Ramping up their attacks on constitutional freedoms, a Democrat governor has vetoed a bill that would have expanded gun rights in the state.
Specifically, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein’s decision prevents citizens as young as 18 from accessing permitless concealed carry of firearms.
The Republican-backed legislation aimed to repeal training requirements and background checks while expanding gun rights.
Stein claims the bill endangers public safety, even as GOP leaders argue it simply upholds Second Amendment freedoms.
Co-sponsored by Republican Senate leader Phil Berger, Senate Bill 50 would have removed the current concealed carry permit process.
This includes background checks, an $80 fee, and tests on shooting accuracy and legal knowledge.
The bill would have also lowered the minimum age requirement from 21 to 18, a provision that faced particularly strong opposition.
In his veto message, Stein made his anti-gun position clear: “This bill makes North Carolinians less safe and undermines responsible gun ownership.”
“Authorizing teenagers to carry a concealed weapon with no training whatsoever is dangerous,” he added.
Senate Leader Phil Berger defended the bill, emphasizing that it merely upholds constitutional rights.
“Law-abiding North Carolinians shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to effectively exercise their Second Amendment rights,” Berger stated.
Berger continued:
“Gov. Stein proved where his allegiances are. He’d rather prioritize his far-left donors and their dangerous open-border policies over the citizens of North Carolina who are desperately pleading for us to put an end to the illegal immigration crisis. I look forward to the Senate overriding his veto.”
The veto puts North Carolina behind 29 other states that have already implemented permitless carry laws.
If passed, North Carolina would have joined nearly every other Southeastern state in recognizing citizens’ right to carry firearms without government permission.
While some sheriffs opposed the legislation, the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association notably did not take a position on the bill.
Republicans argue that more armed citizens would enhance public safety, not diminish it as Democrats claim.
This veto was one of three Stein announced as he also vetoed two immigration-enforcement bills that would have required state law enforcement to cooperate with ICE and detain individuals suspected of immigration violations.
In his immigration veto message, Stein claimed constitutional concerns: “My oath of office requires that I uphold the Constitution of the United States.”
“Therefore, I cannot sign this bill because it would require sheriffs to unconstitutionally detain people for up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released,” he continued.
While House Speaker Destin Hall criticized the vetoes as favoring radical elements over public safety, Latino advocacy groups like El Pueblo celebrated the decision.
Republicans plan to pursue veto overrides, but face challenges since Democrats broke the GOP supermajority in the House during the latest election.
For gun rights supporters, the vetoes represent yet another attempt by Democrats to infringe upon constitutional freedoms and create bureaucratic obstacles for law-abiding citizens.
The fight for permitless carry in North Carolina continues as Republicans prepare for what could be a contentious veto override battle in the coming weeks.
