North Carolina: House to Hear Pistol Permit Repeal Language

Update: The committee has adopted the amendment to HB 398, and re-referred it to the Rules Committee.

Today, at 3:00PM, the House Judiciary 4 Committee is going to hear an amendment to House Bill 398, to add language legalizing acquiring handguns without having to first apply for a permit. Please contact your state representative and ask them to SUPPORT the amended HB 398.

The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association backs the repeal of the pistol purchase permit. The pistol purchase permit was created before modern, computerized background checks existed. The federal NICS checks that licensed firearms dealers conduct are often completed in minutes. North Carolina’s court system finished furnishing mental health involuntary commitment records to NICS in 2019, ensuring that it can do thorough checks. This relic that is the pistol purchase permit, now only serves as a time barrier, an unnecessary fee, and a general inconvenience to the exercise of the Second Amendment. 

Senate Bill 687 was also previously filed in the Senate to repeal this permit.

Again, please contact your state representative and ask them to SUPPORT the amended HB 398.