Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN Legal & Legislation

North Carolina: Urge your Lawmakers to Repeal Unnecessary Requirement for Pistol Purchase Permit

Friday, May 13, 2016

North Carolina: Urge your Lawmakers to Repeal Unnecessary Requirement for Pistol Purchase Permit

The North Carolina General Assembly’s “Short” Session is under way, and while there were several solid pro-gun advancements made last year, there is still some work that needs to be done this year.  As you likely recall, last year’s omnibus firearms reform bill, House Bill 562, faced heavy debate in the House.  While that vehicle originally included language to repeal the outdated, inefficient Pistol Purchase Permit (PPP) system, legislators voted to remove that provision by supporting an amendment authored by state Representative Allen McNeill (R-78).  This amendment was supported by the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association (NCSA), and strongly opposed by NRA.  (To see how your legislator voted on the McNeill Amendment, please click here)


Unfortunately, when drafting his amendment, Representative McNeill included a new requirement for PPP applications.  Similar to the requirement when applying for a Right-to-Carry permit in North Carolina, one must now sign a release to authorize access to mental health records to determine if the applicant is prohibited from purchasing a firearm due to a mental health disqualification.  This requirement has not been requested by the NCSA in the past, so it is possible Representative McNeill included it by accident.  Nonetheless, this new requirement has created substantial problems that should be corrected.

NRA has been hearing from members in North Carolina that there are now substantial delays in the processing of PPP applications, and it is clearly due to this new requirement.  There have been news reports about the problem, and Mecklenburg County and its sheriff are at the center of this issue.  We have received reports of applications taking upwards of four months to be processed in Mecklenberg County, in spite of the fact that state law clearly sets a maximum timeframe to approve or deny a PPP application at 14 days.  Mecklenberg County Sheriff Irwin Carmichael has even indicated he knows he is violating state law, and will continue to do so.

Whether or not this problem is isolated to Mecklenberg County is unclear, but it needs to be fixed.

In addition, misinformation has been circulated by the media on this subject, with one article claiming that the new regulation “requires mental health background checks for all instead of just some.”  In fact, mental health checks have always been a part of the process sheriffs use for issuing a PPP.  They are required to run their background checks through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), and North Carolina statute has required mental health disqualifiers be reported to NICS since 2008. 

Please contact your state Representative and state Senator and urge them to work with NRA to repeal this unnecessary new requirement that has created this problem.  If you have experienced any delays when applying for a PPP, please be sure to let your elected officials know, as they may not be aware of the problem in your area.

TRENDING NOW
Kamala Harris is an Existential Threat to the Second Amendment and Supports Gun Confiscation

News  

Monday, July 29, 2024

Kamala Harris is an Existential Threat to the Second Amendment and Supports Gun Confiscation

Since President Joe Biden unceremoniously dropped out, or was forced out, of the 2024 presidential race on July 21, Vice President Kamala Harris has been effectively coronated as the Democratic presidential nominee.

Kamala for Gun Confiscation: In Her Own Words

News  

Monday, September 16, 2024

Kamala for Gun Confiscation: In Her Own Words

During the September 10 presidential debate, President Donald Trump correctly highlighted Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’s support for gun confiscation. A visibly defensive Harris claimed, “We're not taking anybody's guns away. So stop with the ...

Florida: Vote "YES" on Amendment 2 - Protect the Right to Fish & Hunt

Monday, October 21, 2024

Florida: Vote "YES" on Amendment 2 - Protect the Right to Fish & Hunt

The upcoming 2024 General Election puts forth a proposal to Florida voters on the ballot to amend the State Constitution to affirm and protect Floridians' Right to Fish and Hunt. Amendment 2 states:

Kamala’s Big Problem: She’s Already Shown Us Who She Is

News  

Monday, October 28, 2024

Kamala’s Big Problem: She’s Already Shown Us Who She Is

At a town hall event on October 21 in Royal Oak, Michigan, Democrat presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris was asked how she would make “impactful and immediate progress around gun violence” if she was ...

Kamala Harris is an Existential Threat to the Second Amendment and Supports Gun Confiscation

News  

Monday, July 29, 2024

Kamala Harris is an Existential Threat to the Second Amendment and Supports Gun Confiscation

Since President Joe Biden unceremoniously dropped out, or was forced out, of the 2024 presidential race on July 21, Vice President Kamala Harris has been effectively coronated as the Democratic presidential nominee.

Kamala Harris’ Record on Gun Control and Second Amendment

News  

Thursday, October 3, 2024

Kamala Harris’ Record on Gun Control and Second Amendment

Vice President Kamala Harris has consistently campaigned for draconian gun control laws, which severely limit the rights of lawful gun owners.

NRA’s Political Victory Fund Endorses President Donald J. Trump

News  

Saturday, May 18, 2024

NRA’s Political Victory Fund Endorses President Donald J. Trump

Today, the National Rifle Association's Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) is honored to announce its full endorsement of President Donald J. Trump for re-election to a second term as President of the United States of America. ...

Tim Walz Hunts for Voters in Outdoor Photo Op

News  

Monday, October 21, 2024

Tim Walz Hunts for Voters in Outdoor Photo Op

History shows, when anti-gun politicians take to the field, gun owners have good reason to be concerned.

Michigan: Governor Whitmer Signs Bill Funding Tipline to Turn in Gun Owners

Thursday, October 10, 2024

Michigan: Governor Whitmer Signs Bill Funding Tipline to Turn in Gun Owners

Today, Governor Whitmer signed House Bill 5503. Originally a bill providing critical funding for Michigan schools, it was politicized with an amendment to create an anonymous tipline for the purpose of reporting the "unsafe" storage of firearms. The ...

Government Gaslighting: The FBI’s Crime Data Revisions

News  

Monday, October 21, 2024

Government Gaslighting: The FBI’s Crime Data Revisions

During the September 10 debate between presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, ABC News moderator David Muir purported to “fact-check” Trump’s statement that “crime in this country is through the roof,” with the contradiction ...

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.