North Carolina General Assembly

Uncategorized

Omnibus Gun Bill Finally Moving In NC General Assembly

June 1, 2017 by 1 Comment

HB 746 is finally moving forward in the North Carolina House of Representatives. This bill, the Omnibus Gun Changes, favorably passed out of the House Judiciary IV Committee yesterday. It will now go to the House Finance Committee for review. The most important feature of this bill is that it provides for constitutional carry or permitless carry of concealed handguns. Open carry without a permit has been the law in North Carolina since 1922 thanks to the NC Supreme Court’s ruling in State v. Kerner.

Grass Roots North Carolina has issued an alert thanking those on the House Judiciary IV Committee who voted in favor of sending this bill forward. They also note that Rep. Sam Watford (R-Davidson) has said he has plans to introduce weakening provisions to this bill even though constitutional carry is part of the 2016 NC Republican Platform.

From GRNC:

ONE STEP CLOSER
Good news! Today, freedom lovers scored a big victory in the
House Judiciary IV Committee …

Your efforts are paying off! Due to the hard
work of gun rights supporters like you over the last several weeks, the
omnibus gun bill, which includes constitutional carry, has cleared its
first major hurdle. It is exciting to report that this evening, the
House Judicial IV Committee voted 9 to 6 to move the bill to the next step, and all weakening amendments were defeated. Kudos to the
‘Critical Nine!’


Thanks to Sponsors &
Outspoken Supporters
Many, many thanks to the bill’s
courageous sponsors and other representatives who actively supported this bill. The sponsors are: Rep. Jay Adams, Rep. Beverly Boswell, Rep. Chris Millis, Rep. Larry Pittman, and Rep. Michael Speciale. We can also thank Rep. George Cleveland and Rep. Bert Jones for their outspoken support during
the committee meeting. Well done, all!


A Couple More Hurdles

On Thursday (6/1), the bill will be
shuttled to the Finance Committee. Once it’s through Finance, it’s off
to
the House floor. It’s possible that this important bill could land on
the House floor for a vote as early as Thursday afternoon, so kindly
follow up with the ‘Immediate Action’ below as soon as possible. 


One Republican Plans Unforced
Error

The hurdles mentioned above may be set relatively low, as
long as Republicans live up to their party’s platform, which has a very
strong stance on gun rights, and specifically supports constitutional
carry. Unfortunately, there is one hurdle that may come in the form of
an “unforced error” by one or more Republicans. It sounds
as though, in defiance of Republican and Second Amendment principles, Rep. Sam Watford (Davidson County)
is planning to offer weakening amendments in an attempt to water down this omnibus bill.

Make
no mistake, GRNC will oppose ANY weakening amendments to this gun bill,
whether they come from Rep. Watford, or anyone else. We will
oppose these amendments, insist that other House members vote against
them, and we’ll be keeping tabs on who does what. In fact, we
encourage you to phone Rep. Watford right now, and politely insist that he not propose anything that would weaken the right of the people to
keep and bear arms. His legislative office phone number is 919-715-2526. You can politely remind him of the strong, pro-gun stance
taken in the 2016 Republican Platform.


The Next Step

The victory
in
committee is great news, but we need to keep reminding legislators that
voters are serious about their right to keep and bear arms. Let’s keep
the pressure on, and make sure everyone in Raleigh knows what the people
expect. Below, see how you can easily email House Republicans to do
just
that. Before you know it we’ll have constitutional carry here in North
Carolina!



IMMEDIATE ACTION
REQUIRED!

  • EMAIL NC HOUSE
    REPUBLICANS    :  Use the
    copy/paste email list(s) below, and the copy/paste text under ‘Deliver This Message.’

  • PHONE REP. SAM WATFORD: Politely tell him that gun voters
    are watching and we will not accept weakening amendments to the omnibus
    gun
    bill. Remind him of the very strong, pro-gun stance spelled out in the
    2016 Republican Platform, and ask him to live up to that platform. His
    legislative office number is: 919-715-2526.

CONTACT INFO
NC House Republicans Email *List(s):

Dean.Arp@ncleg.net; John.Bell@ncleg.net; Hugh.Blackwell@ncleg.net;
John.Blust@ncleg.net;
Jamie.Boles@ncleg.net; John.Bradford@ncleg.net; Bill.Brawley@ncleg.net;
Mark.Brody@ncleg.net; Dana.Bumgardner@ncleg.net; Justin.Burr@ncleg.net;
Mike.Clampitt@ncleg.net; George.Cleveland@ncleg.net;
Jeff.Collins@ncleg.net; Debra.Conrad@ncleg.net; Kevin.Corbin@ncleg.net;
Ted.Davis@ncleg.net;
Jimmy.Dixon@ncleg.net; Josh.Dobson@ncleg.net; Nelson.Dollar@ncleg.net;
Andy.Dulin@ncleg.net; Jeffrey.Elmore@ncleg.net;
John.Faircloth@ncleg.net;
Carl.Ford@ncleg.net; John.Fraley@ncleg.net;

