North Carolina gun owners currently live in a state of flux, with new laws taking effect at the beginning of the month and a longtime push for constitutional carry still in limbo.
First, to the expansion of gun rights, which is always worth celebrating after years of oppression by anti-gunners.
Private school children deserve armed protection from those who would do them harm
House Bill 193 deals with firearms on private school campuses and expands the roster of people allowed to provide armed protection for the Tar Heel state’s children. Qualified employees and community volunteers will be allowed to carry weapons and stun guns at these locations.
Of course, they must be vetted, trained, and in possession of a concealed carry permit.
Another plus for the bill is that it allows individuals to carry a firearm in a place of worship if the place of prayer is attached to a private school. All too often, violent psychopaths consider schools and churches to be “soft” targets that offer little resistance.
NC governor does not believe anyone other than law enforcement should have weapons on campus
Incredibly, the pro-Second Amendment bill was vetoed by Gov. Josh Stein (D), who railed against expanding campus protections. “We should keep [guns] out of our schools unless they are in the possession of law enforcement.”
The legislature disagreed with this sentiment and overrode Stein’s veto. After all, private schools do not have an unlimited well of taxpayer funds to allocate to much-needed resource officers.
Instead, with the new law, they may rely on trained and vetted individuals to offer a layer of protection for schoolchildren against the unknown.
The other new statute was the much-publicized Iryna’s Law, passed in memory of the Ukrainian refugee who was senselessly stabbed to death on a Charlotte train. And if it results in keeping violent criminals with dozens of felonies off the streets, the bipartisan act will be worth its weight in gold.
As for North Carolina becoming the 30th esteemed member of the constitutional carry club, that decision is still on hold.
Stein vetoed the legislation, “Freedom to Carry NC,” and supporters last month postponed the crucial override vote for the sixth time. It has been a long and winding journey to reach December 15, the next date the vote will—or will not—be held.
Senate Bill 50 first appeared in the Legislature last February. On March 20, senators overwhelmingly approved the measure and moved it on to the House.
The House tossed the proposal around for weeks before passing it by only a 59-48 tally. Two representatives counted on to form a solid wall of support broke ranks and voted with the opposition.
Then there are the 13 representatives absent for the initial House vote.
Stein, as he had indicated earlier, vetoed constitutional carry for North Carolina residents on June 20. He claimed extending this fundamental right to law-abiding citizens “makes North Carolinians less safe and undermines responsible gun ownership.”
But Second Amendment advocates have solid control of both chambers, and before the end of July, the Senate overrode Stein’s veto with a 30-19 vote.
That was the apogee of this effort that spanned nearly all of 2025. Gun rights supporters are not sure that they have the two-thirds House majority necessary to join the Senate and make the state the 30th to enact constitutional carry.
All eyes will be on the NC House on the 15th to see if lawmakers are finally able to push through this critical legislation. State residents deserve the ability to lawfully carry a firearm without asking the government for permission.
It’s a great time to contact lawmakers and let them know that you support protecting the Second Amendment and advancing self-defense rights.
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