Restaurant Carry In North Carolina Has Its First Anniversary And Carry Is Banned At The State Fair

The ability to carry concealed in a restaurant or eating establishment in North Carolina had its first anniversary this past week. The anniversary brings with it a measure of disappointment for the naysayers and gun prohibitionists. Blood didn't run in the streets and there weren't boozy shoot-outs on a regular basis. In fact, according to research by Grass Roots North Carolina, there wasn't even one shooting involving a concealed carry holder in a restaurant serving alcohol.

House Bill 937, which became effective on October 1, 2013, dramatically expanded North Carolina’s concealed handgun law into restaurants where alcohol is sold and consumed, assemblies of people for which admission is charged, parades and funerals, further into state and municipal parks, and even to a limited extent into educational properties.

‘Guns and alcohol don’t mix’?

As always when we expand concealed handgun laws, opponents and media naysayers predicted shootings in bars, guns stolen from vehicles at schools, and various other sorts of mayhem using platitudes like “guns and alcohol don’t mix.”

GRNC explained endlessly that concealed handgun permit-holders, by virtue of background checks and training, had proven themselves sane, sober and law-abiding since 1995, with a rate of permit revocation on the order of three tens of a single percent. We explained that permit-holders in restaurants would still be prohibited from imbibing alcohol.

But the dire predictions persisted. Editorials ridiculed legislators. UNC president Tom Ross sent UNC police chiefs to testify against the bill, claiming it would hamper their ability to protect students. Gun control activists pushed restaurants to post against concealed carry.

So what has happened?

It has now been one year since HB 937 became effective. So what has happened? Nothing. GRNC monitors clipping services for gun-related incidents. Just like Virginia, Ohio, Tennessee and other states which adopted restaurant carry, however, we have been unable to find a single instance of a concealed handgun permit-holder misusing a gun in a restaurant or educational property.

So when will the media naysayers apologize? Will the media acknowledge the anniversary and the absolute lack of negative impact?

NC State Fair: The latest battleground

In the latest battle, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler says he will post the North Carolina State Fair against concealed carry even though statutes adopted in HB 937 now prohibit him from doing so. He apparently believes that even despite passing concealed carry in 1995; Castle Doctrine/Stand Your Ground and expanded concealed carry into parks and elsewhere in 2011; and HB 937 in 2013 – all without the mayhem predicted by opponents – somehow, the state fair must be a different and more dangerous place than all the others.

So GRNC asks both Troxler and the media, “Where’s the mayhem?”

It is against this background that GRNC is taking NC Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler (R-NC) to task for trying to continue the ban on carry at the North Carolina State Fair. HB 937 which permits restaurant carry also permitted carry at assemblies where an admission is charged such as the State Fair. GRNC is threatening legal action to make Ag Commissioner Troxler and the State Fair to abide by the law.

Sean Sorrentino of An NC Gun Blog attended Troxler's press conference and questioned him about the decision to post the State Fair. Troxler replied that it was long-standing policy to post against carry and he'd leave it to the lawyers about the interpretation of the new law.

Paul Valone, President of GRNC, has met with Troxler last Monday. As Valone says, Troxler is not known as a liberal or anti-gun but that still doesn't make him right. GRNC will be going to court seeking a temporary restraining order before the fair opens in about a week.

Maybe October 1st Is An Auspicious Day After All

Today, October 1st, marks the start of a number of things - some good and some bad.

Of course, you'd have to be living in a cabin in Montana with no electricity, no water, and no radio/TV like the Unabomber not to know that the Federal government has "shut down" today. Obama is blaming the Republicans for being ideologues and the Republicans are blaming the Democrats and Obama for continually rejecting the budget.

Another thing that today marks is the beginning of ObamaCare. This is otherwise known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. We still don't quite know what is in even after they passed it despite what former Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.

October 1st is also the first day that we in North Carolina can carry concealed in restaurants that serve alcohol. Despite what the gun prohibitionists would have you believe, you still cannot legally drink and carry concealed. The same law will now also allow you to store your firearm in your locked vehicle if you hold a concealed carry permit while on educational property. This means that when I go to teach on Monday nights at the western-most state university in North Caroloina, so long as I store my pistol in my car vault, I'm good to go. The very thought has the Dookies upset and they are demanding that their administration proclaim to all the world that their university which has decided not to allow guns on campus is a gun-free zone.

On a final note, October 1st also marks the day that the Civilian Marksmanship's Anniston (Alabama) is opening the CMP Custom Gun Shop which will work on most USGI rifles. This program is open to anyone who has qualified to purchase rifles from the CMP.

CMP will specialize in working on the M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, 1903 and 1903A3 Springfield, the 1917 Enfield and the Krag. Other rifles like the Remington 40X, Mossberg 44 and H&R Model 12 can also be serviced if needed. CMP will NOT be working on shotguns, pistols, revolvers, M14/M1A, AR15 style rifles or other commercially-produced modern rifles.

The CMP Custom Shop can work on rifles that may have been purchased elsewhere as long as they were made by a USGI contractor. Some examples include: Springfield Armory (not Springfield Inc.), Harrington & Richardson, Winchester, International Harvester, Remington, Rock Island, Eddystone, Inland, Underwood, Rock-Ola, Quality Hardware, National Postal meter, Standard Products, IBM, Irwin-Pederson and Saginaw.

There are many NON-USGI copies of the M1 Garand, 1903 Springfield and especially the M1 Carbine that CMP will be unable to work on.

Maybe, despite all the nonsense going on and coming out of Washington, at least for those of us in the gun culture October 1st will prove to be quite an auspicious day after all.

GRNC On HB 937 Being Signed Into Law

Grass Roots North Carolina released a statement last night thanking Gov. Pat McCrory (R-NC) for signing HB 937 into law. While they are more generous towards the governor than I was in the last post, it is probably because they are better at this political stuff than I am.

They are also asking people to send a note of thanks to McCrory, Speaker Thom Tillis (R-Mecklenburg), and Senate President Pro-Tem Phil Berger (R-Rockingham). I think that is a smart idea. Politicians too often hear from us when they've screwed up or done something to piss us off. They need to hear from us with the attaboys as well. It will help reinforce their "proper behavior" when it comes to gun rights.

From GRNC:

HB 937 Finally Becomes Law!

Governor signs HB 937 just minutes ago…

GRNC has learned that Governor McCrory has just signed HB 937 into law. After a long and sometimes hard fight to push HB 937 through the North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA) and onto the Governor’s desk, victory is finally at hand. More information concerning this issue will follow in future GRNC alerts, but for now we can take a collective breath and celebrate by thanking those who have worked hard to move HB 937 from the House and Senate all the way to the Governor’s desk.

Below, you will see contact information for many of the key legislators involved. Please take a moment to thank them for their hard work and dedication. Above all, GRNC would like to thank all of YOU for your tireless efforts through this process! Without your dedication and steadfast resolve, HB 937 would have been left on the shelf or buried in yet another obscure committee to die a low death. Despite efforts to derail HB 937 at several points in its journey, Grass Roots North Carolina worked hard to claim victory and that victory would not have been possible without YOUR help!

Thank you to all of our members and volunteers!

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

• Contact legislators: Using the contact info below, contact those legislators that worked hard to pass HB 937 and thank them for their resolve.
• Support GRNC: GRNC needs your support to help combat the efforts against your rights as gun owners. Join or renew your membership! http://www.grnc.org/join-grnc/join-grnc-online

CONTACT INFO

Speaker Thom Tillis: Thom.Tillis@ncleg.net

Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger: Phil.Berger@ncleg.net

Gov. Pat McCrory: Email using webpage at http://www.governor.state.nc.us/contact/email-pat

Use the following cut-and-paste email list to contact NC House Republicans and Senators:
Justin.Burr@ncleg.net Tim.Moore@ncleg.net Larry.Pittman@ncleg.net Jacqueline.Schaffer@ncleg.net Tom.Apodaca@ncleg.net Buck.Newton@ncleg.net

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

Suggested Subject: "Thank you for passing HB 937!"

Dear Speaker Tillis/President Pro Tem Phil Berger/Governor Pat McCrory/Representative/Senator:

I wanted to take a moment and thank you for all of your hard work and effort in passing HB 937 and getting it to the Governor’s desk in a timely manner. This bill will undoubtedly enable safe and sane gun owners in North Carolina to better protect themselves and their families and it will also provide stiffer penalties for those who commit crimes with guns.

Again, thank you for your hard work and diligence!

Respectfully,

Gov. McCrory Signs HB 937 Into Law

Gov. Pat McCrory (R-NC) signed HB 937 into law today. In a release regarding the signing of many bills, he said in reference to this bill:

HB 937 (Reps. Schaffer, Burr, Faircloth and Cleveland) Amend Various Firearms Laws - This legislation amends state firearms laws.

“This legislation prohibits guns in classrooms, dorms, and administrative buildings on college campuses. Additionally, this legislation gives bar owners the authority to prohibit guns in their establishments. Following my threat of a veto, we worked closely with law enforcement officials across the state so that changes were made to the original legislation. This ensured that permitting is still required for a concealed carry permit and is implemented at the local level.” – Governor Pat McCrory

“Like many North Carolinians, I am a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment. As a 34-year veteran of law enforcement here in North Carolina, I believe it’s important that Sherriff’s offices continue to administer the certification process for concealed carry permits. I would like to thank Governor Pat McCrory for his efforts on behalf of public safety in ensuring this common sense provision remained in HB 937.” – Guilford County Sherriff BJ Barnes

I'm glad that McCrory signed the bill but his and Barnes' description of what was left out of the bill is as full of crap as the drivel from the gun prohibitionists regarding guns in restaurants and bars.

As much as I would have liked it, no version of the bill ever proposed having concealed carry within classrooms, dorms, or other university buildings. The bill only addressed employees living on campus and permit holder storing firearms in their locked vehicles - and this was left in the bill despite the objections of the University of North Carolina System and its administration.

Even worse is the suggestion that the Concealed Handgun Permit was going to be taken from the state's sheriffs. What was going to be dropped with the Jim Crow-era law that allowed sheriffs to deny African-Americans handguns. This was the pistol purchase permit system which still is administered in disparate ways county to county. This bill will correct some of that.

To say I'm not pleased by the comments of either the governor or Sheriff Barnes is an understatement.