Holly.Grange@ncleg.net;
Destin.Hall@ncleg.net; Kyle.Hall@ncleg.net; Jon.Hardister@ncleg.net;
Kelly.Hastings@ncleg.net; Cody.Henson@ncleg.net; Craig.Horn@ncleg.net;
Julia.Howard@ncleg.net; Pat.Hurley@ncleg.net; Frank.Iler@ncleg.net;
Linda.Johnson2@ncleg.net; Bert.Jones@ncleg.net; Brenden.Jones@ncleg.net;
Jonathan.Jordan@ncleg.net; Donny.Lambeth@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; Tim.Moore@ncleg.net;
Gregory.Murphy@ncleg.net;

Larry.Potts@ncleg.net;
Michele.Presnell@ncleg.net; Dennis.Riddell@ncleg.net;
David.Rogers@ncleg.net; Stephen.Ross@ncleg.net;
Jason.Saine@ncleg.net; John.Sauls@ncleg.net; Mitchell.Setzer@ncleg.net;
Phil.Shepard@ncleg.net; Bob.Steinburg@ncleg.net;
Sarah.Stevens@ncleg.net;
Scott.Stone@ncleg.net; Larry.Strickland@ncleg.net; John.Szoka@ncleg.net;
John.Torbett@ncleg.net; Rena.Turner@ncleg.net; Harry.Warren@ncleg.net;
Sam.Watford@ncleg.net; Donna.White@ncleg.net; Linda.Williams@ncleg.net;
Larry.Yarborough@ncleg.net; Lee.Zachary@ncleg.net

*Spam filters or email program limitations may cause the need to
send more than one email, to cover the entire list of representatives.
If so,
the list above is split into three pieces, for your convenience.

DELIVER THIS
MESSAGE

Suggested Subject:

“Vote ‘YES’ on Omnibus Gun Bill without Weakening”  

Dear Representative:

I understand
that the omnibus gun bill has cleared the House Judicial IV committee
(J4), and
is on its way to the Finance Committee. I also understand the bill
passed though J4 without any weakening amendments. This is fantastic
news! A big
‘thank you’ to the sponsors of this bill and to others who actively
supported it.


I
am writing today
to ask you to vote ‘Yes’ on this bill if you happen to be on the Finance
Committee, to vote ‘Yes’ on this bill on the House
floor, and to vote ‘No’ on any weakening amendments. The right to keep
and bear arms is a fundamental human right, and North Carolinians
are finally making headway in rolling back the oppressive erosion of
this right that has taken place in recent decades. Let’s keep that
freedom
trend going!

On that same note, I would
also remind you that strong support for “constitutional carry” is an
explicit part of the Republican Party’s 2016 platform (see page 12),
just as gun rights in general are. With this fact at the forefront, I
can
see no reason for any Republican to shy away from supporting this
gun-rights legislation. In fact, among other things, pro-Second
Amendment policy is
precisely what voters had in mind when they chose you as their
representative.


For reasons that are quite clear,
voters expect you to support this bill in committee, on the House floor, and without weakening amendments. Please do so.


I’ll be eagerly awaiting more news on this topic from Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts.

Respectfully,  
Uncategorized

GRNC – Time To Wake Up The Republicans In The NC General Assembly

May 11, 2017 by 1 Comment

Grass Roots North Carolina sent out an alert last night requesting that people call Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) between 9am and 11am this morning. They are also asking people to send an email to him asking them where is the progress on gun rights.

From GRNC:

Republicans in power-induced lackadaisical mode


Are
Republicans lost in the spoils of power, just laying
back and enjoying their super majority at the expense of good gun bills
being left to languish?  Why the reluctance to move on anything
pro-Second Amendment?  These are good questions to ask of House Speaker
Tim Moore.

GRNC President Paul Valone has hand delivered the following
letter to Speaker Moore.  Please see the link below regarding his disappointment on the lack of follow through on pro-gun bills.

https://www.grnc.org/pauls-blog/924-open-letter-to-speaker-tim-moore



What’s going on with Pro Second Amendment bills?

If you are scratching your head and wondering the same; it’s time to
pass that question along to Speaker Moore.


IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

  • EMAIL AND CALL SPEAKER TIM MOORE: Please make the phone calls on
    THURSDAY, BETWEEN 9 AND 11:00 AM, if at all possible. If not, call whenever you can. 


  • Ask the Speaker, “What’s going on with our pro-Second Amendment legislation? Have the Republicans
    gotten so lax in their power, that they’re writing off the gun voters who put them there?”

  • Email him at: tim.Moore@ncleg.net and call using this number: 919-733-3451. Use the copy/paste text provided below to
    send the email. When calling, if you are sent to voicemail, please leave a message.

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE
Suggested Subject: “What’s going on with pro Second Amendment legislation?”  
Dear Speaker Moore:
Now
that Republicans are enjoying their super-majority spoils, it seems the
legislature has
become lackadaisical in pushing through any pro-Second Amendment
legislation.  This is deeply disappointing to me as a gun rights voter. 
We
expect our representatives to display the same character and conviction
in Raleigh that they claim to have while on the campaign trail.

