North Carolina to End Pistol Purchase Permit System After GOP Lawmakers Override Democrat Governor’s Veto

Republican lawmakers in North Carolina succeeded in overriding the veto by the state’s Democratic governor on a bill that eliminates the pistol purchase permit system. The North Carolina House of Representatives, which is Republican-controlled, had passed Senate Bill 41 earlier this month, and it had also been passed in the Senate on a party-line vote. The state law being repealed made it illegal to buy or sell a pistol without a permit issued by the local sheriff’s office. Democratic Governor Roy Cooper vetoed the bill,  citing the elimination of a tool for law enforcement to prevent certain individuals from obtaining handguns. However, the Republican-controlled senate overrode the veto on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, the Republicans in the House narrowly achieved the veto override. The repeal of the pistol purchase system means that anyone buying a firearm through a licensed firearms dealer must still undergo a background check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). A NICS background check is not necessary for private firearms transfers, and individuals wishing to carry concealed firearms must still get a concealed-carry permit. The new law also improves gun safety, authorizing concealed-carry permit holders to bring their firearms on school property under specific conditions, and it also begins a program to promote safe firearm storage and the distribution of locks.

Controversial Reaction

The repeal of the pistol purchase permit system attracted a severe reaction from Democratic leaders in North Carolina. Cooper vetoed the bill, claiming that the permit system enabled the sheriffs to disqualify potential purchasers based on indicators that a person could be a danger to themselves or others. Democrats accused Republicans of hypocrisy, claiming that they opposed a gun background check systems bill and the expansion of the pistol purchase system when Cooper was supporting it. Republicans argued that the bill is a vital step in reducing firearms violence and protecting the right to carry firearms legally.