UPDATE: To answer a question posed in the comments as to when the law becomes effective, for the most part, it will be October 1, 2013.

The only section that specifically goes into effect immediately is Section 17.3. This section instructs sheriffs to go through the outstanding pistol purchase permits that have been issued to see if any of them need to be revoked because the holder has become a prohibited person under the standards set forth in GS 14-404(h).

GS 14-404(h) was established by Section 17.2(a) of the bill. Subsection (h) states:

the occurrence of any event or condition subsequent to the issuance of the permit, or the applicant's subsequent inability to meet a requirement under this Article, which would have resulted in a denial of the application submitted to obtain the permit if the event, condition, or the applicant's current inability to meet a statutory requirement had existed at the time of the application and prior to the issuance of the permit .

HB 937 Passes Both Houses And Is Sent To Governor

It appears that the North Carolina General Assembly can get its act together when it is under time pressure. The amended HB 937 was passed by both houses of the General Assembly this evening. Earlier reports had it being on the calendar for tomorrow.

The vote was 73-41 in favor of the amendment from the Conference Committee in the House while the Senate passed it by a vote of 32-14. The roll call of the votes are not available yet.

Agreement Reached On HB 937

The Conference Committee hammering out differences between the Senate version and the House version of HB 937 has reported back to the North Carolina General Assembly with an amended bill which can be found here.

The bill has been put on the legislative calendar for an up-down vote tomorrow. I would expect it to pass.

I will have more on the changes as I read the Committee's report.

UPDATE: The bill stays the same except for Sections 17 and 18.  The changes include:

• Section 17.1 drops the word "license" from § 14-403.
• Section 17.2(a) changes § 14-404 to require that a person denied a pistol purchase permit be given the reason for the denial; that the denial include specific facts as to why the applicant was denied including listing by statute number the applicable law. 
•  Section 17.2(a) requires the sheriff to keep a list of denials, minus the personally identifying information, including the specific reason for a denial as a public record.
• Section 17.2(a) requires the Clerk of Court to send records to the NICS System within 48 hours of being notified of any judicial finding, court order, or other factual matters that would cause a person to be denied a permit under
  § 14-404
•  Section 17.2(a) sets the cost of a purchase permit at $5; does not allow any limit on the number or frequency of permits issued to an individual; does not allow the sheriff charge extra for the investigation, processing, or medical background checks; and requires either a permit or denial be given to the applicant within 14 days.
• Section 17.2(a) requires the revocation of a permit for anything that happens subsequent to the permit's issuance that would have denied a permit in the first place. Also required is that the permit holder surrender his or her permit when notified of its revocation.
• Section 17.2(b) requires a report from the Administrative Office of the Courts regarding the implementation of the Clerk of Court NICS System notification requirement.
• Section 17.2(c) sets the effective date for NICS System notification at July 1, 2014; for the remainder of Section 17.2(a) at October 1, 2013; and for the rest of Section 17 immediately upon becoming law.
• Section 17.3 requires the sheriff of a county to examine the validity of all outstanding permits by January 31, 2014. If there are any that would be subject to revocation, he or she is to take steps as detailed above. A report is required from each sheriff on results of their review by March 31, 2014.
• Section 17.4 requires sheriffs to keep a record of permits issued as well as denials. These records are non-public and confidential.
• Section 18 just makes a minor clerical change to GS 14-315(b1)(1) which concerns a prohibition on giving or selling weapons to minors.

Time To Turn The Screws Down On Republicans In NC

It is time for the Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly to either put up or shut up. They talk a good game when they want gun owners votes but when given a chance to actually send a decent gun bill to the governor, they waffle and drag their feet.

HB 937 which would amend a number of gun laws in North Carolina has passed both the House and the Senate in different forms. When given a choice on passing the stronger of the two versions, the House Republicans waffled and sent it to a conference committee. Now the conference committee which is composed entirely of Republicans is dragging its feet. The General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn this coming Friday.

We went through this garbage in the last session where one house passed restaurant carry and then it was never acted upon by the other house. It is time for this nonsense to stop. The conference committee needs to report out a bill without garbage attached to it and to do it now.

As Grass Roots North Carolina notes in their alert below, Republicans will be held accountable if they fail to pass this bill. Instead of considering a bill to honor All-American Cities, why not do something that is substantive and not symbolic?

The clock to adjournment is ticking...IT IS TIME TO BRING THE HEAT!

While the gun rights of North Carolinians hang in the balance, Republican leadership can't stop playing political games. They are being manipulated by the competing misguided interests of the NC Sheriffs' Association (NCSA) and NRA.

The political angst has reached the level that Rep. Jacqueline Schaffer has begun emailing accusations that GRNC is spreading “inaccurate information”. GRNC President Paul Valone quickly responded:

“As I just told your legislative assistant, Sharon, I would love to know what is "inaccurate" about our reporting. My understanding was that to close what you yourself have called the "arming felons loophole," sans repeal of all or part of the purchase permit statute, you suggested requiring NICS checks if purchase permits were older than 30 days. As we have said all along (and I have numerous positions issued to Republicans to this effect), punishing gun owners for the malfeasance of the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association is unacceptable to us. So please, tell me what is "inaccurate," before I am forced to report to 87,000 gun owners that it is actually you who is disseminating false information.“

It is time to stop the blame game and pandering to NCSA and NRA. These organizations didn't elect the Assembly. You did. Have they forgotten who they represent?

Apparently they need another reminder. GRNC has set-up a “Pass HB 937” petition at http://grnc.org/pass-h937 that will help the politicians focus on the issue. Sign it, and pass along the link to your friends.

The Assembly is set to adjourn this Friday. We only have a few more days to instill sense in both the Assembly and Governor McCrory and get this bill passed.

We have fought for years for this progress. Failure IS NOT AN OPTION!

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

You need to do three things:

1. Call the three Republican leaders, Gov. McCrory, Speaker Tillis, President Pro Tempore Berger;
2. Sign the petition and forward it to others; and
3. Send the copy-and-paste message to all Republicans in the NC House and Senate

MAKE SURE TO BOTH CALL AND EMAIL Sen. Berger, Speaker Tillis and Gov. McCrory. This is our last chance to make an impression. Let's make it GOOD!

CONTACT INFORMATION

Speaker Thom Tillis, 919-733-3451, Email: Thom.Tillis@ncleg.net

Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, 919-733-5708, Email: Phil.Berger@ncleg.net

Gov. Pat McCrory, 919-814-2000, Email using BOTH this address governor.office@nc.gov AND the webpage at http://www.governor.state.nc.us/contact/email-pat

Use the following cut-and-paste email list to contact NC House Republicans:

Dean.Arp@ncleg.net; Marilyn.Avila@ncleg.net; John.Bell@ncleg.net; Hugh.Blackwell@ncleg.net; Jamie.Boles@ncleg.net; Robert.Brawley@ncleg.net; Brian.Brown@ncleg.net; Rayne.Brown@ncleg.net; Rob.Bryan@ncleg.net; Dana.Bumgardner@ncleg.net; Justin.Burr@ncleg.net; Rick.Catlin@ncleg.net; George.Cleveland@ncleg.net; Jeff.Collins@ncleg.net; Debra.Conrad@ncleg.net; Leo.Daughtry@ncleg.net; Ted.Davis@ncleg.net; Jimmy.Dixon@ncleg.net; Josh.Dobson@ncleg.net; Jerry.Dockham@ncleg.net; Nelson.Dollar@ncleg.net; Jeffrey.Elmore@ncleg.net; John.Faircloth@ncleg.net; Jim.Fulghum@ncleg.net; Mike.Hager@ncleg.net; Jon.Hardister@ncleg.net; Kelly.Hastings@ncleg.net; Mark.Hollo@ncleg.net; Bryan.Holloway@ncleg.net; Craig.Horn@ncleg.net; Julia.Howard@ncleg.net; Pat.Hurley@ncleg.net; Frank.Iler@ncleg.net; Charles.Jeter@ncleg.net; Linda.Johnson2@ncleg.net; Bert.Jones@ncleg.net; Jonathan.Jordan@ncleg.net; Donny.Lambeth@ncleg.net; James.Langdon@ncleg.net; David.Lewis@ncleg.net; Chris.Malone@ncleg.net; Susan.Martin@ncleg.net; Pat.McElraft@ncleg.net; Chuck.McGrady@ncleg.net; Allen.McNeill@ncleg.net; Chris.Millis@ncleg.net; Tim.Moffitt@ncleg.net; Tim.Moore@ncleg.net; Tom.Murry@ncleg.net; Michele.Presnell@ncleg.net; Nathan.Ramsey@ncleg.net; Dennis.Riddell@ncleg.net; Stephen.Ross@ncleg.net; Jason.Saine@ncleg.net; Ruth.Samuelson@ncleg.net; Jacqueline.Schaffer@ncleg.net; Mitchell.Setzer@ncleg.net; Phil.Shepard@ncleg.net; Paul.Stam@ncleg.net; Edgar.Starnes@ncleg.net; Bob.Steinburg@ncleg.net; Sarah.Stevens@ncleg.net; Michael.Stone@ncleg.net; John.Szoka@ncleg.net; Thom.Tillis@ncleg.net; John.Torbett@ncleg.net; Rena.Turner@ncleg.net; Harry.Warren@ncleg.net; Andy.Wells@ncleg.net; Roger.West@ncleg.net; Chris.Whitmire@ncleg.net

Use the following cut-and-paste email list to contact NC Senate Republicans:

Austin.Allran@ncleg.net, Tom.Apodaca@ncleg.net, Chad.Barefoot@ncleg.net, Tamara.Barringer@ncleg.net, Phil.Berger@ncleg.net, Stan.Bingham@ncleg.net, Andrew.Brock@ncleg.net, Harry.Brown@ncleg.net, Peter.Brunstetter@ncleg.net, Bill.Cook@ncleg.net, David.Curtis@ncleg.net, Warren.Daniel@ncleg.net, Jim.Davis@ncleg.net, Thom.Goolsby@ncleg.net, Rick.Gunn@ncleg.net, Kathy.Harrington@ncleg.net, Fletcher.Hartsell@ncleg.net, Ralph.Hise@ncleg.net, Neal.Hunt@ncleg.net, Brent.Jackson@ncleg.net, Wesley.Meredith@ncleg.net, Buck.Newton@ncleg.net, Louis.Pate@ncleg.net, Ron.Rabin@ncleg.net, Bill.Rabon@ncleg.net, Shirley.Randleman@ncleg.net, Bob.Rucho@ncleg.net, Norman.Sanderson@ncleg.net, Dan.Soucek@ncleg.net, Jeff.Tarte@ncleg.net, Jerry.Tillman@ncleg.net, Tommy.Tucker@ncleg.net, Trudy.Wade@ncleg.net

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

Suggested Subject: Republicans will be held responsible for failure of HB 937

Dear Speaker Tillis/President Pro Tem Phil Berger/Governor Pat McCrory/Representative/Senator:

NC gun owners have worked too hard for too long and have spent too much time and money supporting politicians claiming to be pro-Second Amendment. If HB 937, the omnibus gun bill, fails to be passed into law we will hold you responsible.

