North Carolina House Tackles Massive Pro Gun Bill

North Carolina House Tackles Massive Pro Gun Bill

Grass Roots North Carolina for Firearms Education
Grass Roots North Carolina for Firearms Education

North Carolina –-(Ammoland.com)- HB 650 On Wednesday, the NC House Judiciary C Committee took on House Bill 650, “Amend Various Gun Laws.”

Thanks to the efforts of Sponsors Mark Hilton (R-Catawba, GRNC ****), Steven LaRoque (R-Greene, Lenoir, Wayne, ****), George Cleveland (R- Onslow, ****) and Kelly Hastings (R- Cleveland, Gaston, ****), plus the leadership of Rules Chairman Tim Moore (R- Cleveland, ****) and Speaker Thom Tillis (R-Meckleburg, ****), the bill is likely to receive a committee vote next Wednesday.

Gun rights supporters should immediately e-mail these courageous legislators with thanks.

HB 650 is a huge and aggressive bill, meaning it will be difficult to pass. But if passed, it will go far toward reversing the creeping encroachment on gun owners’ rights perpetuated in previous sessions of the legislature, including (but not limited to):

  • Castle Doctrine (yet another vehicle for popular Castle Doctrine is now moving);
  • Reducing penalties for carrying firearms on “educational property,” including a protection against accidentally becoming a criminal by requiring that offenders “knowingly” brought the gun onto educational property;
  • Enabling concealed carry at events for which admission is charged;
  • Reducing penalties for a host of minor (often inadvertent) gun violations;
  • Adding protections for gun owners whose guns are confiscated pursuant to domestic protective orders;
  • Improves concealed handgun reciprocity to straight recognition of out-of-state permits;
  • Removes provisions for concealed handgun applicants under which sheriffs are conducting intrusive investigations of medical history; and
  • Enabling employees to keep guns in locked vehicles at places of employment.

FIRST COMMITTEE FIGHT
As Chairman Moore brought up the bill, Rep. Hilton pointed out that it simply attempted to mirror and conform with federal law. Opposition was brought by the usual leftists, including Joe Hackney (D- Chatham, Moore, Orange, GRNC 0-star), Verla Insko (D-Orange, 0-star) and Jennifer Weiss (D-Wake, 0-star). Reps. Hilton, Cleveland, Hastings and Jonathan Jordan (R- Ashe, Watauga, ****) did an outstanding job of defending it. Thanks also go to Chairman Moore for allowing GRNC president Paul Valone to dispel numerous misconceptions regarding state and federal gun laws.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED

Contact

E-MAIL THANKS to Reps. Hilton, Tillis, Moore, Hastings, LaRoque and Cleveland using the following e-mail addresses: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

CONTACT JUDICIARY THE C COMMITTEE MEMBERS as listed below and urge them to support HB 650, pointing out that they MUST attend the meeting on Wednesday to vote for the bill. Johnathan Rhyne, Jr. – 919-733-5782, [email protected]; Rayne Brown – 919-715-0873, [email protected]; Jimmy Dixon – 919-715-3021, [email protected]; Bert Jones – 919-733-5779, [email protected]; Jonathan C. Jordan – 919-733-7727, [email protected]

SEND US YOUR STORIES: By reducing the number of “no carry” zones, including accidentally carrying firearms onto “educational property” (including places that are not even campuses), the bill seeks to allow law-abiding gun owners to remain law abiding. To support the bill, please send examples of when you accidentally violated gun laws despite your best efforts. All stories will be de-identified before distribution. Send them directly to Paul Valone at [email protected]

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

Dear Representative:

I am writing to express my support for HB 650, “Amend Various Gun Laws.” Your support is instrumental in passing the many important measures in this sweeping bill. In order to achieve this, it is vital that you attend the Judiciary Sub Committee C meeting on Wednesday and give your full support to HB 650.

I will be eagerly awaiting a positive outcome for this bill Wednesday and will be tracking its progress through the alerts of Grass Roots North Carolina.

Sincerely,

A Concerned North Carolina Voter

About:
Grass Roots North Carolina/Forum for Firearms Education is a non-profit, all volunteer organization devoted to educating the public about trends which abridge the freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, and engaging in grass roots activism to preserve those freedoms. Formed in 1994 to conduct a highly successful rally for the Second Amendment, GRNC has gone on to conduct projects like “Remember in November: A Gun Owner’s Guide to Voting,” bringing concealed carry to North Carolina. Visit:www.grnc.org