North Carolina –-(Ammoland.com)- The bad news is that the North Carolina Senate adjourned without passing House Bill 746. The good news is that the bill is still very much alive.
As you recall, HB 746 would give lawful North Carolinians permitless concealed carry, improvements in issuing concealed handgun permits (the system for which would remain intact for gun purchases, reciprocity with other states and carry in sensitive areas), expansion of concealed carry on educational property, and more.
Reasons for the failure of the Senate to pass HB 746 are complex, and I’ll discuss them momentarily. But first, let’s discuss the false claims by our opposition, which claimed the bill didn’t pass due to gun control input.
Nonsense. The dozen-odd “Bloomberg Moms” who showed up to protest passage of HB 746 in the NC House were like deer in the headlights. Despite the bitter viciousness of the left, they had no idea how to control the process. The pathetically small number of negative contacts they generated was ignored, giving them no influence on the bill’s progress.
Politicians did what they do best…nothing
The Senate, frankly, self-destructed on the bill. Without sufficient direction from leadership to chart its passage, Senate Republicans couldn’t agree on what they wanted it to contain – with a number of them wanting a stronger bill than passed by the House, calling for a pro-gun amendment to the North Carolina Constitution and repeal of the Jim Crow-era pistol purchase permit system. Others, including some devout conservatives, were hung up on the age 18 provision, or lack of required training.
Much of the failure should be attributed to failure in leadership by Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger. Although we received numerous reports that he supports the bill, he delegated responsibility to a working group of senators led by Sen. Andrew Brock (R-Davie, Iredell, Rowan) who, unknown to even his fellow senators, was likely distracted by his pending appointment to a cushy job with the state Board of Review. (He resigned his Senate seat effective June 30.)
In general, Republicans in both chambers dragged their feet on the bill. To be sure, there were heroes; in particular, Reps. Chris Millis (R-Onlow, Pender), Larry Pittman (R-Cabarrus), Michael Speciale (R-Beaufort, Craven, Pamlico) and to an extent, Justin Burr (R-Montgomery, Stanly) and Jay Adams (R-Catawba). In particular, Rep. Millis performed Herculean feats to keep HB 746 alive and to marshal votes to get it out of the House.
But among Republicans, now comfortable in their supermajorities and the districts they drew for themselves, inertia has set in. As I say in my legislative tactics seminars, once in power, politicians want to stay in power. The best way to stay in power is not to tick anybody off. The best way not to tick anybody off is, of course, not to actually do anything.
What’s next? Flogging pols, of course…
Having now cleared one chamber, and with a fiscal note attached, Rep. Millis has ensured the bill remains alive for consideration, possibly as soon as August, when the Senate returns from recess. Indeed, even if they don’t pass the bill before they adjourn “sine die” for the year, it remains alive for consideration in 2018.
And rest assured that at GRNC, politicians squealing, “We don’t want to pass it in an election year!” will be met with, “Then I guess you should have passed it last year.”
Indeed, the GOP has given us a whole year to plot strategy, strengthen the organization, and (metaphorically speaking) beat the daylights out of waffling Republicans!
North Carolina House Targets
In the NC House, the answer is fairly straight forward. Eight turncoat Republicans voted against HB 746 on the floor: Reps. Ted Davis (R-New Hanover); John Faircloth (R-Guilford); John Fraley (R-Iredell); Craig Horn (R-Union); Frank Iler (R-Brunswick); Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson); Sam Watford (R-Davidson); and Linda Williams (R-Wake).
We are looking for your help in recruiting ideologically sound opponents to primary these turncoats. (Rumor has it McGrady isn’t running for re-election, allowing us to fill the open seat he has misrepresented). Frankly, the GRNC Political Victory Fund will also need your financial support to run effective campaigns to beat them. The only exception will be if HB 746 returns to the House for a concurrence vote or a veto over-ride, in which case those who vote with gun owners may be spared primaries.
What about the Senate?
Unless HB 746 reaches the Senate floor before the end of the 2018 session, the (perhaps deliberate) lack of a recorded vote makes it more difficult to know which incumbent Republicans to target with primaries. But fear not, we are developing, shall we say, “informal” means for differentiating between friends and enemies, and the GRNC-PVF will be active in Senate races as well.
What about HB 746?