You need to make sure this bill leaves the conference committee and is signed by Gov. McCrory. We've had enough of the political games. HB 937 must be signed into law this year or there will be a price to be paid during the next election.

You owe this to NC gun owners who are largely responsible for your election. Do not disappoint us.

I will be following progress through Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts.

Respectfully,

What Sheriff Bailey Didn't Say

Mecklenburg County Sheriff Chipp Bailey is one of the North Carolina sheriffs who is determined to retain the state's racist, Jim Crow-era pistol purchase permit system. In an interview given to WCNC-TV of Charlotte, Sheriff Bailey contends that the pistol purchase permit system would have prevented the shooters in Tucson, Virginia Tech, and Aurora from obtaining their pistols.

Mecklenburg County Sheriff Chipp Bailey said that he agrees with every law-abiding citizen’s right to own firearms, but says he wants the state to continue to allow his office the right to dispense permits, because of the NICS system does not catch all mental health issues.

"We also check our transport logs for involuntary commits and those kinds of things which wouldn't be picked up by NICS or some other device." Sheriff Bailey said, "I think it’s important for us to know who is being permitted for firearms or who is going out to buy firearms...until the process gets where you can really count on it, then I think the sheriff's need to be involved with it."

There is only one little flaw in Sheriff Bailey's argument. Once the permit which is good for five years is issued, it can't be revoked. It also substitutes for the NICS check. Thus, a person who based a background check up to five years ago can take their permit to a FFL, present their permit, buy a gun, and avoid the NICS check. If they have committed a felony, a misdemeanor involving domestic violence, or had been adjudicated mentally ill after being issued the permit, they could still obtain a firearm. I don't think the fact that they would be committing a Federal felony by lying on the ATF Form 4473 would matter much to such a person.

The Charlotte Observer - Sheriff Bailey's local paper - did an analysis on pistol purchase permits. It found more than 60 felons in Mecklenburg County alone held pistol purchase permits. A NICS check would have caught these felons when they tried to purchase a firearm.




Mecklenburg County is also lagging the state in the issuance of Concealed Handgun Permits according to the most recent data. As Sean points out here, something is a little fishy when Mecklenburg County has only seen a rise of 2.83% in new permits as compared to the statewide figure of 9.36%. Moreover, just slightly smaller Wake County has issued 4.5 times as many permits in the same time period.

I think Sheriff Bailey, despite his so-called support for the citizen's right to own a firearm, has some explaining to do.

Screwing Up HB 937

It was not bad enough that the North Carolina House didn't concur with the Senate on the changes to HB 937 but now the House sponsor Rep. Jacqueline Schaffer (R-Mecklenburg) and House chair of the Conference Committee is proposing to make it worse. I could make snide comments about Mecklenburg County politicians such as Tillis, Schaffer, and McCrory screwing up the state for the rest of the 99 counties but I won't.

Grass Roots North Carolina has the details below in an alert sent out late last night.

A DEAL TO PUNISH GUN OWNERS

HB 937 was making the partial repeal of the current Jim Crow-era pistol permit system look like a reality. Then, the political pressure mounted.

GRNC has learned that the partial repeal of the current, old-fashioned system is in jeopardy, and worse, the current system might become even more complicated and restrictive. The NRA has not “signed off” on the partial repeal of the old permit system, and worse, someone has convinced HB 937 sponsor, Rep. Jacqueline Michelle Schaffer, to modify the language such that NICS checks are to be required for pistols purchased with permits more than 30 days old.

There are two problems with this:

1. The NCSA has already said that NICS checks are not adequate. So why subject law-abiding gun owners to additional pointless background checks?
2. According to GRNC President, Paul Valone, "This action would punish innocent gun owners for the malfeasance of the NCSA, and is unacceptable!"

Speaker Tillis, Representative Schaffer and Governor McCrory are poised to bow to the NCSA pressure. This would be a major sellout of North Carolina gun owners. If political pressure pushes these politicians to punish us, GRNC may encourage gun owners to sit out the 2014 midterm elections. The Speaker, Rep. Schaffer, Gov. McCrory and all of the Republicans in Raleigh need to know that they can’t take gun owners for granted, and any anti-gun actions will not be tolerated. See below to learn what you can do to let these politicians know what you think of their proposed anti-gun deal.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

PHONE SPEAKER TILLIS, REPRESENTATIVE SCHAFFER AND GOVERNOR McCRORY.
E-MAIL THE SPEAKER, REP. SCHAFFER AND THE GOVERNOR.

CONTACT INFO

Speaker Tillis: 919-733-3451

Rep. Schaffer: 919-733-5886

Governor McCrory: (919) 814-2000

Phone them and tell them that you know about their anti-gun scheme, and you won't be taken for granted. Tell them that following through on the plan to worsen our already old-fashioned pistol permit system may hurt all Republicans in Raleigh by forcing you to consider sitting out the 2014 midterm elections.

Use the following e-mail addresses and link to deliver the message below:

Thom.Tillis@ncleg.net

Jacqueline.Schaffer@ncleg.net

E-mail the Governor using this link:

http://www.governor.state.nc.us/contact/email-pat

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

Suggested Subject: "Don't Punish Gun Owners"

Dear Speaker Tillis, Representative Schaffer, and Governor McCrory:

I have recently learned of a compromise being considered regarding HB 937, and I am writing to tell you that making our state’s outdated pistol permit system even worse than it already is will not help your esteem in the eyes of gun owners. Simply leaving the current Jim Crow-era system in place would be bad enough. However, what is being proposed would create a system that is even more difficult for law-abiding citizens to navigate than the current system. The new proposal would add a new thirty-day limit to permit validity, which would then require a point-of-sale NICS check. This is not acceptable.

It is the decades-long malfeasance of the NCSA and their support of a current system that has allowed the “arming felons” loophole to remain in place. Keeping this old-fashioned system, and then making it yet even more complicated and unjust is not an improvement. In fact, if this new restriction to the current permit system is added, I, and surely thousands of other gun owners in North Carolina, may sit out the 2014 midterm elections. Gun owning voters will not be taken for granted.

I strongly urge you to stand firm against the political pressure to compromise at the expense of gun owners. This is not an acceptable compromise by any stretch, and if it happens, the Republicans will be held responsible, and they will feel it at the polls.

I will be monitoring the status of this issue via Grass Roots North Carolina alerts.

Respectfully,

GRNC Alert On The HB 937 Conference Committee

Grass Roots North Carolina issued an alert last night regarding the move the NC House to send HB 937 to a Conference Committee. The move, while disappointing, was not unexpected given the staunch opposition by the NC Sheriffs Association to doing away with the Jim Crow-era pistol purchase permit system. There had been rumors that Gov. Pat McCrory (R-NC) would veto the bill if that provision was not removed as a way to placate the sheriffs.

The alert from GRNC encourages gun rights supporters to contact Speaker Thom Tills (R-Mecklenburg), Sen. President Pro-Tem Phil Berger (R-Rockingham), and Gov. McCrory to demand that, with the exception of the pistol purchase permit system, nothing else be dropped from the bill.

From GRNC:

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:

1. Other aspects of the bill will not be weakened in committee and will, in fact, likely be strengthened in at least one respect;
2. 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
3. The bill will pass THIS YEAR.

Thanks to the stalwarts

First, GRNC wishes to thank the 18 stalwart gun rights supporters who voted for concurrence, even in the face of pressure to weaken the bill. They are: Representative(s): Bell, J.; Brawley, R.; Brody; Bumgardner; Catlin; Elmore; Faircloth; Ford; Hastings; Jones; Jordan; Millis; Pittman; Presnell; Shepard; Speciale; Stone; Torbett.

Conference committee members

We do NOT recommend beating on the following legislators who have been appointed to the conference committee, since they are generally strong Second Amendment supporters with excellent voting records. We are particularly heartened by the fact that the Senate Chair is Sen. Buck Newton, primary architect of the Senate improvements to HB 937. The conferees are:

House: Rep. Jacqueline Michelle Schaffer, Chair; Rep. Justin P. Burr; Rep. John Faircloth; Rep. George G. Cleveland.

Senate: Sen. E. S. (Buck) Newton, Chair, Sen. Kathy Harrington, Sen. Andrew C. Brock, Sen. Shirley B. Randleman.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

CALL & EMAIL Speaker Thom Tillis, Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger and Gov. Pat McCrory.

Contact Information

Speaker Thom Tillis, 919-733-3451,
Email: Thom.Tillis@ncleg.net

Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, (919) 733-5708
Email: Phil.Berger@ncleg.net

Gov. Pat McCrory, (919) 814-2000,
Email using webpage at http://www.governor.state.nc.us/contact/email-pat

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

Suggested Subject: Keep HB 937 Strong

Dear Speaker Tillis/President Pro Tem Phil Berger/Governor Pat McCrory:

While I am disappointed that Republican leaders bowed to demands by the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association, which seems to oppose repeal of the Jim Crow-era pistol purchase permit law entirely for reasons of power and money, I remain optimistic that leadership will deliver a strong bill to the gun-owning voters who elected them.

It goes without saying that all other aspects of House Bill 937 must remain entirely intact. Beyond that, any "compromise" worked out on the purchase permit repeal must: (1) Not impose additional burdens on gun owners, including (but not limited to) record-keeping on firearm transfers and restrictions and limitations on permits; and (2) Close the "arming felons loophole" by repealing at least the portion of the law dealing with dealer transfers.

