Triangle Tactical Podcast and Blog on Guns, Gear, and Competition Shooting
Last week during the Grass Roots North Carolina Freedom Rally, Rep. Pittman spoke about some legislation that he wants to introduce which would alter the State Constitution which would essentially allow for Constitutional Carry in NC.
He said he would amend the state constitution by removing the following from Article 1, Section 30:
Nothing herein shall justify the practice of carrying concealed weapons, or prevent the General Assembly from enacting penal statutes against that practice.
And he would replace them with the following:
The carrying of concealed weapons shall not be prohibited by the state of North Carolina, except in courthouses, and federal government buildings where the federal government prohibits weapons, in privately owned buildings where the owner has posted prominently displayed signs forbidding concealed weapons on their premises, or on school campuses by persons not authorized to carry concealed weapons on school campuses.
Pittman then went on to say that he felt he needs to add the provisions about federal government, privately owned buildings, and school campuses, because there isn’t a chance in even getting the bill onto the floor without those provisions.
Now, none of this is even a bill yet, but it’s good to know that there is someone in congress who is working to expand our rights as citizens, and shrink the size of the state government, even if its by just a little bit. If you would like to hear Rep. Pittman speak about this, check the embedded video below, and skip ahead to about 42 minutes in (or watch the entire thing if you haven’t already)
What do you think? We have a state legislature, and Governor who are supposedly pro-gun, so we should be able to get this passed, right? Here’s the deal, groups like Grass Roots North Carolina are the ones that are working with Rep. Pittman, and others in congress to get things like this passed. If you aren’t a member, you should be.
Many thanks for the update. I’ve had many friends asking what they need to do to get a CCW permit. If they stall long enough, maybe they won’t have to. I assume they will still issue permits for folks who travel to other states where a permit is required? It would be nice to get to the point that question was justified 🙂
No problem, I think this is a long ways off, but could be a possibility in the future. I’d recommend to your friends to get their permits now instead of waiting though!
Sorry, I won’t get behind a bill that amends the state constitution to ensure Waffle House can deny me the right to carry. You had me until “privately-owned buildings”. I would rather eradicate bad laws one at a time or bit by bit than put something in the state constitution that violates the 2nd Amendment. Businesses can prohibit anything they like, and if someone doesn’t follow their rules, they can ask them to leave or have them charged with trespassing (this is the way Georgia’s laws work). Businesses have that right. They do not, however, have the right to outlaw the 2nd Amendment and make the violation of their rules a criminal offense.
I hope this doesn’t pass, but not for the reason you may think. Believe it or not, removing the requirement for a carry permit will actually make it harder to carry legally! The idiotic federal Gun-Free School Zone Act makes it a FELONY to possess a gun WITHIN 1000 FEET OF SCHOOL PROPERTY except under very limited circumstances including “if the individual possessing the firearm is licensed to do so by the State in which the school zone is located or a political subdivision of the State, and the law of the State or political subdivision requires that, before an individual obtains such a license, the law enforcement authorities of the State or political subdivision verify that the individual is qualified under law to receive the license.”
If the proposed amendment were passed, you would no longer fall under the exception. Try going about your day without going within 1000 feet of school property. Impossible. In practice, the GFSZ Act has not been enforced much (millions of otherwise law-abiding citizens surely unknowingly violate it daily), but that does not provide me much comfort.
I personally believe the GFSZ Act is unconstitutional because it effectively negates the 2nd Amendment by making 90% of populated areas prohibited, but it is unfortunately the law of the land for the moment.