Attention North Carolinians! Want HB 650 Signed? Call Perdue Now! (updated)

I spoke with Governor Bev Perdue's office today to inquire about the status of HB 650 which amends a number of North Carolina's gun laws and, more importantly, adopts the Castle Doctrine. It has not been signed yet.

Gov. Perdue has until June 30th to either veto HB 650 or allow it to be passed with or without her signature. Under the North Carolina Constitution, a bill passed by the General Assembly can only be vetoed by the affirmative action of the governor. In other words, North Carolina does not have the pocket veto whereby a bill is vetoed if not signed within 10 days. Thus, if Perdue does nothing against the bill, it will become law regardless of whether she actually signs the bill or not.

In my chat with the Governor's Office I found out that they are keeping a tally on each bill passed by the General Assembly to see whether the caller wants the bill signed or vetoed. They also implied that Perdue is holding off on HB 650 until the last moment to see what the popular sentiment is on the bill.

Call her office now! It is a toll-free call - 800-662-7952 - and say you want HB 650 signed. That is all you have to do. You don't have to present them with any arguments why she should sign it - just say sign it. If you live in the Raleigh area, the local number is 919-733-2391. All they will ask is your name and county.

We have fought too long and too hard to see this bill vetoed. While the numbers are there for a veto override, why should be there be any more delay in advancing your gun rights?

Pass this on to pro-gun friends and family!

Sean at An NC Gun Blog has more on this bill as well as a report from WRAL on the bill's chances of being signed.

UPDATE: According to a Tweet from WRAL, Governor Perdue has signed HB 650.

@NCCapitol
Perdue has signed "Run and You're Done," omnibus gun rights bill, E-verify, "founding principles," opt-out for corp punishmt, 17 more #ncga

UPDATE II: According to Laura Leslie, Capitol Bureau Chief of WRAL, Governor Perdue signed 22 bills, allowed one to become law without her signature, and vetoed one bill. Included in the signed bills was HB 650. The vetoed bill was a bill that required voters to present a picture ID in order to vote.

As she works through the more than 200 bills state lawmakers sent her last week, Gov. Bev Perdue released a list of 22 bills signed today, and one she allowed to become law without her signature.
...
HB 650 Omnibus Gun Bill - This bill makes multiple changes across an array of statutes related to gun possession and use. The bill’s most significant change is implementing the castle doctrine in North Carolina.