John,

We express deep disappointment with our state lawmakers for passing the repeal of our Pistol Purchase Permitting (PPP) system (SB 41). It now heads to the Governor and we encourage him to veto the bill. Stay tuned for more action items to prevent this bill from ever becoming a law. 

Below is the press statement that North Carolinians Against Gun Violence (NCGV) just released.
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Repealing our PPP system would mean that many people in NC who now undergo background checks could buy handguns at gun shows or online – no questions asked. In states without regulations on private firearm sales 57% of firearms purchases from a private seller did not include a background check. Studies have found that state firearm licensing laws reduce the flow of guns trafficked within and between states and diverted for criminal misuse. In Durham County alone in 2022 the sheriff denied 133 pistol purchase permits. 

Becky Ceartas, NCGV Executive Director: “Why are we politicizing saving lives in North Carolina? Our Pistol Purchase Permitting system prevents homicides, suicides, mass shootgins and domestic violence. Often times suicide prevention is getting lost from the debate. 22 years after Connecticut passed its permit to purchase law, their gun suicide rate went down by 33%. Nine years after Missouri repealed its bill they saw their gun suicide rate increase by 24%.

“Rural NC has the highest rates of suicides and homicides. This is not an urban vs. rural issue. This is about saving lives throughout NC.”

Gerald Givens, Jr., NCGV Board Member: “Last October, Raleigh joined the growing number of cities that experienced a mass shooting. No one law can prevent mass shootings but we do know that permit to purchase laws are one of the most effective policies to prevent gun violence. The permitting system also prevents mass shootings. A 2020 study of mass shootings across the country found that states with strong handgun licensing laws have 56% fewer mass shooting incidents and 67% fewer mass shooting victims.”

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North Carolinians Against Gun Violence (NCGV) is a non-profit organization that has been working for 30 years to reduce the number of incidents of gun-related deaths in our state each year. NCGV’s mission is to make North Carolina safe from gun violence through public education on gun violence prevention, the enforcement of current gun laws, and the enactment of new legislation. For more information on NCGV visit www.ncgv.org.