As other
states
move forward on pro-gun bills such as constitutional and campus carry,
North Carolina seems to have dropped the ball on these very same
issues. 
Why is that?

The need for passing House Bills 438, 588 and 746 is
obvious, and the window of opportunity is closing! Fourteen states now
have
Constitutional Carry without any dire consequences.  New Hampshire
became “Lucky 13”, beating North Carolina to the finish
line.  Georgia Governor Nathan Deal recently signed campus carry
legislation into law, so once again, another state passes North
Carolina.

The
naysayers continue to be proven wrong in their dire predictions
regarding the results of pro-gun legislation.  As you rest on your
laurels, other
states are moving forward and advancing gun rights.  So I ask of you,
“What is happening with pro-Second Amendment legislation in our
state?”

I will be monitoring your actions through Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts.

Respectfully,
Uncategorized

Is The Republican Majority In NC Using Democrat Roy Cooper For Cover On Gun Rights?

April 27, 2017 by

As the alert from Grass Roots North Carolina states below, the Republicans have held a veto-proof majority in both houses of the North Carolina General Assembly for the last three sessions. It seems that they are more interested in who can use a public restroom than in protecting an enumerated Constitutional right that is found in both the US and North Carolina Constitutions. It is time to say, “Get real!” and remind them that the reason many North Carolinians put them in office was to protect and enhance our fundamental right to self-protection which includes getting rid of the racially-inspired pistol purchase permit system.

From GRNC’s alert:

REPUBLICANS SURRENDER,

GOV. COOPER CALLS THE SHOTS

NC Republicans are failing to support the Second Amendment, and you’ll never believe their excuse
…

Since voters have given the GOP a
veto-proof majority, three elections in a row,
you might expect the Republicans to use the power we’ve vested in them
to
push the principles of a free republic; to fight for the recognition and
protection of long-eroding gun rights, for example. Unfortunately, if
you
expected this you would be disappointed. Republicans have gone squishy
on gun rights, and you’ll probably be perplexed by their excuse.

Anti-gun Governor is Calling the Shots for Republicans

Republicans have cited a likely “veto from Governor Cooper” as a reason to sell out gun
owners. They think they don’t have the votes to override a veto. So, like true RINOs, the legislative actions the House majority
are willing to take are predicated on one thought: “what would Governor Cooper do?”

Entire GOP
Caucus Running Cover for RINOs

There is no reason that
House
leaders and committee chairs can’t see these bills to the House floor
for a recorded vote and simply let the votes fall where they may. Then
why
won’t they? It’s simple. If they were unable to pass a particular
pro-gun bill, or were unable to override Gov. Cooper’s veto, the
squishy, anti-gun RINOs who caused the failure would be exposed for what
they are—Pro-gun in Name Only. To keep these softer Republicans from
being exposed, the entire caucus is covering for them by hoisting the
white flag without a fight. This of course makes all of them complicit
in the
anti-gun charade.

A Ray of Hope

Although it is thin gruel, Rep. Chris
Millis (R-Onslow, Pender) did indeed attach a fiscal note to pro-gun
legislation. The fiscal note means that a bill isn’t required to meet
the
fast approaching crossover deadline in order to remain viable. That
gives gun rights supporters more time to contact Republican
representatives to ask
them why Governor Cooper is running the Republican Party, and insist
Republicans get in gear and push through these important pro-Second
Amendment
bills.

Email and Call – Every Day

Please email and phone the Republican sellouts every
day. Below, under ‘Immediate Action Required’ and ‘Deliver
This Message,’ see how you can easily do this. Republican politicians
have banded together to sell you out, and they’re on the cusp of
making it official. The Republicans need to know that you are aware of
this, and you’re not going to stand for it. They also need to know that
you expect them to revive the gun legislation they’re trying to kill and
get it to the floor for a vote. This message, from gun owners like you,
who gave them their House seats, must be hammered home—daily.

If House Republicans are going to stand as a group against gun owners, they will be held accountable
as a group.


IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

  • EVERY DAY, PLEASE PHONE YOUR NC REPRESENTATIVE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE
    HOUSE    . Use the Speaker’s phone number provided below, and the link provided to find your
    representative.
    Speaker Moore:  919-733-3451

    Click here to find
    your representative and get his or her phone number     (or go to: http://www.ncleg.net/representation/WhoRepresentsMe.aspx)

    Ask
    them why, as the
    super-majority party, they are basing legislative decisions on our
    anti-gun governor’s platform, and why they’ve ceded power to him without
    a
    fight. Gov. Cooper should not be running the Republican Party.

    Tell them you are aware that
    pro-gun legislation is still alive, and insist that they get it to the
    floor for a
    vote. If the Republican Caucus is going to stand as a group with
    Governor Cooper, then gun owners will hold them accountable as a group.