Realizing that conferees will be acting only on the approval of leadership, I will hold you responsible for the HB 937 conference committee report. I hope to tell other gun-owning voters, in future elections, that you supported their rights. I will closely monitor this issue via Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts.

Respectfully,

NRA-ILA On HB 937 And Vote To Send To Conference Committee

The NRA-ILA released a statement today on the North Carolina House of Representatives vote to send HB 937 to a conference committee instead of concurring with the Senate version of the bill. They state that they don't see this necessarily as an anti-gun vote as the bill was stalled due to the intransigence of the North Carolina Sheriffs Association and pistol purchase permits.

From the NRA-ILA:

Today, the North Carolina House of Representatives voted 100-14 to not concur with the Senate version of an omnibus firearms reform bill, House Bill 937. H 937 will now be sent to a House-Senate Conference Committee to resolve the differences between the two versions of this bill. This was not an anti-gun vote, as H 937 had stalled due to the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association objecting to the provision that would repeal the outdated and unnecessary state law requiring anyone who wishes to purchase a handgun to first obtain a permit from her or his county sheriff. The non-concurrence vote was necessary to move H 937 forward since there was some confusion among state legislators regarding this particular provision.

Now that H 937 will be considered in a conference committee, the NRA will continue to work directly with state legislators to ensure that this bill is passed and enacted this year. The NRA will oppose any efforts to weaken any provision of H 937. While we remain committed to repealing this obsolete and inefficient requirement, our primary goal for this year is to pass and enact the most comprehensive pro-gun version of H 937 possible.

As I stated earlier, the conference committee does have a number of pro-gun leaders such as Sen. Buck Newton on the committee so we can still get a good, if not perfect, gun bill passed.

Finally! (updated)

House Bill 937 - Amend Various Firearms Laws - is finally on the legislative agenda of the North Carolina House for a concurrence vote today. The House is voting on the Senate Committee Substitute which, among other things, kills off that legacy of the Jim Crow era the pistol purchase permit system.

The House convenes today at 10am.

I will have results of the vote up as soon as it is available.

UPDATE: Gun owners just got screwed.Whether we got royally screwed will be determined by what comes out of the Conference Committee.

The House failed to concur on the Senate version of HB 937 by a vote of 100-14 and the bill was sent to a Conference Committee. It looks like the House kow-towed to the opposition of the bill from the NC Sheriffs Association. I'm sure opposition by the University of North Carolina System also played a part.

The Committee members from the House are the primary sponsors of the bill: Representatives Jacqueline Schaffer (R-Mecklenburg), Justin Burr (R-Stanley), John Faircloth (R-Guilford), and George Cleveland (R-Onslow). Schaffer is the chair of the Conference Committee for the House.

Burr and Cleveland were rated as 4 star by GRNC-PVF while Faircloth was rated a 3 star. Schaffer, a House freshman, did not return the GRNC-PVF questionnaire and thus automatically earned zero starts.

The details of the roll call vote are not yet posted

Despite some rumors to the contrary, Grass Roots North Carolina was always pushing for concurrence with the Senate.

UPDATE II: Grass Roots North Carolina has released the following statement regarding HB 937 and the House's failure to concur with the Senate.

Although only 14 stalwarts voted for concurrence on HB 937, we have received assurances from the Speaker's office that: (1) All provisions other than the purchase permit repeal will remain in the bill; (2) The limited campus carry will actually be slightly improved; (3) Although a full purchase permit repeal is unlikely (owing partially to the fact McCrory would likely veto it), negotiations are underway on a compromise which the Speaker has said would satisfy all parties; and (4) The bill would be passed this year.

Consequently, we do not suggest beating on leadership yet. In coming days, GRNC will be working closely with conferees to ensure a strong bill is sent back to both chambers for concurrence. Additional details will be released as they become available.

The final roll call vote has been changed to 96 yea and 18 nay. The breakdown can be found here. A no vote was to concur with the Senate version of the bill.

UPDATE III: The State Senate has appointed their four members of the Conference Committee. The Senate chair is Sen. Buck Newton (R-Wilson) who is not only rated 4 stars by the GRNC-PVF but is one of the staunchest supporters of Second Amendment issues in the General Assembly.

The remaining members from the Senate are Senators Kathy Harrington (R-Gaston), Andrew Brock (R-Davie), and Shirley Randleman (R-Wilkes). Both Harrington and Brock are rated 4 stars. Randleman was not rated as she replaced a candidate (Sen. Don East) who had passed away just before the election. However, Randleman's answers to Project VoteSmart indicate she is pro-gun.

Given the Senate lineup, I am encouraged that with the exception of the pistol purchase permit issue we won't lose anything and may even gain.

The Push For Concurrence On HB 937 Continues

It appears that NC Speaker of the House Thom Tillis might be going wobbly on HB 937 and is also spreading misinformation on the position of Grass Roots North Carolina. With Tillis now an announced candidate for the US Senate to run for the seat held by Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC), it is time to ramp up the pressure on both Tillis and the rest of the Republicans in the North Carolina House.

From the latest GRNC alert:

It has come to our attention that the office of NC House Speaker Thom Tillis has told callers that GRNC "supports" removal of the pistol purchase permit repeal from House Bill 937 and the replacement of the measure with a study commission. That is a misstatement of GRNC's position.

With less than two weeks remaining in the legislative session, it became clear that Speaker Tillis, faced with Governor McCrory's acquiescence to demands by the NC Sheriffs' Assoc. to remove the purchase permit repeal, might simply kill the entire bill by bringing it to the floor and re-referring it committee, where it would languish, rather than choosing between gun owners and sheriffs.

HB 937 cannot be 'amended'

Meanwhile, input we have received suggests that gun owners are of two minds: One faction notes that the purchase permit repeal was not in the original bill, and that the substantial gains of restaurant carry, campus carry, assemblies for which admission is charged and more should not be risked for one provision we might be able to get later. Others want us to stand strong for the repeal because other aspects of the bill primarily benefit concealed handgun permit-holders more than other gun owners.

To those who have suggested we simply "amend" HB 937 to remove the purchase permit language, however, we are compelled to note that bills are not amendable on concurrence votes. The only option is for the House not to concur, in which case the bill goes to a conference committee comprising members of both chambers. Please note: Once the bill is in conference, we have no direct control over what comes out. The single and only alternative if we don't like what results would be to kill the bill in its entirety. It is for that reason GRNC has opposed sending the bill to conference.

GRNC strongly urges legislators to concur

In the position just sent to the NC House, GRNC continues to admonish legislators to vote for concurrence. Acknowledging that it is critical to keep the bill moving as the end of the session approaches, however, we also advised them that we will not track the vote on concurrence PROVIDED that the bill is not otherwise weakened in the conference committee. Although we cannot speak for other organizations, representatives of both the NRA and NCRPA have expressed support for the position.

Presuming the bill goes to a conference committee, here is what we will push for:

1. Keeping restaurant and campus carry and all other aspects in the bill;
2. Repeal or curtailment of the present purchase permit system; and
3. Inclusion of key legislators whom we can trust on the committee.

What GRNC will not accept

If, however, a weaker bill leaves the conference committee, any legislator who voted to send it to conference will be assessed as having voted against the interests of gun owners, which will be reflected in "Remember in November" candidate evaluations. This is intended to give the less resolute members of the Republican caucus "ownership" in what the committee produces.

In particular, there is one "deal killer" which may cause GRNC to oppose the bill: Shortening the duration for which purchase permits are valid, which is currently five years. Doing so would punish lawful gun owners for the malfeasance of the Sheriff's Association, which has known about and refused to address the system's flaws for decades.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

• CALL & EMAIL YOUR HOUSE REP: Have them tell NC House Speaker Thom Tillis that he should listen to millions of NC gun owners instead of 100 sheriffs by SUPPORTING A VOTE TO CONCUR on HB 937. The fact is that sheriffs and their entrenched, highly paid lobbyist have refused to address this problem for decades. Find your House rep by CLICKING HERE or going to: http://ncga.state.nc.us/representation/WhoRepresentsMe.aspx
• EMAIL ALL NC HOUSE REPUBLICANS: Tell them they don't have a "get-out-of-jail-free" card to vote against gun owners. If they vote against concurrence and HB 937 is weakened in conference committee, THEY WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. If they want the best and safest course of action, THEY SHOULD VOTE TO CONCUR. To email House Republicans, use the copy-and-paste email list below and either the suggested message or one of your own.

CONTACT INFO

Dean.Arp@ncleg.net, Marilyn.Avila@ncleg.net, John.Bell@ncleg.net, Hugh.Blackwell@ncleg.net, John.Blust@ncleg.net, Jamie.Boles@ncleg.net, Robert.Brawley@ncleg.net, Bill.Brawley@ncleg.net, Mark.Brody@ncleg.net, Brian.Brown@ncleg.net, Rayne.Brown@ncleg.net, Rob.Bryan@ncleg.net, Dana.Bumgardner@ncleg.net, Justin.Burr@ncleg.net, Rick.Catlin@ncleg.net, Jeff.Collins@ncleg.net, Debra.Conrad@ncleg.net, Leo.Daughtry@ncleg.net, Ted.Davis@ncleg.net, Jimmy.Dixon@ncleg.net, Josh.Dobson@ncleg.net, Jerry.Dockham@ncleg.net, Nelson.Dollar@ncleg.net, Jeffrey.Elmore@ncleg.net, John.Faircloth@ncleg.net, Carl.Ford@ncleg.net, Jim.Fulghum@ncleg.net, Mike.Hager@ncleg.net, Jon.Hardister@ncleg.net, Kelly.Hastings@ncleg.net, Mark.Hollo@ncleg.net, Bryan.Holloway@ncleg.net, Craig.Horn@ncleg.net, Julia.Howard@ncleg.net, Pat.Hurley@ncleg.net, Frank.Iler@ncleg.net, Charles.Jeter@ncleg.net, Linda.Johnson2@ncleg.net, Bert.Jones@ncleg.net, Jonathan.Jordan@ncleg.net, Donny.Lambeth@ncleg.net, James.Langdon@ncleg.net, David.Lewis@ncleg.net, Chris.Malone@ncleg.net, Susan.Martin@ncleg.net, Pat.McElraft@ncleg.net, Chuck.McGrady@ncleg.net, Allen.McNeill@ncleg.net, Chris.Millis@ncleg.net, Tim.Moffitt@ncleg.net, Tim.Moore@ncleg.net, Tom.Murry@ncleg.net, Michele.Presnell@ncleg.net, Nathan.Ramsey@ncleg.net, Dennis.Riddell@ncleg.net, Stephen.Ross@ncleg.net, Jason.Saine@ncleg.net, Ruth.Samuelson@ncleg.net, Jacqueline.Schaffer@ncleg.net, Mitchell.Setzer@ncleg.net, Phil.Shepard@ncleg.net, Michael.Speciale@ncleg.net, Paul.Stam@ncleg.net, Edgar.Starnes@ncleg.net, Bob.Steinburg@ncleg.net, Sarah.Stevens@ncleg.net, Michael.Stone@ncleg.net, John.Szoka@ncleg.net, Thom.Tillis@ncleg.net, John.Torbett@ncleg.net, Rena.Turner@ncleg.net, Harry.Warren@ncleg.net, Andy.Wells@ncleg.net, Roger.West@ncleg.net, Chris.Whitmire@ncleg.net

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

Suggested Subject: "Vote for concurrence on HB 937!"

