The Republican-led North Carolina House is committed to protecting and defending the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. This legislative session, House lawmakers have advanced several key bills to support lawful gun ownership, including legislation to repeal the state’s unnecessary and duplicative pistol permit process that requires county sheriffs to sign off on handgun purchases.
Here is a full breakdown of the bills approved so far this session:
✓ Second Amendment Protection Act (House Bill 134)
House Bill 124 allows concealed carry permit holders to lawfully carry on the grounds of a place of worship that also shares property with an affiliated private school, as long as such possession does not take place during any time of school activities. Currently, it is already legal for lawful gun owners to carry in places of worship should the church allow. This bill will simply extend that constitutional right to churches whose mission also includes education.
✓ Repeal Pistol Purchase Permit Requirement (House Bill 398)
House Bill 398 ends North Carolina’s unnecessary and duplicative pistol permit process that requires county sheriffs to sign off on handgun purchases. The bill came at the request of the NC Sheriffs’ Association. Currently, federal gun dealers are already required to go through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS, before a person can purchase or receive a handgun. This is also the primary tool used by the sheriffs to approve pistol permits.
✓ Allow Paramedics with SWAT Teams to Carry Guns (House Bill 48)
House Bill 48 allows emergency medical personnel to carry a weapon while providing tactical medical assistance for law enforcement.
✓ Allow Federal Prosecutors and Judges to Carry in Court (House Bill 194)
House Bill 194 allows federal judges and federal prosecutors, who have a valid North Carolina concealed handgun permit, to carry a firearm in certain restricted areas.
✓ Safe Storage of Firearms (House Bill 427)
House Bill 427 creates a statewide firearm safe storage awareness initiative to educate the public about the importance of safely storing firearms and to facilitate the distribution of gun locks.
✓ Firearm Property Protection (House Bill 145)
House Bill 145 allows persons subject to a domestic violence protective order and an order to surrender firearms, to transfer storage of the firearms from the sheriff to a qualified licensed firearms dealer.
Representative Ray Pickett 