House sends bill to conference committee
As expected, the NC House today voted against concurring with Senate changes to HB 937 (“Amend Various Firearms Laws”). The bill contains provisions for concealed carry in restaurants, assemblies of people for which admission is charged, state-controlled parking lots, educational properties (provided guns are kept in locked vehicles) and much more. If passed largely intact, it will represent the largest advance in gun rights in North Carolina history.
At issue is the repeal of North Carolina’s Jim Crow-era pistol purchase permit law, which is opposed by the NC Sheriffs’ Assoc. and Governor Pat McCrory. While GRNC strongly urged that the House concur with Senate strengthening of the bill, leaving the full PP repeal intact, we remain optimistic about resolution of differences because Speaker Thom Tillis’ office has said that:
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Other aspects of the bill will not be weakened in committee and will, in fact, likely be strengthened in at least one respect;
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Although the PP repeal will not stay in entirety, in a radio interview Tillis has promised a compromise which will at least partially satisfy the concerns of all interested parties, including GRNC; and
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The bill will pass THIS YEAR.