Honorable Members of the North Carolina House:

Although a campaign by the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association to preserve sheriffs' power and money seems destined to send House Bill 937 ("Amend Various Firearms Laws") to a conference committee, I strongly urge you to vote against any motion not to concur (i.e. to concur with Senate changes) as the best and safest method of guarding against wholesale weakening of the bill.

I will be closely monitoring this matter via Grass Roots North Carolina Alerts.

Respectfully,

It Is Time To Demand Concurrence On HB 937

The North Carolina Senate took the House-passed HB 937 and made a good gun reform bill into a near great one. The North Carolina Sheriffs' Association in now balking on passage of the bill due to the elimination of the archaic and racist pistol purchase permit system run out of each county's sheriffs' department. As the alert below from Grass Roots North Carolina makes clear, what they really object to is a loss of power and a loss of revenue.

News stories about the recent shooting in Greenville, North Carolina are now trumpeting that the Pitt County Sheriffs' Department had turned down the shooter for a "gun permit" last year. The only problem is that North Carolina doesn't have a "gun permit." If what they are saying is that he was turned down for a pistol purchase permit by the sheriff, it certainly didn't stop the shooter from obtaining the shotgun which he used to wound four people. Nowhere in any of the stories about this shooting is mention made of just how the shooter did obtain the shotgun. He may have owned it for years, he may have stolen it, or he may have legally purchased it after a NICS check. We don't know but I would wager the reason we are hearing that the shooter was turned down for a "gun permit" is part of the effort to stymie HB 937.

From the GRNC Alert:

DEMAND CONCURRENCE ON HB 937

In recent days, the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association (NCSA) has flip flopped on its support for HB 937, a common sense bill that would modernize North Carolina’s gun laws, and allow law-abiding citizens to better defend themselves and their families from predators who do not pay attention to gun laws. The reason for the NCSA’s reversal on this bill clearly revolves around the money the sheriffs collect, and the power they maintain, through our State’s outdated pistol permit system.

Aside from the fees the sheriffs are currently charging in the current system, each county’s sheriff has unlimited power to decide who may or may not purchase a handgun. That means your county’s sheriff can arbitrarily deny anyone their Second Amendment rights, absent any due process. For these reasons: money and power, the NCSA does not want this shameful, Jim Crow-era leftover to be eliminated. But HB 937 would do just that. It would eliminate it, and replace it with the fair and reliable National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). This is a dependable, computerized system that has been tried and tested, and in thirty-six states it is the sole background check system, eliminating old-fashioned pistol permits.

The NCSA has had a lot to say about what it would mean to eliminate the current system, a system in which they hold all the power. Let’s examine their statements, and contrast them with the facts:

The NCSA Says: NICS obtains criminal records from North Carolina only regarding persons who are fingerprinted, which includes felons and some limited categories of misdemeanants. Many misdemeanants, punishable for up to two years in prison, are not fingerprinted and, therefore, are not reported to NICS.
The Fact Is: People convicted of state-level misdemeanors punishable by less than two years are not prohibited from owning firearms under federal law, meaning sheriffs want discretion to deny permits to people who are not prohibited.

The NCSA Says: North Carolina state law only requires the Clerks of Superior Court to report to NICS a limited category of those persons involved in an involuntary mental health commitment.
The Fact Is: According to the FBI, the NICS database encompasses: A person adjudicated mental defective or involuntarily committed to a mental institution or incompetent to handle own affairs, including dispositions to criminal charges of found not guilty by reason of insanity or found incompetent to stand trial.

The NCSA Says: Persons from North Carolina who are prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm, but who are likely to not be discovered by a NICS check, are persons who: Are under indictment or information in any court for a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year; Have been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year; are fugitives from justice; are unlawful users of or addicted to any controlled substance; have been adjudicated as mentally defective or have been committed to any mental institution; Who are subject to a court order restraining them from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or child of the intimate partner; or Who have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
The Fact Is: The FBI says otherwise. Their description of the contents of NICS cover all of the situations that the NCSA mentions above.

The NCSA Says: The pistol purchase permitting process in North Carolina is currently far superior to the NICS check and provides increased public safety for our citizens.
The Fact Is: For rifles and shotguns, the NICS is already used in North Carolina, and without objection from the NCSA. If NCSA considers NICS to be an inadequate means of background check, why has it not objected to its use as the sole background check system for long guns?

The NCSA Says: Sheriffs’ “local knowledge” gives them familiarity with local residents that goes above and beyond what the NICS can provide.
The Fact Is: NCSA's "local knowledge" argument is a stretch. Although sheriffs claim that familiarity with local residents gives them knowledge above and beyond that provided by NICS, the argument is rife with flaws. Just one example would be the fact that Mecklenburg County has processed 12,000 permits thus far for 2013. Is it the position of the NCSA that sheriffs in large counties routinely check tens of thousands of households? Unlikely.

The NCSA needs to get its facts straight, and the antiquated pistol permit system needs to be replaced with a proper, twenty-first century alternative. It’s also a fact that the NCSA’s misguided opposition to this one provision in HB 937, threatens to derail the entire bill. That’s a real problem.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

PHONE & E-MAIL SPEAKER THOM TILLIS
E-MAIL THE HOUSE MEMBERSHIP

Tell Speaker Tillis and the other elected members of the NC House that you’ve had enough of our outdated, Jim Crow pistol permit system.

CONTACT INFO
Call Speaker Thom Tillis, and ask that he bring HB 937 forward for a vote, and that he encourage his colleagues to vote for concurrence: 919-733-3451.

Use the following cut-and-paste email list to contact NC House Republicans:

Dean.Arp@ncleg.net; Marilyn.Avila@ncleg.net; John.Bell@ncleg.net; Hugh.Blackwell@ncleg.net; Jamie.Boles@ncleg.net; Robert.Brawley@ncleg.net; Brian.Brown@ncleg.net; Rayne.Brown@ncleg.net; Rob.Bryan@ncleg.net; Dana.Bumgardner@ncleg.net; Justin.Burr@ncleg.net; Rick.Catlin@ncleg.net; Jeff.Collins@ncleg.net; Debra.Conrad@ncleg.net; Leo.Daughtry@ncleg.net; Ted.Davis@ncleg.net; Jimmy.Dixon@ncleg.net; Josh.Dobson@ncleg.net; Jerry.Dockham@ncleg.net; Nelson.Dollar@ncleg.net; Jeffrey.Elmore@ncleg.net; John.Faircloth@ncleg.net; Jim.Fulghum@ncleg.net; Mike.Hager@ncleg.net; Jon.Hardister@ncleg.net; Kelly.Hastings@ncleg.net; Mark.Hollo@ncleg.net; Bryan.Holloway@ncleg.net; Craig.Horn@ncleg.net; Julia.Howard@ncleg.net; Pat.Hurley@ncleg.net; Frank.Iler@ncleg.net; Charles.Jeter@ncleg.net; Linda.Johnson2@ncleg.net; Bert.Jones@ncleg.net; Jonathan.Jordan@ncleg.net; Donny.Lambeth@ncleg.net; James.Langdon@ncleg.net; David.Lewis@ncleg.net; Chris.Malone@ncleg.net; Susan.Martin@ncleg.net; Pat.McElraft@ncleg.net; Chuck.McGrady@ncleg.net; Allen.McNeill@ncleg.net; Chris.Millis@ncleg.net; Tim.Moffitt@ncleg.net; Tim.Moore@ncleg.net; Tom.Murry@ncleg.net; Michele.Presnell@ncleg.net; Nathan.Ramsey@ncleg.net; Dennis.Riddell@ncleg.net; Stephen.Ross@ncleg.net; Jason.Saine@ncleg.net; Ruth.Samuelson@ncleg.net; Jacqueline.Schaffer@ncleg.net; Mitchell.Setzer@ncleg.net; Phil.Shepard@ncleg.net; Paul.Stam@ncleg.net; Edgar.Starnes@ncleg.net; Bob.Steinburg@ncleg.net; Sarah.Stevens@ncleg.net; Michael.Stone@ncleg.net; John.Szoka@ncleg.net; Thom.Tillis@ncleg.net; John.Torbett@ncleg.net; Rena.Turner@ncleg.net; Harry.Warren@ncleg.net; Andy.Wells@ncleg.net; Roger.West@ncleg.net; Chris.Whitmire@ncleg.net

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

Suggested Subject: "Sheriffs' Association Spreads Misinformation about Purchase Permits"

Honorable Members of the North Carolina House:

I have recently become aware that the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association (NCSA) has been distributing misinformation about our State's archaic pistol permit system, an outdated system that HB 937 seeks to replace with modern, computerized background checks. The NCSA has gone so far as to refer to the current system as "superior" even though it still contains the "arming felons loophole."

I am writing to inform you that I strongly support HB 937, as currently written, and I would consider a vote against concurrence to be an anti-gun vote. I encourage you in the strongest terms to vote for concurrence in order to strengthen and modernize our State’s gun laws.

Originally, the NCSA had supported the bill entirely, and even now they still claim to support it, but only oppose the provision that removes the purchase permit requirement. The NCSA seems desperate to hang on to last century’s permitting method, no doubt so they can continue to use it to collect fees that they are currently attempting to double, and to maintain unchecked power over who can obtain a pistol permit. I have done my research, and I strongly disagree with the NCSA’s new position.