  • PLEASE
    EMAIL THE NC REPUBLICAN CAUCUS EVERY DAY    . Use the copy paste email lists(s) and the copy/paste email text provided below under ‘Deliver This
    Message.’
CONTACT INFO 
House Republican Caucus copy/paste email *list(s):
Jay.Adams@ncleg.net;
Dean.Arp@ncleg.net; John.Bell@ncleg.net; Hugh.Blackwell@ncleg.net;
John.Blust@ncleg.net; Jamie.Boles@ncleg.net; John.Bradford@ncleg.net;
Bill.Brawley@ncleg.net; Mark.Brody@ncleg.net; Dana.Bumgardner@ncleg.net;
Justin.Burr@ncleg.net; Mike.Clampitt@ncleg.net;
George.Cleveland@ncleg.net; Jeff.Collins@ncleg.net;
Debra.Conrad@ncleg.net; Kevin.Corbin@ncleg.net;
Ted.Davis@ncleg.net; Jimmy.Dixon@ncleg.net; Josh.Dobson@ncleg.net;
Nelson.Dollar@ncleg.net; Andy.Dulin@ncleg.net; Jeffrey.Elmore@ncleg.net;
John.Faircloth@ncleg.net; Carl.Ford@ncleg.net; John.Fraley@ncleg.net; Larry.Pittman@ncleg.net;


Michael.Speciale@ncleg.net;
Beverly.Boswell@ncleg.net; Holly.Grange@ncleg.net;
Destin.Hall@ncleg.net; Kyle.Hall@ncleg.net; Jon.Hardister@ncleg.net;
Kelly.Hastings@ncleg.net;
Cody.Henson@ncleg.net; Craig.Horn@ncleg.net; Julia.Howard@ncleg.net;
Pat.Hurley@ncleg.net; Frank.Iler@ncleg.net; Linda.Johnson2@ncleg.net;
Bert.Jones@ncleg.net; Brenden.Jones@ncleg.net;
Jonathan.Jordan@ncleg.net; Donny.Lambeth@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; Tim.Moore@ncleg.net; Gregory.Murphy@ncleg.net;

Chris.Millis@ncleg.net; Larry.Potts@ncleg.net;
Michele.Presnell@ncleg.net; Dennis.Riddell@ncleg.net;
David.Rogers@ncleg.net; Stephen.Ross@ncleg.net;
Jason.Saine@ncleg.net; John.Sauls@ncleg.net; Mitchell.Setzer@ncleg.net;
Phil.Shepard@ncleg.net; Bob.Steinburg@ncleg.net;
Sarah.Stevens@ncleg.net;
Scott.Stone@ncleg.net; Larry.Strickland@ncleg.net; John.Szoka@ncleg.net;
John.Torbett@ncleg.net; Rena.Turner@ncleg.net; Harry.Warren@ncleg.net;
Sam.Watford@ncleg.net; Donna.White@ncleg.net; Linda.Williams@ncleg.net;
Larry.Yarborough@ncleg.net; Lee.Zachary@ncleg.net;

*Spam filters or email program limitations may cause the need to send more than one email, to cover the entire
list of representatives. If so, the list above is split into pieces, for your convenience.
Uncategorized

Let’s Call It What It Really Is – Institutionalized Racism

April 21, 2017 by

I just received an email from the Brady Campaign railing about North Carolina HB 588 and how it rolls back “four decades” of “lifesaving background checks”. I’ll let you read it first and then I will comment on it.

The corporate gun industry is bringing its fight to weaken lifesaving background checks to North Carolina! Right now, they’re pushing H.B. 588, a dangerous bill that would dramatically undermine the current background check system, through the state legislature.

This bill would roll back at least four decades of a lifesaving policy requiring a background check and a “permit to purchase” for every handgun sale. If this bill passes, dangerous people will easily be able to acquire handguns at gun shows, online or from private individuals without any background check whatsoever.

These permits are proven to lower suicide rates. And when Missouri eliminated a similar law in 2007, the state saw a 25 percent increase in the gun murder rate!

H.B. 588 would also require universities, community colleges, and some houses of worship to allow hidden loaded handguns on campus — even against their wishes.

The House Judiciary Committee is expected to consider H.B. 588 at any time. It’s critical that we STOP this bill before it goes any further — and before it has the chance to put North Carolina lives at risk.

Call committee members today and urge them to oppose H.B. 588 and stand up for lifesaving gun laws!

Thank you,

Kris Brown
Chief Strategy Officer

First let’s be clear – HB 588 does not eliminate the pistol purchase permit as much as I’d like to see it do that. It merely changes how the mental health reporting requirement is implemented. Nothing more and nothing less in that section of the bill.

What the Brady Campaign calls “four decades of a lifesaving policy requiring a background check and a ‘permit to purchase’ for every handgun sales” is actually 98 years of institutionalized racism. They won’t say it but it is what it is.

The pistol purchase permit system was adopted by the General Assembly in 1919 for the implied purpose of denying blacks – and especially those who were veterans that had just come back from France in World War I – the ability to have a handgun for self-defense. There had been significant racial unrest in various North Carolina cities post-war with a major riot in Winston-Salem in late 1918. The “Act to Regulate the Sale of Concealed Weapons in North Carolina” was adopted soon after in March 1919. The primary sponsor of the bill was State Sen. Earle A. Humphrey (D-Goldsboro). Sen. Humphrey’s brother-in-law, US Sen. Furnifold Simmons, was the architect of the NC Democrat’s segregationist political agenda. I think you can connect the dots here.

