North Carolina’s Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced a bill that would allow most adults to carry concealed handguns without a permit, joining a nationwide “constitutional carry” trend. Senate Bill 50, titled “Freedom to Carry NC,” would let U.S. citizens aged 18 or older who are not otherwise prohibited by law carry concealed handguns without a background check or mandatory training, sending the measure to another committee for further consideration.
What the bill would change
Under current North Carolina law, concealed carry requires a permit from a local sheriff plus at least eight hours of safety training. SB 50 would eliminate that requirement but keep the option for people to obtain permits mainly for reciprocity with other states that do require them. The panel added an amendment specifying that only concealed handguns would be covered, not other types of firearms, though senators did not debate that change.
Supporters’ arguments
Sponsors, including Judiciary‑Committee co‑chairs Sen. Danny Britt and Warren Daniel, argue the bill protects law‑abiding citizens’ Second Amendment rights and removes burdensome “hoops” to carry a concealed handgun. Senate leader Phil Berger supports the measure, which would make North Carolina the 30th state to allow permitless concealed carry, a group that includes both Republican‑run and some Democratic‑leaning states like Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
Opposition and safety concerns
Doctors, gun‑control advocates, and some law‑enforcement officers pushed back, warning that loosening concealed‑carry rules will increase violence and risk to the public and police. A retired surgeon called gun violence a “public health epidemic” and said less restrictive laws endanger communities and emergency responders. A Raleigh police officer argued that current permit requirements help officers identify and stop illegally armed individuals, and the group North Carolinians Against Gun Violence warned that allowing 18‑year‑olds to carry concealed weapons with no training or background checks would cost lives and is linked to higher firearm‑related violent crime.