I’ve learned that thirty-six states are already using the dependable, computerized National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) as the sole means of conducting background checks. I also know that the nature of our outdated pistol permit system opens the door for dangerous criminals to buy guns with pistol permits that were legally obtained before the criminals committed their crimes. These old-fashioned paper permits are not traceable nor are they revocable, and they remain valid for years. This “handguns for felons” loophole would be eliminated through use of the NICS.

The NICS is also a fair system in which everyone can expect to be treated equally under the law. Through the NICS, sane, law-abiding citizens cannot be denied their Second Amendment rights for arbitrary reasons. This is something that cannot be said of the current pistol permit system, which can be used to subjectively deny any citizen a pistol permit without due process. That is just wrong, and it’s time to do what’s right.

Again, I ask that you vote for concurrence on HB 937. A vote against concurrence would indeed be an anti-gun vote. Please do what’s right, and bring North Carolina’s gun laws into the twenty-first century. I will be monitoring your actions via Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts.

Respectfully,

Are NC Republicans Caving To Sheriffs' Association?

Gov. Pat McCrory (R-NC) seems to be caving to the demands of the NC Sheriffs' Association with regard to pistol purchase permits. According to GRNC, McCrory has instructed the House Republican Caucus to send HB 937 to a conference committee rather than to concur with the Senate version of the bill.

However, it should be noted that the House Republicans led by Speaker Thom Tillis are under no obligation to follow any instructions from McCrory. Tillis has announced his intention to run for the US Senate and will need the votes from gun rights supporters if he hopes to win the primary. As GRNC notes below, he needs to be reminded of this.

From GRNC:

Sheriffs' lobbyist more worried about his nearly $290,000 salary than the rights of NC gun owners…

It has become clear that the cabal committed to preserving NC’s embarrassing and obsolete Jim Crow-era pistol permit system is being led by NC Sheriffs' Association Executive Director, Eddie Caldwell. Not an elected Sheriff subject to the will of voters, but rather a lobbyist hired by the NCSA, he is clearly more interested in protecting his cushy job and benefits than the rights of North Carolinians.

HB 937 in jeopardy: McCrory needs spine injection

Worse, Governor Pat McCrory seems to be getting week in the knees in the face of sheriffs' demands, and has instructed the House Republican Caucus to vote not to concur and to send the bill to a House-Senate conference committee to remove the measure. What is at stake, however, is not just the purchase permit repeal, but the entire bill, including restaurant and campus carry. Why? Because if the bill goes to conference committee -- which will give the media and UNC more time to agitate, anything could be removed.

Latest round of GRNC radio spots highlight NCSA & McCrory

Caldwell is apparently trying to protect his nearly $290,000 per year compensation package after being blindsided by the purchase permit repeal addition to HB 937 in the Senate.

The whole sordid story is detailed in the GRNC video and radio spots just released HERE, or go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=JcEXhtDjXrs&feature=youtu.be

Implications of conference committee

GRNC has had extensive discussions with Senate Republicans, and we are certain they were sincere in the changes to HB 937 they made. There was no deliberate effort to cut out Eddie Caldwell and NCSA from legislative plans.

Currently, there have been no indications that the Governor intends to veto the bill, but he did tell the Republican Caucus that he wants the bill sent to conference committee to change the permit provision to one which "studies" the issue. Representatives for House leadership have indicated willingness to move "a" bill, but have not committed to what will be in it.

GRNC opposes the conference committee for the following reasons: As you may or may not know, once both chambers have passed different versions of a bill, it goes back to the first chamber for concurrence. By legislative rules, a bill cannot be amended on concurrence, so removing the PPP provision could only be done by voting not to concur and then sending the bill to a conference committee comprised of members from each chamber.

There are several problems with that, not the least of which is that once it goes there, we have absolutely no control over what comes out. Added to that, the media will get additional time to beat on Republicans for weakening amendments.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

We need gun owners to do four things:

• TELL McCRORY TO DEVELOP A SPINE: He should resist the feather-bedding of the NCSA, particularly given the fact that felons are bypassing background checks under the current system;
• CONTACT ALL NC SHERIFFS: Tell them the rights of NC gun-owning voters are more important than Eddie Caldwell’s pay.
• TELL SPEAKER TILLIS THE NEXT MOVE IS UP TO HIM: Tillis doesn't have to kowtow to either the NCSA or the Governor. Given his announced bid for Sen. Kay Hagan's seat, it would be shame for him to further alienate gun owners by failing to concur. Therefore, he should move quickly and resolutely to vote to concur.
• HELP GRNC PASS HB 937: GRNC has spent tens of thousands of dollars on radio spots, alerts and legislative team expenses to pass what could be the most pro-gun initiative in North Carolina history, but we can't do it without your support, so please go HERE or to: http://www.grnc.org/join-grnc/contribute

Contact Information

• GOVERNOR PAT McCRORY: First, email him BY CLICKING HERE or going to: www.governor.state.nc.us/contact/email-pat and then call him Wednesday morning at (919) 814-2000. Let McCrory know that contrary to what the Sheriffs' Association claims, HB 937 IMPROVES background checks. Even if you already called, call again.
• EMAIL & CALL SPEAKER THOM TILLIS: Let him know that you appreciate his earlier efforts, but that the Senate has upped the ante and now he needs to resist the power-hungry NC Sheriffs' Assoc. and pass HB 937 AS IS by making sure the House VOTES TO CONCUR. To contact Speaker Tillis, email Thom.Tillis@ncleg.net and call him on Wednesday morning at 919-733-3451.
• CALL YOUR NC HOUSE REP: Let him know the sheriffs' association has known about the "felon loophole" for decades and done nothing. Their objections ring false. Ask him/her to ask why the bill is in the House Rules Committee, where bills are generally consigned to die, and why it hasn't gotten a prompt committee hearing. Find your House rep by going HERE or to: http://ncga.state.nc.us/representation/WhoRepresentsMe.aspx
• EMAIL NC Sheriffs: Tell them the rights of law-abiding NC gun owners trump the selfish interest of a few Sheriffs.

Use the following cut-and-paste email list to contact NC Sheriffs:

terry.johnson@alamance-nc.com; cbowman@alexandercountync.gov; acsdrecords@skybest.com; tallen@co.anson.nc.us; sheriff@ashecountygov.com; kevin.frye@averycountync.gov; jordan@sheriff.co.beaufort.nc.us; john.holley@bertie.nc.gov; pbenston@bladenco.org; sheriffingram@brunsco.net; van.duncan@buncombecounty.org; admin@burkesheriff.org; dbriley@cabarruscounty.us; ajones@caldwellcountync.org; tperry@camdencountync.gov; asab@carteretcountygov.org; mwelch@caswellcountync.gov; coy@catawbacountync.gov; richard.webster@chathamsheriff.com; keith.lovin@cherokeecounty-nc.gov; dwayne.goodwin@chowan.nc.gov; claycountysheriff@claync.org; alan.norman@clevelandcounty.com; cbatten@columbusco.org; jmonette@cravencountync.gov; sheriff@ccsonc.org; susan.johnson@currituckcountync.gov; doug.doughtie@darenc.com; david.grice@davidsoncountync.gov; astokes@dcsonc.com; blakew@duplincountync.com; sheriff@shf.co.durham.nc.us; sheriff.knight@co.edgecombe.nc.us; schatzwt@fcso.us; acloninger@gcps.org; gatescoso@hotmail.com; anderson.mickey50@yahoo.com; sheriff@granvillecounty.org; lsmith@co.greene.nc.us; bbarnes@co.guilford.nc.us; frazierj@halifaxnc.com; lrollins@harnett.org; suttles@haywoodnc.net; SheriffMcDonald@hendersoncountync.org; juan.vaughan@hertfordcountync.gov; hpeterkin@hokesheriff.org; barbaradeese@yahoo.com; predmond@co.iredell.nc.us; sheriffashe@jacksonnc.org; sbizzell@jcso.org; sheriff@co.jones.nc.us; sheriff@leecountync.gov; chill@co.lenoir.nc.us; sheriffcarpenter@lincolnsheriff.org; rholland@maconnc.org; sheriffharwood@madisoncountysheriff.org; dgibbs@martincountyncgov.com; dgreene@mcdowellsheriff.org; daniel.bailey@mecklenburgcountync.gov; mcsd@mitchellcounty.org; mcsosheriff@montgomerycountync.com; lweaver@moorecountync.gov; dick.jenkins@nashcountync.gov; emcmahon@nhcgov.com; wardie.vincent@ncmail.net; sheriff@onslowcountync.gov; twpope@co.orange.nc.us; sheriff@co.pasquotank.nc.us; carson.smith@pendersheriff.com; etilley@perquimanscountync.gov; djones@personcounty.net; rnelks@pittcountync.gov; dhill@polknc.org; sheriff@co.randolph.nc.us; james.clemmons@richmondnc.com; sheriff@robesoncoso.org; spage@co.rockingham.nc.us; kevin.auten@rowancountync.gov; chris.francis@rutherfordcountync.gov; sheriff@intrstar.net; sheriff@scotlandsheriff.org; rjburris@co.stanly.nc.us; sheriff@co.stokes.nc.us; atkinsong@co.surry.nc.us; sheriffcochran@swaincountync.gov; sheriffmahoney@tcsonc.org; dliverman@tyrrellcso.net; eddiecathey@co.union.nc.us; pwhite@vancecounty.org; donnie.harrison@co.wake.nc.us; eagleeye@vance.net; jross@washconc.org; Len.Hagaman@watgov.org; carey.winders@waynegov.com; cshew@wilkescountysheriff.net; cwoodard@wilson-co.com; roliver@yadkincountync.gov; gary.banks@yanceycountync.gov

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

Suggested Subject: "Concur and Approve HB 937!"

To Gov. McCrory. Speaker Tillis and the NCSA:

Dear

If you cause House Bill 937 to be sent to conference committee for the pistol purchase permit repeal to be removed, you will be in the position of obstructing Point of Contact background checks for gun purchases.

The North Carolina Sheriffs' Association (NCSA) has known for decades about the loophole enabling felons to evade background checks. The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) has been in existence since 1998. What has the NCSA done to close this loophole?