As to the claim about the increase in murders in Missouri, it all has to do with how you cherry pick your data. Dr. John Lott exposed it here and here.

The bill would allow a person with a valid carry permit to carry on school property that is also used for worship services AFTER school hours. My thinking is that was included as many church communities have instituted security teams consisting of trained congregation members.

And yes, HB 588 would allow campus carry at both community colleges and public universities in North Carolina. And, yes, it is against the wishes of university administrators because, let’s face it, they are anti anything that takes power out of their hands including a monopoly on the power of violence. That said, I also don’t know of any public university campus in North Carolina that is fenced and has controlled entry. While they all have their police forces they also are all open to criminals and potential terrorists.

HB 588 does clarify that merely possessing or carrying a firearm, openly or legally concealed, is not grounds for charging a person with going in terror of the public. Many citizens who were legally open carrying and minding their own business have been charged with “going in terror of the public”. These cases also are usually thrown out of court because walking down a public sidewalk in a non-threatening manner while open carrying is not a crime in North Carolina.

Instead of calling legislators to ask them to stop HB 588, I suggest calling them to demand an end to 98 years of institutionalized racism and an end to keeping our sons and daughters as defenseless targets in officially gun free zones.

Uncategorized

To The NC Republicans Who Voted To Keep The Permit System, This One Is For You

July 30, 2015 by 5 Comments

Back on June 16th, 34 Republican members of the NC House joined with all 43 Democrat members on an amendment to HB 562 that not only kept the racist Jim Crow-era pistol purchase permit system but doubled down by adding back the “good moral character” verbiage. This was Amendment Five proposed by Rep. Allen McNeill (R-Randolph). If asked, those 34 Republicans would have said that they were just supporting law enforcement. After all, the amendment was proposed by Rep. McNeill who had been the Chief Deputy in the Randolph County Sheriffs’ Department before being elected to the General Assembly.

It just so happened that keeping the pistol purchase permit system alive was also the primary goal of every gun prohibitionist group out there. Both Everytown Moms for Illegal Mayors and Americans for Responsible Solutions (sic) put up big bucks on ad campaigns urging people to contact their legislators to “save background checks”. The Brady Campaign was sending text messages and emails left and right.

Earlier this week, Bloomberg’s group Everytown sent out this press release saying they had beaten the “gun lobby”.

Another NRA Defeat: North Carolina Moms Successfully Defend Handgun Background Check Requirement From Gun Lobby-Backed Repeal Effort

July 27, 2015 By press

NC Legislature Rejects Gun Lobby Attempt to Repeal Background Checks for Handgun Buyers

RALEIGH, NC – The North Carolina chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statements today after successfully removing a gun lobby-backed provision out of HB 562 that would have repealed North Carolina’s requirement that all handgun buyers first pass a criminal background check and obtain a pistol permit—and made it easy for prohibited people to buy a handgun from an unlicensed, private seller with no questions asked.

Statement from Sarah Green, volunteer Chapter Leader of the North Carolina Chapter of Moms Demand Action:

“Moms were loud and clear this year – we won’t allow the NRA to put North Carolinians in danger by gutting our state’s handgun background check requirement. We’re pleased that the legislature stood with the 87 percent of North Carolinians who support background checks instead of the gun lobby. Moms will continue to fight for sensible public safety measures that keep guns out of dangerous hands and save lives.”

Statement from Kim Yaman, a volunteer with the North Carolina chapter of Moms Demand Action. Yaman, a mother and grandmother who lives in Cary and, along with her two young children, was a witness to the mass shooting at the University of Iowa:

“I am gratified that so many North Carolinians stood up for common sense and convinced legislators to keep our state’s background check requirement in place. Despite the gun lobby’s best efforts, North Carolina will remain one of the 18 states that requires background checks on all handgun sales, and all of us in the Tar Heel State will be safer as a result.”

Earlier today, the Legislature passed a version of HB 562 that did not include that dangerous repeal provision, following a months-long campaign led by a coalition of moms, law enforcement, and the more than 130,000 Everytown supporters in the state who urged lawmakers to keep North Carolina’s background check requirement in place.

Over the course of months, Moms held nine events at the Capitol, made nearly 1,000 phone calls into legislators’ offices, and delivered more than 17,000 petition signatures and emails to legislators demanding they keep North Carolina’s background check requirement in place.

In May, Everytown aired ads statewide highlighting the broad consensus among North Carolinians against HB 562. The ad featured polling paid for by Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund showing that 87 percent of North Carolinians support background checks on all handgun sales and a letter from the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association urging the Legislature not to repeal the state’s background check law. The bill would have allowed felons and other people prohibited from having guns to buy handguns from unlicensed sellers online or at gun shows, with no background check and no questions asked. When Missouri made this same mistake in 2007, gun homicides in that state spiked by 25 percent.

