Don't you think it is wise to get approval and input from gun owners before you surprise them with a law? Did you ever think that what YOU want may not be in the best interest of Open Carry. This is one of the biggest problems with politicians, the surprise hit legislation, without any regard for the people that elected them.
CC carriers is but a small percentage NC gun owners, but the laws you surprise the owners with may not be in the best interest of all gun owners, just a small group. Don't you think that some owners may feel sold out could be the source of discontent?
I read HB111 quickly but I will read again, BUT it appears to me that a person if it is passed, that wanders into a restaurant that serves alcohol without a permit will be charged with a felony. NOW it is only a misdemeanor, how is that looking out for open carry? If what I read is right it not only pandering to CC instructors and the state, but outright making felons out of OCers.
WalkingWolf,
I think the confusion about the felon part is due to that HB111 introduced several proposals, not just restaurant carry. It not only proposed changes that would allow people with a CHP to carry in establishments where alcohol was both sold and served, but it also beefed up punishments for felons that were caught carrying firearms if the crime also resulted in injury to a person. The two items were separate issues in the bill, but proposed as part of the same bill. If you break the bill down, you'll see where it dealt with both carrying in restaurants, and then went on to address felons who were caught with weapons, and allowing the state to charge them with another felony for it if the crime resulted in injury. As well, it also introduced wording to clarify the law on local government's authority to prohibit the concealed carry of firearms. So really, the bill dealt with three separate items.
February 16, 2011
*H111-v-5*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ALLOW PERSONS WITH CONCEALED HANDGUN PERMITS TO POSSESS HANDGUNS IN RESTAURANTS IF NOT PROHIBITED BY THE POSTING OF A NOTICE PROHIBITING POSSESSION ON THE PREMISES, TO IMPOSE CRIMINAL PENALTIES ON FELONS WHO UNLAWFULLY POSSESS FIREARMS WHEN THE VIOLATION RESULTS IN INJURY TO A PERSON, AND TO CLARIFY THE LAW ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY TO PROHIBIT CONCEALED CARRY OF FIREARMS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:...
That's the gist of what I'm seeing , anyway. Three separate issues that were proposed on the same bill, which is fairly common on any legislation, not just gun related bills. I don't see where a non-felon being caught with a concealed firearm in an establishment that both sold and served alcohol would be charged with a felony.
However, I'm not a lawyer so it's just my opinion of what I'm reading in the bill. If it was reading that way, then I'd bet it was a mistake and not intentional, and something that would certainly need to be addressed in future legislation before it was proposed again. I'm like you, I'd like to see OCrs have the same legal abilities to carry under the law. Making us felons (I have no permit) for making a simple mistake like carrying into a restaurant that served alcohol would not sit well with me at all.
But due to the nature of the bill introducing the two items as separate issues, I can safely say that wasn't the case. It's just a little confusing because the two issues were stuffed into the same bill. I may be wrong though. I'll take a more in depth look and see what I see.
Thanks!