By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
Legislation that would make North Carolina the 30th state to adopt a “permitless carry” (aka “constitutional carry”) law has been introduced in the General Assembly by a group of lawmakers, and the head of the state’s most active gun rights group gives it a good chance of passage.
However, Paul Valone, who heads Grass Roots North Carolina (GRNC), acknowledges the possibility of a veto by Democrat Gov. Josh Stein. Pro-gun Republicans are shy one vote from having a super-majority, Valone said, so if the bill is passed, there could be some heavy politicking ahead.
House Bill 5—the companion legislation is Senate Bill 50, Valone noted—was introduced by Rep. Ben Moss, a Richmond Republican, and his GOP colleagues Rep. Keith Kidwell of Beaufort, Jay Adams of Catawba AND Brian Echevarria of Cabarrus, according to the Richmond Observer.
“I would say our chances (of passage) are about 60-40,” Valone told TGM in a telephone interview. “I believe it will go to the governor’s desk.”
But that’s where things could get sticky. Valone speculated Gov. Stein might veto the bill, setting up a veto override confrontation which would require one or two Democrats to cross over, or simply not show up to vote.
Valone is aware the prospect of North Carolina becoming a “constitutional carry” state is already causing some heartburn within the gun control ranks. Passage of such a law would give Second Amendment activists a clear national majority in terms of right-to-carry laws. Presently the score is 29-21 for states with permitless carry, opposed to Democrat-controlled states which maintain permit/license-to-carry statutes.
According to the Richmond Observer, the North Carolinians Against Gun Violence is opposed to the legislation. They are making the same argument anti-gunners have made in other states, that not requiring a permit to carry will make people less safe.
On their website, the gun control lobbying group asserts, “What we would lose if we repeal concealed carry permitting – training in handling and shooting, safety, and state laws, background check, and the lowering of the age requirement – are all too dangerous to risk when it comes to public carry of firearms in North Carolina.”
The argument ignores the fact that criminals, including teenage thugs, already carry without permits, and never get any kind of safety training.