North Carolina is one of 18 states (plus the District of Columbia) that requires background checks not just for sales by licensed gun dealers, but also for handgun buyers that buy from unlicensed sellers. An earlier version of HB 562 sought to remove North Carolina from that group, and had it become law, dangerous people would have been able to meet a stranger online and buy a handgun with no questions asked. Just last month, the Iowa chapter of Moms Demand Action defeated similar gun lobby-backed legislation in Iowa that would have repealed the state’s background check requirement and put Iowans at risk.

Here are the names of the 34 Republican members of the NC House who sided with the gun banners:

Representative(s): Avila; Blackwell; Boles; Brawley; Bryan; Daughtry; Davis; Dobson; Faircloth; Fraley; Holloway; Horn; Howard; Hurley; Iler; Jeter; L. Johnson; Lambeth; Langdon; Malone; McElraft; McGrady; McNeill; Pendleton; R. Turner; Riddell; Robinson; Ross; Stam (CHAIR); Stevens; Tine; Warren; Watford; Zachary

The Gang of 34 would have you believe that they are true blue supporters of the Second Amendment. They would say they were supporting law enforcement and not voting for gun control. They would point to their rankings by the NRA-PVF and the coveted NRA endorsement as evidence of this. Out of the 34, 30 were endorsed and 27 had an A/AQ or better rating.

That’s all well and good but you still sold out gun rights and gun rights supporters. Many of these representatives are in safe seats. 15 out of the 34 had no opposition in the 2014 General Election. They probably think they are invulnerable. I wonder how many of their supporters would be cool with their representative being on the same side as the gun banners. Given the districts that most of the Gang of 34 represent, I’d wager not many. If I were a gun rights supporter who lived in one of their districts and I had a solid resume (and deep pockets), I’d seriously consider running against them in the primary. I would not be surprised to see just that.

Uncategorized

NC’s HB 562 Sent To Governor For Signature

July 28, 2015 by 1 Comment

The North Carolina Senate passed HB 562 last night in an evening session by a vote of 40 yea, 9 nay, and one absent. The bill will now be sent to Gov. Pat McCrory (R-NC) for his signature.

It passed with no new amendments and no drama. Both of those were reserved for the NC House where an unholy alliance of power-hungry sheriffs, gun control groups, Democrats, and some LEO worshiping Republicans conspired to strip the demise of the racist pistol purchase permit system from the bill. The medical privacy component of the bill which provided relatively weak protections to gun owners was also stripped from the bill in a closer vote at the behest of the North Carolina Medical Society.

The bill that was left did include some important gun rights provisions. These include a more standardized process for approving or denying both concealed handgun permits and pistol purchase permits, shooting range protections, expanded campus carry, and shall-issue CLEO sign-offs on NFA items. There are more and the full bill can be found here.

In the end, both gun rights supporters and gun prohibitionists will be able to claim victory. Mike Bloomberg, Shannon, and Gabby will claim victory because they got to keep the pistol purchase permit system. This was a system instituted in 1919 by white supremacist Democrats to keep handguns and other weapons out of the hands of African-Americans, union organizers, socialists, populists, and anyone else that they thought would be an opponent. Gun rights supporters will be able to claim a victory because of all the other stuff we got in the bill which, in the end, may prove to be much more important than the end of the pistol purchase permit system.

Here is the final vote breakdown in the Senate:

Total Votes: 49   Ayes: 40   Noes: 9   Not: 0   Exc. Absent: 1   Exc. Vote: 0
Democrat Republican
Ayes:    Senator(s): Clark; D. Davis; Ford; Lowe; Smith; Smith-Ingram; Stein Senator(s): Alexander; Apodaca; B. Jackson; Barefoot; Barringer; Berger; Bingham; Brock; Cook; Curtis; Daniel; Gunn; Harrington; Hartsell; Hise; J. Davis; Krawiec; Lee; McInnis; Meredith; Newton; Pate; Rabin; Rabon; Randleman; Rucho; Sanderson; Soucek; Tarte; Tillman; Tucker; Wade; Wells
Noes:    Senator(s): Blue; Bryant; Foushee; J. Jackson; McKissick; Robinson; Van Duyn; Waddell; Woodard Senator(s): None
Exc. Absence:    Senator(s): None Senator(s): Brown

One final note. It is interesting to notice the vote by the African-American senators on the bill. Five voted for the bill while six voted against it. Interesting.

Uncategorized

HB 562 Comes Before The Entire NC Senate Tomorrow

July 27, 2015 by 2 Comments

HB 562, the Second Amendment Affirmation Act, comes before the North Carolina Senate tomorrow. The House version was approved without amendments by the Senate Judiciary II Committee on Thursday of this past week. The bill, even though weakened with amendments in the House, does give North Carolina gun owners some important wins. The alert below from GRNC spells out the good stuff and ask that gun owners contact the Republican members of the Senate to urge them to vote for the bill without any weakening amendments.

