On July 2nd, Governor Roy Cooper vetoed House Bill 652, the Second Amendment Preservation Act, despite it passing the General Assembly with bipartisan supermajorities. He erroneously claimed that the bill will allow guns in schools and threatens the safety of students and teachers. Instead, it only applies to churches that operate schools and simply allows parishioners to carry when the schools are not in session, if the church wishes to opt-in. Gov. Cooper’s veto shows that he cares little about personal safety or private property rights. HB 652 will now go back to the General Assembly, where they may consider a veto override.
House Bill 652 allows law-abiding citizens who hold a concealed handgun permit to carry a handgun to defend themselves and their loved ones when attending religious worship taking place on private property that is both a school and place of worship if it does not prohibit firearms. This empowers private property owners to set their own security policy rather than the state imposing a one-size-fits-all solution. Last year, an armed citizen defended his church against an individual in Texas. This worshiper, Jack Wilson, was able to take action because of similar NRA-backed legislation in Texas.
The final bill also requires sheriffs to accept a refresher training course rather than a full course for individuals who have let their concealed handgun permit lapse, so long as it is more than 60 days and less than 180.
Please stay tuned to www.nraila.org and your email inbox for further updates on this bill and other issues affecting our Second Amendment rights in North Carolina.
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