State lawmakers file bills to allow for concealed carry without a permit in North Carolina

CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Standing behind a display case inside his business, Tar River Arms owner Kurt Lieberman shared that he often hears the same questions from customers.

"It's almost every day. I get it on the phone, I get it in here. When they purchase (a gun), what can they do? What are they supposed to do when they're carrying in their car? There's quite a bit of confusion around it," said Lieberman.

Currently, to get a concealed carry permit, you must be 21 years old and need to complete a firearms safety course, while meeting other residency requirements and pass a background check.

"I always just instruct people like if you're going to move here and once you change your state ID, you really need to go to the concealed carry class and get that done here," said Lieberman.

Two bills filed this session, Senate Bill 50 and House Bill 5, would allow for people to carry a concealed weapon without a permit, applying to everybody 18 and older. If passed, it would make the currently required training only voluntary.

"When we give people the opportunity to learn the importance of firearms and the danger that firearms have on them, they have the opportunity to understand the safety measures that you take. What would operating a firearm, being able to store that firearm, all of those different types of measures make us safer," said Gerald Givens, the CEO of Raleigh Boots on the Ground, a nonprofit specializing in violence prevention.

There are 29 states that allow for what's commonly referred to as "constitutional carry."

"I believe in state's rights, but I do believe there should be national clarity on the issue because I do think people do get in a bind when they travel across state lines with their firearms and they legitimately want to do the right thing. Even bullets, (when people) head up north, you go across different states and even the bullets (have) different (requirements)," said Lieberman.

In a joint statement, Sens. Danny Britt, Warren Daniel, and Eddie Settle, the three primary sponsors of the SB 50 wrote:

"The General Assembly has made incredible strides to defend the Second Amendment rights of North Carolinians. There is still more we can do though. We need to join the majority of states and recognize that law-abiding citizens should be able to exercise their Second Amendment rights without getting permission from the government."

The Senate version has the backing of Senate President Phil Berger, key to its prospects in that chamber.

"Adopting constitutional carry, you're bringing up North Carolina's laws to make them much more similar to our surrounding states. You look at South Carolina, you look at Georgia, you look at Tennessee. We're surrounded by states that have constitutional carry. So it would actually make it a more a simplified process for gun owners," said Jordan Stein, a firearms instructor in Caswell County who runs Dry Powder Training.

The bills allow for concealed carry permits to be issued for reciprocity, one reason why Stein believes people will still opt to undergo training.

"Virginia unfortunately does not have constitutional carry. If I wanted to carry in the Commonwealth, then I would have to have a permit. So yes, I do think people would still seek out training. People would still be getting to know the laws and regulations that they have. It would also let people get the level of training that they would want. Some people may have grown up around farms, and are very familiar with firearms and they may not need an eight-hour course to safely or responsibly carry a gun. They may just want a course on the law or just certain aspects of it," said Stein.

Stein said fellow gun owners have expressed support for constitutional carry in conversations.

"As a firearms instructor, I definitely think people value training is important. But when it comes down to your rights, you should not have to seek government permission before exercising a God-given inalienable constitution. Protected right to defend yourself," Stein said.

In 2023, lawmakers overrode then-Gov. Roy Cooper's veto of SB 41, which eliminated required background checks for handguns conducted by local sheriffs' offices. The bill also allows people attending religious services at places that also serve as schools to carry guns, and it also launches a statewide firearm safe storage awareness initiative.

Sam Mell, who serves on the National Organizing Board of Students Demand Action, expressed frustration with this latest push to loosen regulations surrounding firearms.

"I think it's a really irresponsible and unsafe move by lawmakers. I think that permit-less carry is going to allow a lot of potentially dangerous people access to a weapon," said Mell.

Previous efforts to enact legislation allowing concealed carry without a permit have stalled in the Legislature, though the backing of Berger bodes well for its chances in that respective chamber.

SB 50 and HB 5 are similar, though there is one key difference in the House version. It's a section at the bottom of the bill, which explicitly states elected officials can conceal carry while acting in their official capacity, as long as they meet all other requirements.

In a statement, House Democratic Leader Robert Reives wrote:

"Allowing anyone 18 or older to carry a concealed handgun without a permit makes everyone less safe. We need commonsense reforms and this measure would only hurt communities."

In a statement, Eddie Caldwell, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association wrote:

The "constitutional carry" bill introduced in the House and the "constitutional carry" bill introduced in the Senate are not identical. We will be reviewing both versions of this legislation and discussing them with the Association leadership in the coming weeks. At this time, the Association does not have a position on this legislation for the 2025 legislative session.

In a statement, the Wake County Sheriff's Office wrote:

We support the Second Amendment and the right for individuals to lawfully purchase, bear, and possess firearms. We encourage all to practice responsible and safe firearm storage. At this time, Sheriff Rowe will refrain from speaking on pending legislation. The Wake County Sheriff's Office will continue to work collaboratively with our law enforcement partners to enforce all laws in a professional, lawful, and humane manner.

Gerald Givens, who has lost eight family members to gun violence, stressed why he believes the current process is needed.

"The piece of machine that you have inside of your hand, that is a weapon. And that weapon can cause harm. It can cause danger to someone. If you know how to operate it safely, if you know those North Carolina laws, you can prevent yourself and you can prevent someone else from being hurt. That's why it's important for us to keep this permit process in place so that we can continue to educate firearm owners in North Carolina, and guard them with the knowledge and understanding that they need to protect themselves," Givens said.

Mell, an NC State student, is upset, though not surprised by the newly filed bills.

"It still devastates me that North Carolina lawmakers would choose to prioritize guns over kids, especially as someone who grew up living through things like lockdown drills. I think that no kid should have to experience that, and we have the tools to make our children safer. I wish North Carolina lawmakers would utilize those tools a bit more appropriately," said Mell.

Both bills passed on first readings, and have been referred out to Rules Committees in their respective chambers.