Pro-gun bill, HB 562, will be considered by the NC Senate
tomorrow (Monday, July 27). Please encourage Senate Republicans to support it …

Last week, thanks in large part to the
insistence of GRNC supporters like you, HB562 moved smoothly through the Senate Judiciary
II Committee. GRNC would like to thank Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R-Guilford, Rockingham) and Senator Tom Apodaca (R-Buncombe, Henderson,
Transylvania) for making sure this bill had a proper hearing. Fortunately, the committee did not weaken the bill, which still contains
some great gun-rights advancements, such as: 
  • Expanded
    campus carry (and giving an affirmative defense for defensive gun use on campus);

  • Reduced penalties for carriage onto posted premises;

  • Expanded sport shooting range protection;

  • Reductions in arbitrary permit denials for both concealed handgun permits and pistol purchase
    permits while reducing the number of disqualifying prior offenses for those permits;

  • A new cause of action against local governments which violate our statewide firearms preemption
    law;
  • A requirement for sheriffs to sign Form 4s for
    qualified Title II applicants;
  • A provision for legal
    resident aliens to get concealed handgun permits; and
  • Short-barreled rifle hunting in addition to the suppressor hunting we passed in 2013. 
Now,
it’s time for HB562 to be considered by the
full Senate. To insure its passage, the Republican members of the
NC Senate need to be reminded that you expect them to support this bill,
and to
pass it without weakening amendments.

Below,
you’ll find a
copy/paste message and a copy/paste email list that you can use to
encourage the Senate’s supermajority to act in accordance with their
campaign
promises by voting in favor of HB562.

IMMEDIATE
ACTION REQUIRED!

  • EMAIL SENATE
    REPUBLICANS    : use the copy/paste email address list, and the copy/paste email text under ‘Deliver This Message,’ below.

CONTACT INFO
Copy/paste email *list for Senate Republicans:

John.Alexander@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; Bill.Cook@ncleg.net; David.Curtis@ncleg.net;
Warren.Daniel@ncleg.net; Jim.Davis@ncleg.net; Rick.Gunn@ncleg.net;
Kathy.Harrington@ncleg.net; Fletcher.Hartsell@ncleg.net;
Ralph.Hise@ncleg.net; Brent.Jackson@ncleg.net; Joyce.Krawiec@ncleg.net;
Michael.Lee@ncleg.net; Tom.McInnis@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;
Andy.Wells@ncleg.net
*Regarding the above
email list: some email programs may require that the semicolons be replaced with commas.

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

Suggested Subject: “Please Support HB562”  
Dear Senator:

Last week, I was pleased to hear that HB562
moved seamlessly through the Judiciary II Committee, and I am writing to urge you to continue shepherding this pro-Second Amendment bill toward the governor’s desk without
weakening it.

HB562 will be a great step forward
for gun rights in our state. I strongly encourage you to back this bill,
and
to encourage your colleagues to do the same. Please vote for HB562 as it
is currently written, and please vote against any weakening amendments.

I
will be closely watching your actions on this subject through legislative alerts from Grass Roots North Carolina.

Respectfully,  
Uncategorized

Life Imitating Art

July 5, 2015 by 3 Comments

I am in the process of rereading that classic of the gun culture, John Ross’ Unintended Consequences. I stumbled across this passage on page 155. It is part of the discussion that Henry Bowman, his father Walter, and the owner of Goodman’s for Guns, Al Goodman, are having concerning the requirement to get a pistol purchase permit in 1963 Missouri.

“What Mr. Goodman was telling us is that before I can buy this revolver for you, I have to go get two business owners to sign letters recommending me. Then I take them down to the sheriff and hope he says okay. Mr. Goodman says there won’t be any problem, and he’s probably right, but the whole point is that the sheriff can do whatever he wants. Just like the story about voting. Henry, we still have laws written so that the police can deny negroes, or anyone else, their ability to protect themselves, and arrest them if they carry personal protection. Or arrest me, for that matter. It depends on if they like you or not.”

After a bit of discussion about the black lady that helps Henry’s mother with housekeeping and about why handguns are good for self-defense, his father continues:

Now Walter broke in. “That’s why bigoted people passed laws about voting and guns, Henry. These bigots don’t want negroes being able to protect themselves. They didn’t want them voting for legislators that had their interests in mind, and they didn’t want them having guns in their pockets when the lynch mob was coming.” He thought a moment. “The law Al just described also gives police an excuse to stop negroes on the street and check them for guns. Actually, it gives them the excuse to do that to anyone, but they don’t do it to white, as a rule.” Yet Walter Bowman added silently to himself.

These passages made me reflect back to the debate on North Carolina’s HB 562, the pistol purchase permit system, and how only a neutered bill made it out of the House. Even though we in North Carolina will not be required to get two character references from upstanding citizens, we still have the pistol purchase permit system which was used exactly as Walter Bowman describes to prevent blacks, union organizers, and others from getting the means to protect themselves.

Today’s North Carolina sheriffs will have a harder time denying purchase permits but they will still be able to do it as the good character requirement remains. That it was the Republicans who kow-towed to the NC Sheriffs’ Association on permit system makes it even worse as the system was set up by white supremacist Democrats. They should have known better but law and order Republicans wilt like a cut flower on a hot day when police or sheriffs say boo.