Nothing. And the reason is as old as man himself: Power and money. If the measure dies and a felon uses a purchase permit to buy a firearm and then uses it in a crime, you will be responsible.

I strongly urge you to push for immediate House concurrence and final approval. Conference is too dangerous and potentially damaging to what now stands as a bill which balances Second Amendment freedoms with punishing violent predators. I will monitor your actions via Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts.

Sincerely,

NC Sheriffs' Associaton Threatens Passage Of HB 937

Just like any politician, there are some sheriffs in North Carolina who are resistant to give up a power over their constituents' lives. It doesn't matter that this power doesn't improve public safety, that it allows felons to purchase firearms without a NICS check, and that its intent when passed in 1919 was to keep African-Americans from being armed. The power in question is the pistol purchase permit issued by each county's sheriff and the resistance is coming from the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association.

The Sheriffs' Association is asking the NC House of Representatives to not concur with the State Senate on HB 937. Grass Roots North Carolina just released an alert about their opposition to HB 937.

Sheriffs' opposition could sink restaurant/campus carry and other initiatives!

The North Carolina Sheriffs' Association (NCSA) is pressuring both House Speaker Thom Tillis (R, Mecklenburg, GRNC ****) and NC Governor Pat McCrory (R, GRNC-***) to oppose GRNC's repeal of the antiquated pistol purchase permit system that has been in place since 1919. As part of omnibus gun bill HB 937, which contains restaurant and limited campus carry, the purchase permit law would be repealed IF the House votes to concur with Senate improvements to the bill and IF Gov. McCrory doesn't veto it.

Felons with purchase permits

The purchase permit law slated for elimination through HB 937 was designed to grant discriminatory power to NC Sheriffs and enable them to subjectively deny handguns to whoever they consider “undesirable." To this day, several counties abuse the permit system in ways that make it difficult for law-abiding citizens to rightfully obtain handguns.

Ironically, as documented by The Charlotte Observer, the law sheriffs defend is letting untold numbers of felons bypass background checks to buy guns. Why? Because the untrackable slips of paper issued by sheriffs after background checks can't be repealed and are good for 5 years. Eliminating the system would mean that checks using the National Instant Background Check System (NICS) would be done at the point of sale.

Sheriffs want money & power

Beyond the power to deny purchase permits for arbitrary reasons by claiming applicants don't have "good moral character" (whatever that means), consider the fact that currently proposed legislation will double the fees sheriffs collect. Are Sheriffs refusing to do what's right in order to maintain a cash cow worth millions?

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

Keep HB 937 from dying: Send 3 emails and make 3 phone calls:

• GOVERNOR PAT McCRORY: First, email him BY CLICKING HERE or going www.governor.state.nc.us/contact/email-pat and then call him Monday morning at (919) 814-2000. Let McCrory know that contrary to what the Sheriffs' Association claims, HB 937 IMPROVES background checks.
• EMAIL ALL NC SHERIFFS: Using the copy-and-paste list of emails and the message below.
• CALL YOUR SHERIFF: Ask them (1) Whether they oppose repeal of a Jim Crow law which allows felons to circumvent background checks, making law-abiding citizens vulnerable to gun control; and (2) Whether they know that is the position of the association which claims to represent them. Identify your sheriff by CLICKING HERE or going to: http://www.ncsheriffs.org/ncmap.htm
• EMAIL & CALL SPEAKER THOM TILLIS: Let him know that you appreciate his earlier efforts, but that the Senate has upped the ante and now he needs to resist the power-hungry NC Sheriffs' Assoc. and pass HB 937 AS IS by making sure the House VOTES TO CONCUR. To contact Speaker Tillis, email Thom.Tillis@ncleg.net and call him on Monday morning at 919-733-3451.
• HELP GRNC PASS HB 937: GRNC has spent tens of thousands of dollars on radio spots, alerts and legislative team expenses to pass what could be the most pro-gun initiative in North Carolina history, but we can't do it without your support, so please go to: http://www.grnc.org/join-grnc/contribute

Register your opinion with McCrory via Twitter:

I want @PatMcCroryNC to sign H937, Amend Various Gun Laws, NOW http://bit.ly/17QJ0Sy #GRNC #NCPOL #NCGA

CONTACT INFORMATION

Use the following copy-and-paste email list to contact Sheriffs:

terry.johnson@alamance-nc.com; cbowman@alexandercountync.gov; acsdrecords@skybest.com; tallen@co.anson.nc.us; sheriff@ashecountygov.com; kevin.frye@averycountync.gov; jordan@sheriff.co.beaufort.nc.us; john.holley@bertie.nc.gov; pbenston@bladenco.org; sheriffingram@brunsco.net; van.duncan@buncombecounty.org; admin@burkesheriff.org; dbriley@cabarruscounty.us; ajones@caldwellcountync.org; tperry@camdencountync.gov; asab@carteretcountygov.org; mwelch@caswellcountync.gov; coy@catawbacountync.gov; richard.webster@chathamsheriff.com; keith.lovin@cherokeecounty-nc.gov; dwayne.goodwin@chowan.nc.gov; claycountysheriff@claync.org; alan.norman@clevelandcounty.com; cbatten@columbusco.org; jmonette@cravencountync.gov; sheriff@ccsonc.org; susan.johnson@currituckcountync.gov; doug.doughtie@darenc.com; david.grice@davidsoncountync.gov; astokes@dcsonc.com; blakew@duplincountync.com; sheriff@shf.co.durham.nc.us; sheriff.knight@co.edgecombe.nc.us; schatzwt@fcso.us; ; acloninger@gcps.org; gatescoso@hotmail.com; anderson.mickey50@yahoo.com; sheriff@granvillecounty.org; lsmith@co.greene.nc.us; bbarnes@co.guilford.nc.us; frazierj@halifaxnc.com; lrollins@harnett.org; suttles@haywoodnc.net; rdavis@hendersoncountync.org; juan.vaughan@hertfordcountync.gov; hpeterkin@hokesheriff.org; barbaradeese@yahoo.com; predmond@co.iredell.nc.us; sheriffashe@jacksonnc.org; sbizzell@jcso.org; sheriff@co.jones.nc.us; sheriff@leecountync.gov; wsmith@co.lenoir.nc.us; sheriffcarpenter@lincolnsheriff.org; rholland@maconnc.org; sheriffharwood@madisoncountysheriff.org; dgibbs@martincountyncgov.com; dgreene@mcdowellsheriff.org; daniel.bailey@mecklenburgcountync.gov; mcsd@mitchellcounty.org; mcsosheriff@montgomerycountync.com; lweaver@moorecountync.gov; dick.jenkins@nashcountync.gov; emcmahon@nhcgov.com; wardie.vincent@ncmail.net; sheriff@onslowcountync.gov; twpope@co.orange.nc.us; sheriffsawyer@coastalnet.com; sheriff@co.pasquotank.nc.us; carson.smith@pendersheriff.com; etilley@perquimanscountync.gov; djones@personcounty.net; rnelks@pittcountync.gov; dhill@polknc.org; sheriff@co.randolph.nc.us; james.clemmons@richmondnc.com; sheriff@robesoncoso.org; spage@co.rockingham.nc.us; kevin.auten@rowancountync.gov; chris.francis@rutherfordcountync.gov; sheriff@intrstar.net; sheriff@scotlandsheriff.org; rjburris@co.stanly.nc.us; sheriff@co.stokes.nc.us; atkinsong@co.surry.nc.us; sheriffcochran@swaincountync.gov; sheriffmahoney@tcsonc.org; dliverman@tyrrellcso.net; eddiecathey@co.union.nc.us; pwhite@vancecounty.org; donnie.harrison@co.wake.nc.us; eagleeye@vance.net; jross@washconc.org; Len.Hagaman@watgov.org; carey.winders@waynegov.com; cshew@wilkescountysheriff.net; cwoodard@wilson-co.com; roliver@yadkincountync.gov; gary.banks@yanceycountync.gov

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

To Gov. McCrory & Speaker Tillis:

Dear [Governor McCrory or Speaker Tillis]:

For reasons of money and power, North Carolina Sheriffs' Association executive director Eddie Caldwell is placing you in the untenable position of supporting a Jim Crow-era handgun purchase permit law which is letting untold numbers of felons bypass computerized background checks. Tell me: What will you do if you kill or delay the measure and then one of those felons kills someone, perhaps a child? Will that death be on your shoulders?

As documented by The Charlotte Observer, as many as 60 felons in Mecklenburg County alone might continue hold purchase permits after being convicted, enabling them to bypass the computerized National Instant Background Check System (NICS) because the untrackable slips of paper issued by sheriffs after background checks can't be repealed and are valid for 5 years. How many felons does that translate to statewide? 2,000? 3,000? Eliminating the system will mean that checks using the NICS would be done at the point of sale.

Support the purchase permit repeal: House Bill 937 does an exceptional job of expanding the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens while strengthening background checks. I will be closely monitoring your actions on this issue via Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts. Rest assured that I will remember them in future elections.

Respectfully,

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

To the list of sheriffs:

Dear Sheriff:

I strongly urge you to tell North Carolina Sheriffs' Association executive director Eddie Caldwell that he is placing you and other sheriffs in the untenable position of supporting a Jim Crow-era handgun purchase permit law which is letting untold numbers of felons bypass computerized background checks. Tell me: What will you do if NCSA kills or delays the measure and then one of those felons kills someone, perhaps a child? That death will be on your shoulders.

As documented by The Charlotte Observer, as many as 60 felons in Mecklenburg County alone might continue hold purchase permits after being convicted, enabling them to bypass the computerized National Instant Background Check System (NICS) because the untrackable slips of paper issued by sheriffs after background checks can't be repealed and are valid for 5 years. How may does that translate to statewide? 2,000? 3,000? Eliminating the system will mean that checks using the NICS would be done at the point of sale.

Support the purchase permit repeal: House Bill 937 does an exceptional job of expanding the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens while strengthening background checks. I will be closely monitoring your actions on this issue via Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts. Rest assured that I will remember them in future elections.

Respectfully,

HB 937 Passes NC Senate And Goes Back To House For Concurrence

The North Carolina Senate passed HB 937 today on its Third Reading and have sent it back to the House of Representatives for their concurrence. They also rejected an amendment by Sen. Angela Bryant (D-Nash ) which would have allowed the disclosure of non-personal statistics regarding Concealed Handgun Permits including the number of applications, revocations, and denials by both county and Zip code.

