CHARLOTTE, N.C. —
A bill to repeal North Carolina's pistol permit rules is now headed to Governor Cooper's desk.
After a heated debate on the floor, the Republican-backed Senate Bill 41: Guarantee 2nd Amend Freedom and Protections, was passed by the General Assembly on Wednesday.
Supporters of the bill say it's a win for second amendment rights.
Opponents of the bill argue that it is too lenient and would allow people with serious criminal convictions buy guns.
A major component of the bill would take the responsibility of issuing gun permits away from local sheriffs by repealing piston purchase permits, a move that Mecklenburg County Sheriff, Garry McFadden, thinks is a bad idea.
WCNC Charlotte's Jane Monreal spoke to Sheriff McFadden to get his reaction to Senate Bill 41.
"I support the second amendment," Sheriff McFadden said. However, what he doesn't support is SB 41 and the fact that the bill would repeal the permit requirements for both church carry and pistol purchases.
"I'm hoping that they do not take away the powers that over a duly elected sheriff," McFadden said. "All this is for sheriffs is, we are the best judge to understand who should have a weapon in our communities, or who should be allowed to have the weapon."
Sheriff Mcfadden added that if local permits are repealed, background checks for gun buyers wouldn't be thorough enough.
"Once that trigger is pulled and innocent lives are taken, they're going to blame someone and they often blame the sheriff. We will take that responsibility. But who talks to the families and loved ones if they take this ability away from us. It is a bad bill," McFadden said.
Now the bill has landed on Gov. Cooper's desk, and Cooper has ten days to sign or veto the bill. However, considering the razor thin majority that democrats have in the NC Legislature, if Gov. Cooper vetoes the bill, Republicans may be able to over-ride his veto.
"We are confident that we will over-ride the inevitable veto by anti-freedom Governor Roy Cooper," said Paul Valone, the President of Grass Roots North Carolina
Jane Monreal: Contact Jane Monreal at jmonreal@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
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