CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina lawmakers advanced a bill to Gov. Josh Stein’s desk that would make significant changes to the state’s gun laws, removing the requirement for concealed carry permits.
Senate Bill 50 passed along party lines in March, but it was held up in the House for several months. There was a lengthy back-and-forth discussion before House lawmakers voted to pass the measure Wednesday. North Carolina would become the 30th state to allow permitless carry should Stein sign the bill into law.
Right now, state law allows open carry without a permit. But if you want to carry a concealed gun, you’re required to get a permit. The process includes a safety course, fingerprinting and a criminal background check. Senate Bill 50 would eliminate all of those requirements, allowing so-called Constitutional carry…