Please contact the House Judiciary Committee and the House Judiciary Subcommittee A!
The 2011 North Carolina legislative session shows great promise as being tremendously successful for those who support our Right to Keep and Bear Arms. A number of pro-gun and pro-hunting reforms have already been introduced, and the NRA is working with key legislators to introduce more.
The state Senate took a big step forward this week with Senate Bill 34, a Castle Doctrine bill, and the House is following close behind with a similar bill, House Bill 74. S 34 was introduced by state Senators Andrew Brock (R-34), Doug Berger (D-7), and Kathy Harrington (R-43). On February 22, the Senate Judiciary II Committee took up S 34 for the second time, and amended it to make a good bill even better. Originally introduced to strengthen the right to self-defense in the home, the bill was amended to expand protections to include self-defense in cars, at the workplace and establish that there is no duty to retreat when faced with a criminal attack when you are in a place you may lawfully be. It also offers protections against criminal prosecution and civil action when one is compelled to use force (including lethal force) against a criminal attack. Yesterday, S 34 passed Second Reading on the floor of the state Senate by a vote of 37 to 13, and should pass Third Reading (the final step to pass in the state Senate) next week.
In the state House, H 74 was filed on February 10 by state Representatives Mark Hilton (R-96), Shirley Randleman (R-94), George Cleveland (R-14), and Rayne Brown (R-81). This legislation was the stronger Castle Doctrine bill when introduced, but with the changes to S 34 this week, they are now quite similar. H 74 should be heard by the full House Judiciary Committee soon, and NRA will be working with state Representative Hilton and other supporters of the bill to ensure it is passed with solid, effective language that will protect your right to self-defense. Please contact members of the House Judiciary Committee and urge them to support H 74. Contact information for the House Judiciary Committee can be found here.
In addition to these Castle Doctrine bills, a number of other pro-gun reforms will soon be considered.
House Bill 111, introduced by state Representatives Mark Hilton (R-96), Jeff Barnhart (R-82), Fred Steen (R-76), and Kelly Hastings (R-110), would remove the prohibition on Right-to-Carry permit holders carrying a concealed firearm into any restaurant that serves alcohol on premises. It would also remove the ability of a local government to ban the carrying of concealed firearms by Right to Carry permit holders in parks. This legislation is scheduled to be heard in House Judiciary Subcommittee A on Wednesday, March 2.
House Bill 63, introduced by state Representatives Phil Shepard (R-15), Mark Hilton (R-96), George Cleveland (R-14), and Jeff Barnhart (R-82), would establish that businesses cannot prohibit law-abiding citizens from parking a car on a private parking lot simply because firearms are secured in the vehicle. This bill is also scheduled to be heard in House Judiciary Subcommittee A on Wednesday, March 2.
Please contact members of House Judiciary Subcommittee A and urge them to support H 63 and H 111. Contact information for the House Judiciary Subcommittee A can be found here.
House Bill 29, introduced by state Representative Tim Moore (R-111), would authorize a hunter to use a portable light and a dog on a leash to help in the retrieval of a dead or wounded big game animal. It also provides for permissible means to dispatch a wounded animal. This legislation passed in the House yesterday, and is now headed to the Senate for consideration.
NRA is also working with state Representative Mark Hilton (R-96) on a comprehensive bill to improve North Carolina’s Right-to-Carry law, as well as address several other areas regarding the laws regulating firearms in the Tar Heel State. There are other bills in the works, and we will be sure to update you on them as they are introduced, or are scheduled for any consideration.
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