While the final roll call vote has not been posted yet, Sean is reporting the final vote was 31-16. After the House concurs, it will go to Gov. Pat McCrory (R-NC) for his signature. There has been no indication that he opposes the bill.

HB 937 Comes Up For A Vote In The NC Senate Today

HB 937 with the Senate Judiciary I Committee substitute language comes up for its Second Reading vote in the North Carolina Senate today. The Senate goes into session today at 3pm so the vote should happen sometime this evening. I just sent my State Senator a note encouraging him to vote for it which I anticipate that he will.

This bill does many things as the alert from Grass Roots North Carolina outlines below (see also Sean's detailed analysis of the bill). Despite what the gun prohibitionists and some in the media might want you to believe this bill does not allow you to carry concealed on educational property and it doesn't allow you to carry concealed while drinking alcohol in a bar or restaurant. What it does do is allow you to store your firearm in a locked vehicle while on educational property and it allows you to enjoy a nice meal in a restaurant that serves alcohol while carrying concealed.

From GRNC:

Senate improves on HB 937

House Bill 937 passed the NC Senate Judiciary I Committee today and will head for the Senate floor as early as tomorrow. Please see below for immediate actions required.

Due to the efforts of Senator Buck Newton (R- , GRNC ****), Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger (R-Guilford, Rockingham, ****) and Senate Rules Chair Tom Apodaca (R, Henderson, ****), the version passed by the committee was far stronger than what left the House.

Although debate was limited, when asked for public comment, the chief of security for the University of North Carolina, along with security heads from all 17 campuses stood, in uniform, to express "concerns" about the bill's campus provisions. Afterward, GRNC president Paul Valone addressed the committee by noting that UNC objections to campus carry on the premise that it would harm their ability to "protect" students rang false in light of the fact that violent crime on campuses across the state, plus attempts by two schools to suppress reports of violent crime, reveal that UNC is doing a poor job of "protecting" anyone.

GRNC wishes to thank Senate leadership for working with our organization to strengthen laws, better enabling lawful North Carolinians to protect themselves and their families.

Improvements to HB 937

In addition to restaurant carry, guns in locked vehicles in state-owned parking lots and a limited provision for guns in locked vehicles on state college campuses, all of which were in the House version of the bill, the Proposed Committee Substitute passed by the Senate:

• Expands the guns-in-locked-vehicles provision for concealed handgun permit-holders (CHP-holders) to include all campuses rather than simply institutions of higher learning. As before, employees of the institution living in detached dwellings could still transfer firearms to and from their homes, but also added is a limited measure for employees who do not have CHPs.
• Enables CHP-holders to carry at assemblies of people for which admission is charged and any establishment serving alcohol unless the person in control of the premises posts against firearms. As before, permit-holders would be prohibited from imbibing alcohol.
• Narrows and clarifies the definition of "recreational facilities" within parks where municipalities may still ban concealed carry in parks, specifically prohibiting bans when organized athletic events are not taking place, and prohibiting bans in greenways, biking and walking paths and other open areas.
• Removes handgun permits from public record, rendering them unavailable to the media.
• Repeals the current prohibition on firearms for CHP-holders at funerals and parades.
• Repeals NC's Jim Crow-era handgun purchase permit system in its entirety.
• Requires sheriffs to revoke CHPs from permit-holders convicted of disqualifying crimes.
• Expands hunting to include use of sound suppressors.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

• CALL & EMAIL YOUR STATE SENATOR: Tell them to not only support HB 937, but to oppose all weakening amendments, particularly "poison pill" amendments to restaurant carry and any amendment which would weaken campus carry.
• SEND AN EMAIL TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE SENATE using the copy and paste list below.
• EMAIL THE UNC BOARD OF GOVERNORS: Even if you have already contacted them, email them again to ask whether 17 UNC security heads, in uniform, were lobbying against HB 937 at taxpayer expense.

CONTACT INFO

NC SENATE:

Austin.Allran@ncleg.net, Tom.Apodaca@ncleg.net, Chad.Barefoot@ncleg.net, Tamara.Barringer@ncleg.net, Phil.Berger@ncleg.net, Stan.Bingham@ncleg.net, Dan.Blue@ncleg.net, Andrew.Brock@ncleg.net, Harry.Brown@ncleg.net, Peter.Brunstetter@ncleg.net, Angela.Bryant@ncleg.net, Ben.Clark@ncleg.net, Daniel.Clodfelter@ncleg.net, Bill.Cook@ncleg.net, David.Curtis@ncleg.net, Warren.Daniel@ncleg.net, Don.Davis@ncleg.net, Jim.Davis@ncleg.net, Joel.Ford@ncleg.net, Thom.Goolsby@ncleg.net, Malcolm.Graham@ncleg.net, Rick.Gunn@ncleg.net, Kathy.Harrington@ncleg.net, Fletcher.Hartsell@ncleg.net, Ralph.Hise@ncleg.net, Neal.Hunt@ncleg.net, Brent.Jackson@ncleg.net, Clark.Jenkins@ncleg.net, Ellie.Kinnaird@ncleg.net, Floyd.McKissick@ncleg.net, Gene.McLaurin@ncleg.net, Wesley.Meredith@ncleg.net, Martin.Nesbitt@ncleg.net, Buck.Newton@ncleg.net, Earline.Parmon@ncleg.net, Louis.Pate@ncleg.net, Ron.Rabin@ncleg.net, Bill.Rabon@ncleg.net, Shirley.Randleman@ncleg.net, Gladys.Robinson@ncleg.net, Bob.Rucho@ncleg.net, Norman.Sanderson@ncleg.net, Dan.Soucek@ncleg.net, Josh.Stein@ncleg.net, Jeff.Tarte@ncleg.net, Jerry.Tillman@ncleg.net, Tommy.Tucker@ncleg.net, Trudy.Wade@ncleg.net, Michael.Walters@ncleg.net, Mike.Woodard@ncleg.net

UNC BOARD OF GOVERNORS:

peter.hans@nelsonmullins.com, renee@fairproductsinc.com, ann.goodnight@sas.com, lbissette@mwbavl.com, maedog@bellsouth.net, pgb0902@aol.com, lbuff@embarqmail.com, president@uncasg.org, wcdavenport@nc.rr.com, jdeal@dealmoseley.com, phildixon@daglawyers.com, jfennebresque@mcguirewoods.com, flood_dudley@bellsouth.net, paulfulton@triad.rr.com, hgage@ec.rr.com, thomasharrelson@aol.com, lawyers@pinehurst.net, leroylail@hickoryfurniture.com, amax2@suddenlink.net, emcmahan@littleonline.com, charles.mercer@nelsonmullins.com, fgm@millsconstructionco.com, bmitchell@wcsr.com, hnath45@yahoo.com, powersd@rjrt.com, tarheel111@att.net, raiford@trasklandco.com, pdwalk@charter.net, brad.wilson@bcbsnc.com, david@youngandassociates.com

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

TO THE NC SENATE:
(Suggested subject: "Please pass HB 937 as is")

Dear Senator,

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your efforts in moving HB 937 through the Judiciary Committee today, clearing the way for a full vote on the Senate floor soon. Your commitment to the safety of all North Carolinians is to be commended. Each one of you, especially Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, Senate Rules Chairman Tom Apodaca and Senator Buck Newton has worked closely with Grass Roots North Carolina to insure that my safety should not be compromised due to pressure from several anti-gun organizations as well as their unfounded fears.

The North Carolina Sheriffs' Association opposes repeal of the archaic, redundant and arbitrary handgun purchase permit system which is, in fact, a leftover Jim Crow law. The facts are, however, that: (1) Background checks for handgun purchases will continue to be done, as they are in other states, via the National Instant Background Check System (NICS); and (2) Sheriffs currently impose a broad array of obstructions, including notarized character affidavits (3 in Orange County), limiting permits issued to as few as five per year, and extra checks (and fees) from local clerks of court. Worse, because there is no way of tracking permits once issued, people convicted of crimes after receiving a permit can use them to bypass NICS. This system is dangerous and needs to be repealed.

UNC President Tom Ross would have us believe that his safety record is sufficient to belay the fears of his staff and students, but when we take a closer look at his actual record, we find it severely lacking. Not only is he currently being investigated for covering up the actual number of attacks across many campuses across the state, he also sent 17 of his campus police units, in uniform at tax payer expense, to the NC General Assembly to oppose HB 937.

Despite the coordinated pressure against HB 937, you stood strong and carried out the heroic passage of true “common sense” legislation. I now look forward to HB 937 going to a full vote on the Senate floor soon, and having it passed as is without weakening it through amendments or procedure. I will continue to monitor this legislation via alerts from Grass Roots North Carolina.

Respectfully,

TO UNC BOARD OF GOVERNORS:
(Suggested subject: "Don't use my money to lobby against my rights”)

Members of the University of North Carolina Board of Governors:

Today, the North Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee approved HB 937 and it will soon be taken to the Senate floor for a full vote. I would like to ask each of you if UNC security chiefs were testifying, in uniform, while on the payroll, and therefore at taxpayer expense, while expressing their "concerns" about HB 937 to the Senate Judiciary I Committee. Is this the case?

I support higher education, but I cannot support a university system which fails to protect students from violent predators, actively hides the fact, and then opposes legislation which might deter such predation.

Accordingly, I will not contribute money to any UNC or supporting institution -- and will advise alumni and others to do the same -- until UNC withdraws its opposition to HB 937. Please advise me of your position on this issue.

Respectfully,

We in North Carolina are very fortunate to see our gun rights expanding at a time when they are contracting like it is in places like California, Connecticut, New Jersey, Colorado, and New York. Bills like this and support for them don't happen overnight. Just like the Castle Doctrine, much of what is in this bill has taken years of patient effort by gun rights groups like GRNC to make it a reality. Since ammo is hard to find anyway, why not take the cost of a box of ammo and send them a donation. You may also want to send the NRA-ILA a little bit as well for their efforts at the Federal level.

UPDATE: According to the bill's record on the NC General Assembly website, three amendments were considered, two passed, and the amended bill passed its Second Reading. No roll call vote is recorded so it may be that they are late reporting it or that it passed on a voice vote.  The amendments that passed came from the pro-gun side.