Pro-Gun Bills Filed In NC Senate

HB 17 & Restaurant Carry:

As you may know, on Thursday, Representative Larry Pittman (R-Cabarrus, GRNC ****) led a charge to return restaurant carry to HB 17 after it had been stripped from the bill in committee. With support from GRNC, including an alert to membership, Rep. Pittman challenged NC House leadership by attempting to amendment the bill on the floor.

Although the House had been scheduled to begin session at 12:30 PM, House Republicans delayed convening the session as negotiations continued. As information came in indicating that a fix might be in the offing in the Senate, HB 17 was displaced from the calendar to give more time for review.

After discussions over the weekend between GRNC and numerous current and former legislators, it was decided that sufficient time remains in the session to allow the Senate to either pass SB 342 for restaurant carry or to use other vehicles. Thus, in accordance with Speaker Thom Tillis' wishes, the onus for passing restaurant carry now returns to the Senate, where Senator Buck Newton (R-Johnston, Nash, Wilson, GRNC ****) has indicated willingness to move legislation. Please monitor future alerts on the issue.

Pro-Gun Bills Filed in NC Senate:

SB 342: "Amend Gun Laws"

As noted above, SB 342: "Amend Gun Laws," sponsored by Sens. Newton, Dan Soucek (R-Allegany, Ashe, Avery, Watauga, GRNC ****) and Jeff Tarte (R-Mecklenburg, GRNC ****), was filed last week using the same language for restaurant carry which died in HB 111 last year. The bill would also tighten the definition of "restaurant carry" being tortured by various municipalities in order to continue banning guns in parks in violation of our new law. GRNC recommends you contact your NC state senator and ask them to support the bill.

SB 410: "Enabling Heroes Act of 2013"

In a bid to join Vermont, Alaska, Arizona and Montana by bringing "constitutional carry" to North Carolina, GRNC has worked with Sen. Jeff Tarte to draft SB 410, the "Enabling Heroes Act of 2013." The bill would remove the current blanket prohibition on carrying concealed weapons, instead making it illegal to carry deadly weapons for illegal purposes. SB 410 would leave the concealed handgun permit system intact, however, for the purpose of carrying firearms in more "sensitive" areas such as educational properties.

Along with eliminating the requirement to obtain a CHP to carry concealed in the state, SB 410 also provides for CHP permit holders -- not just faculty members or marshals, as other proposals have -- to carry concealed firearms in educational properties, as well as preventing prosecution for inadvertent carry onto an off-campus extracurricular school event.

GRNC applauds SB 410's sponsors, Sens. Tarte, Andrew Brock (R-Davie, Iredell, Rowan, GRNC ****), Shirley Randleman (R-Stokes, Surry, Wilkes, GRNC ****) and Ron Rabin (R-Harnett, Johnston, Lee, GRNC ****), for boldly stepping up for the rights of all of North Carolina's gun owners. We must all do our part by letting our voices be heard and showing our support for this bill. We urge you to contact the NC Senate Leadership and your State Senator and let them know that you expect their full support in passing SB 410 in short order.

Immediate Action Required