Take Action to Make the Tar Heel State Constitutional Carry

Dear friend,

This week will be a huge week for your right to keep and bear arms in the Tar Heel State.

The J2 Committee Hearing for HB189 — Constitutional Carry — will be Tuesday at 11:00 am (a follow-on Rules Committee hearing later in the day.)  Exact times will not be known until after the 11:00 am J2 hearing; however, we expect the legislative process to last until Thursday.

This week, we need pro-gun people at the General Assembly who can overflow Committee hearings wearing “We support HB189 – Constitutional Carry” stickers. (Stickers will be available on site.)

Please note the opposition to this bill is organized and defiant. They will attempt to delay and obstruct us in their efforts to keep this bill’s passage from meeting the Thursday May 4^th crossover deadline.

We need committed volunteers to see to it that the anti-gunners don’t accomplish their goal of killing this bill.

Pictured are (standing) GOA NC State Director Andy Stevens and (seated) GRNC President F. Paul Valone

Of course, even with bipartisan super-majority legislative support, we expect anti-liberty, anti-gun Governor Cooper to veto this bill.  However, with your voices, we will override his veto, just as we overrode his veto of SB41.

Teams will assemble at 8:30am each morning outside Printed Bills in the Jones St. Bldg.  Ask Security to direct you if unfamiliar with where that may be.  Otherwise, look for the two guys (pictured here) roaming the halls of the legislature throughout the day. We won’t be hard to find.

The location for the J2 Committee hearing is in in Legislative Office Building Room 544, beginning at 11:00 am, on Tuesday, May 2nd.

While HB 189 will establish Constitutional Carry for concealed firearms, here are two important points about the bill: 

1. HB 189 does not repeal North Carolina’s Concealed Handgun permit system with this bill. North Carolina is an Open Carry State, and this bill merely expands lawful open carry to include lawful concealed carry within North Carolina.  Over 866,000 North Carolinians possess a valid North Carolina Concealed Handgun Permit. This allows reciprocity with the many states and allows for a NICS point of sale background check bypass when purchasing firearms from licensed FFLs.
2. HB189 does not allow prohibited persons to carry a concealed firearm under any circumstances. Only those individuals who can meet the conditions for issue of a concealed handgun permit will be permitted to lawfully carry a concealed handgun in North Carolina without said permit under this bill.

If you cannot attend in person, please contact your state representative and urge passage of HB 189.

Thanks in advance for taking action. With your help, we can make North Carolina the 28th Constitutional Carry state.

In liberty,

Andy Stevens
NC State Director
Gun Owners of America