
This bill is will allow a Concealed Carry permit holder to carry into state parks and restaurants. The standard exceptions apply to establishments that have no weapons signs posted.
Concealed Carry DA / Assistant DA / Investigator – Senate Judiciary II
Rolled into SB 679
Senate Bill 141
This bill will enable the listed persons to carry concealed into certain establishments that general citizens are not.
Concealed permit/elected officials – House Judiciary A
House Bill 184
Similar to Senate Bill 141 but expands it to cover all elected officials.
Fraudulant firearm purchase prevention act – House Judiciary
Rolled into HB 650
House Bill 798
A bille to prevent straw purchases.
Amend Various Gun Laws – On Governor Perdue’s Desk
HB 650
This bill basically cleans up the written law to make it a little more understandable. As well as making improvements to the right-to-carry laws, The NRA-ILA explains it in great detail on this page. As well as other bills that are being tracked here as well.
This bill was expanded in the house judiciary to include castle doctrine, CCH reciprocity and weapons in locked vehicle. Unfortunately an amendment during second reading removed the weapons in locked vehicle portion of the committee substitute. Despite the damaging amendment it is reassuring that this bill has made the crossover to the senate. At this point it is a sort of double edged sword, they can either pass it as is and it becomes law or amend it adding the vehicles portion back in in which case it would have to go back to the house and face possble defeat by those who fought so hard for the removal. Of course there is still HB 653 that could allow weapons in locked motor vehicles if they can get it passed with some kind of compromise, although with the crossover deadline looming it is doubtful.
This bill shrank once again in the senate by way or removing the weapons in locked motor vehicle on educational grounds by concealed carry holders.
I am concerned that due to recent issues with the budget bill and such that Gov. Perdue may veto this one as a bluff to see if the legislature would reconvene to override. The bill passed in both houses with more than enough votes to override a veto, but would they reconvene for it. Although I think her veto stamp may get a workout on the 200+ bills palced on her desk before the legislature adjourned.
