Senate
Bill 43, enabling concealed handgun permit-holders to protect
themselves in churches which are co-located with schools, passed
the North Carolina House today by a vote of 70-38. It becomes the second
bill to pass the NC House, which earlier passed House Bill 134.
At
present, although concealed carry is lawful in churches, if
the church sponsors a school, it becomes “educational property” where
firearm carriage is a felony. As proposed, concealed carry would be
permitted provided educational activities are not in session.
Particular
thanks are due to Sen. Dan Britt (R-Columbus, Robseson) and Rep. Jeff
McNeely (R-Iredell) for their efforts to protect
religious institutions from increasingly numerous attacks by violent
sociopaths.
Gun
rights supporters should also thank Reps. Keith Kidwell (R-Beaufort,
Craven), Jay Adams (R-Catawba),
and Larry Pittman (R-Cabarrus) for their impassioned defense of the bill
on the House floor. Opposition came from the usual suspects,
particularly
Marcia Morey (D-Durham) and Mary Belk (D-Mecklenburg). Belk has proven
herself a vocal enemy of the Second Amendment and deserves the attention
of gun
voters in the 2022 elections.
S.
43 already passed through the NC Senate but, due to minor amendments in
the House, will now return to the Senate for a concurrence
vote. Presuming the bill clears both Republican-controlled chambers, it
will almost certainly be vetoed by rabidly anti-gun Democrat Governor
Roy
Cooper.
Because
Republicans
lack the 3/5 majority needed to over-ride a veto, Democrat votes will be
needed. S. 43 did indeed garner enough Democrat votes in both chambers
to
over-ride a veto…for now. Whether those Democrats will hold the line
under pressure from Cooper, however, remains to be seen. Church carry
failed in 2020 when several Democrats changed votes on the over-ride
vote after having previously supported bill. Please monitor GRNC alerts
for
future activity.