Remember: HB 746 is still alive, and GRNC is nowhere near done in working to make it the law of the land. Keep an eye on alerts for demonstrations in politicians’ home districts and each time they go back to Raleigh for the “special sessions” through the rest of 2017 and, of course, the regular 2018 session. Meanwhile, the GRNC Legislative Action Team will be working individual senators to ensure they will vote for the bill.
But first and foremost, we need your help:
- Your help in convincing your state senator to support the bill;
- Your help convincing Senate leadership to get it to the floor;
- In short, your input!
Reloading for the next fight!
This is the part where I, quite accurately, tell you how GRNC threw everything it had at the fight – at a time when we had not yet fully rebuilt resources from the 2016 elections.
It’s easier to ask for money when we are legislatively victorious, as in 2011, 2013 and 2015. This time I have nothing to offer except, as Winston Churchill put it, “blood, toil, tears and sweat.”
To pass HB 746, we need your financial support! Sending 1,000,000+ emails is far from free, and GRNC has made automated phone calls into nearly two dozen districts in order to move the bill.
If you have recently contributed to GRNC, please accept my thanks. If not, please consider $100, $50, $25 or even $10 to help GRNC defend your gun rights. Because GRNC is all-volunteer, we remain dedicated to using your money to defend your freedoms more efficiently and effectively than any other organization.
The question now (for those of us who’ve recently moved into North Carolina) is: what’s the current status of this bill? Did it pass?! I can’t seem to find any recent information on it – and the state legislature’s website just trails off…
Do you pay or get training to use your first amendment right? No, then you don’t have to for your 2nd Amendment right either. Wake up sheeple. There is no difference from useing a hammer, kitchen knife, circular saw. It’s up to each of us to know our skillset and act responsibly. I would encourage all to familiarize themselves with whatever their weapon of choice the pen or their arm of choice.
That is where training with parents or an instructor comes in! Building that muscle memory when using a gun is essential! Knowing how to use sights on the gun are essential! All our kids learned how to use every guns we ever used! First for target and then hunting! Now they can use for hunting and defense! Plus, if citizens are allowed to vote, enlist in the military, and “be an adult”, the with just knowledge and practice, they cam learn how to properly use any gun! Just like taking driving lessons to drive a car!
Alot of people dont understand. Lawbreakers are what we should worry about. By not passing this law, all they are doing is preventing law abiding citizens from protecting themselves from people who could care less about the law. Im all for more in depth background checks. I already open carry and it makes people nervous even though i have no bad intentions. Bad guys will conceal weapons no matter what law is in effect. The current concealed carry law is irrelevent.
Concealed Handgun Permit is the official name. Cch I believe means Concealed Carry Handgun. Different states, different names.
I’m a 21 year Army Vet. I recently obtained my CCW only to LEGALLY do what I was already doing. All of my children hunt and shoot. Now my daughter attends College and I’m struggling with doing the ‘right’ thing and her keeping herself safe. I don’t understand all the things we allow or require 18 year olds to do but not protect themselves. We make them take Drivers Ed to get their license but offer them no training on inclimate weather, emergency procedures, change a tire, etc. When I was in school firearm safety was given (required to obtain… Read more »
Put training online. That way you can go back and review at any time. Use the FBI data base that is in place for long guns for handguns also. Also make it easy for appeals if denied any type gun purchase. You can go to war at age 18 why not own a concealed handgun?
Might as well pass it. It doesn’t really do anything besides take away the need for a permit to carry concealed IN-STATE. Still need a permit for reciprocity in other states, still have to be 21 to buy a pistol, still aren’t allowed to carry concealed if you wouldn’t be allowed to obtain a CCP due to legal issues, and all rules regulating when/where/how you carry that apply to CCP holders apply. Also, the only reason most people get a concealed carry permit is just to legalize something they were doing already.
Our neighboring state of Virginia seem to have a common sense concealed carry law. Why not follow their example?
I think that without a training requirement this bill is s red herring to stack up violations and bad decisions to attack the 2nd Amendment. When the 2nd A was written we were an agrarian economy/ rural country. I learned firearms and safety from my grandfather who was born in PA listening to wolves howl at night. Never thought of using a firearm to kill a human until the USMC taught me. Already knew how to shoot rifles and shotguns. Corp taught me hand guns.