by Gov. Josh Stein (D-NC) vetoed two firearms related bills in June and July. SB 50 – Freedom to Carry NC was vetoed in June and it provided for permitless concealed carry. It has received most of the attention. HB 193 – Firearm Law Revisions has received must less attention. That bill would allow private schools to arm staff or volunteers with firearms or stun guns provided they had extra training over and above their NC Concealed Handgun Permit. It additionally would allow persons with a carry permit to carry at churches which also had an attached school outside of school hours and events. The bill has other provisions regarding threats to public officials. Stein vetoed this bill on July 9th on the grounds of it would make children less safe.
This morning the NC Senate voted 30-19 to override the governor’s veto of SB 50. Additionally, the NC House voted 72-48 to override the veto of HB 193. However, according the General Assembly’s website, the veto override of HB 193 initially failed in the Senate but Sen. Bill Rabon (R-Brunswick, Columbus, & New Hanover) later switched his vote to Aye. This means that the veto of HB 193 has been overridden in both houses of the General Assembly and will become law.
Everytown and their affiliated groups were very quick to criticize the Senate for their veto override calling it “politics over public safety” which is utter BS. In their press release they allege that North Carolina has the 23rd highest rate of deaths attributed to firearms in the nation. That sound really bad until you realize that the Tar Heel State is the 9th largest in the country by population. That means we have a lower than average death rate per capita.
Now it is up to the NC House to override the veto of SB 50.