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A Neutered HB 562 Passes The NC House

June 18, 2015 by 5 Comments

After considering 10 amendments and voting on seven of them, the NC House passed HB 562 by a 78 yea to 37 nay vote in its 3rd Reading. The pistol purchase permits system repeal was deleted in its entirety. As things were left yesterday, the pistol purchase permits would have only been required for private sales as an exemption was made for sales through FFLs. Today’s Amendment 10 by Rep. David Lewis (R-Harnett) stripped that provision out of the bill.

There are some good things left in the bill. The process for obtaining a pistol permit has been standardized, newer shooting ranges will be protected, state preemption is reiterated, and chief law enforcement officers have to sign off on NFA items if the applicant is not precluded by state or Federal law. Oh, and you can also carry an ordinary pocketknife in the State Capitol and on its grounds.

As you can probably imagine, the Everytown Moms for Illegal Mayors and their backers in the legislative gallery who wore their Felon-Orange shirts are crowing about the defeat of the pistol purchase permit repeal. In fact, they are proclaiming victory saying that “the Moms fought the law and the Moms won.”

“It was really great that most of the amendments were brought forth by Republicans. This is not a partisan issue: we are talking about common sense safety laws. We’re building strong, bipartisan opposition to the gun lobby,” said Sarah Green, state chapter leader of Moms Demand Action.

Sarah Green is correct that the amendments that neutered the bill were brought by the Republicans. The GOP is not called the stupid party for nothing. If the Republicans who knelt in obeisance before the state’s sheriffs think that avoiding the issue will gain them political points, they are even stupider than I thought. Those in the galleries wearing their Felon-Orange shirts will never support them and those of us in the gun rights community will never forget.

Paul Valone, president of Grass Roots North Carolina, certainly doesn’t intend to forget those Republicans who paid lip service to gun rights in 2014 and then deserted us in 2015. In an email to me, with which I have permission to quote, he said:

“Grass Roots North Carolina would like to thank North Carolina House Republicans for giving us exactly what we asked for: Recorded votes. Lots of recorded votes that tell us exactly who our friends are and are not, and which activate our core supporters going into the 2016 primary elections. Inevitably, the party in power becomes comfortable and unmotivated, in time forgetting who ‘brung ’em to the dance.’ When they achieve supermajorities and draw themselves comfy districts, that time apparently shrinks to four short years. But in their safe Republican seats, they forget something: Other Republicans can occupy those seats. In 2016, we will use those recorded votes to provide them a few little reminders of that fact.”

 Paul is correct. We know who our real friends are when it counts. We also know who is just a fair weather friend making nice noises about the Second Amendment but deserts us when push comes to shove.

Uncategorized

Naming Names – NC Republicans Who Deserted Gun Owners

June 16, 2015 by 5 Comments

As I said in the prior post, there were three amendments that gutted much of what was good in HB 562. The gutted parts include both the repeal of the pistol purchase permits system and the patient privacy protections. It is obvious that the unholy alliance of the North Carolina Sheriffs Association with the gun prohibitionists triumphed today. The only major things that helped out gun owners that survived are range protection, must-sign requirement for the CLEO on NFA items, and the reiteration of statewide uniformity on firearms law. Any of those three could have been a separate bill that would have passed.

Amendments One, Five, and Seven were the key amendments that gutted the bill. Every Democrat voted for them as expected. It is the Republicans who should be ashamed of their actions.

Amendment One seemed to have the quasi-support of some of the bills sponsors and may have been a previously agreed upon change to the final bill.

Here are the Republicans who voted for Amendment One:

Representative(s): Arp; Avila; B. Brown; Blackwell; Boles; Brawley; Bryan; Burr; Conrad; Daughtry; Davis; Dixon; Dobson; Dollar; Faircloth; Fraley; Holloway; Horn; Howard; Hurley; Iler; Jeter; L. Johnson; Lambeth; Langdon; Lewis; Malone; McElraft; McGrady; McNeill; Pendleton; R. Turner; Robinson; Ross; S. Martin; Schaffer; Shepard; Stam; Stevens; Tine; Warren; Watford; Yarborough

Amendment Five, as I noted, doubled down on keeping the pistol purchase permit system. The Republicans who voted for it were:

Representative(s): Avila; Blackwell; Boles; Brawley; Bryan; Daughtry; Davis; Dobson; Faircloth; Fraley; Holloway; Horn; Howard; Hurley; Iler; Jeter; L. Johnson; Lambeth; Langdon; Malone; McElraft; McGrady; McNeill; Pendleton; R. Turner; Riddell; Robinson; Ross; Stam (CHAIR); Stevens; Tine; Warren; Watford; Zachary

Finally, Amendment Seven removed the patient privacy protections, weak as they were. It had less Republican support but could not have passed without these Republican representatives:

Representative(s): B. Brown; Blackwell; Brawley; Bryan; Davis; Dollar; Faircloth; Fraley; Horn; Jeter; L. Johnson; Lambeth; Lewis; Malone; Pendleton; Ross; Stam; Tine; Watford

If any of these Republicans are your representative, you may want to call them, email, or fax them your displeasure. Frankly, I’m at the point where I don’t give a damn if what is left of HB 562 passes or not. Is a neutered, watered-down bill worth it if it gives our so-called “friends” something with which they can say to voters that they voted for gun rights? I say no.