Few gun laws generate as much misinformation as permitless or “constitutional” carry of concealed firearms. Last year, South Carolina became the 29th permitless carry state, meaning the law now encompasses 46.8% of Americans and 67.7% of the US.
North Carolina’s General Assembly is considering two proposals to remove the need for “permission slips” to carry concealed handguns. They are House Bill 5, “NC Constitutional Carry Act,” sponsored by Reps. Keith Kidwell, R-Beaufort; Jay Adams, R-Catawba; Ben Moss, R-Richmond; and Brian Echevarria, R-Cabarrus; and Senate Bill 50, “Freedom to Carry NC,” by Sens. Danny Britt, R-Robeson; Warren Daniel, R-Burke; and Eddie Settle, R-Wilkes.
Proposals for permitless carry aren’t new. I helped draft what we called “Vermont carry” back in 1997. In 2017, HB 746 passed the NC House but died in the Senate. Last year, HB 189 cleared two House committees before being yanked from the calendar.
Deterring violent crime…