q  CONTACT COMMITTEE MEMBERS LISTED BELOW: Please note that there are TWO committee meetings on Tuesday, one for the Senate (11:00 AM) and one for the House (3:00 PM). Using the copy and paste list below, we need you to CONTACT BOTH COMMITTEES.

q  ATTEND ONE OR BOTH COMMITTEE MEETINGS: Using the map below, please attend the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting at 11:00 AM in the Legislative OFFICE Building (NOT the Legislative Building), Room 544, and the House Judiciary 3 Committee meeting at 3:00 PM in Room 421. BE THERE!

q  SENATE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO CONTACT: Amy.Galey@ncleg.gov; Michael.Lazzara@ncleg.gov; Michael.Lee@ncleg.gov; Paul.Newton@ncleg.gov; Brad.Overcash@ncleg.gov; Norman.Sanderson@ncleg.gov; Benton.Sawrey@ncleg.gov

q  HOUSE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO CONTACT: Hugh.Blackwell@ncleg.gov; Bill.Ward@ncleg.gov; John.Faircloth@ncleg.gov; Julia.Howard@ncleg.gov; Jeff.Zenger@ncleg.gov

• PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO GRNC: Help us fight gun control while we promote Second Amendment principles. Please CLICK HERE to contribute. Bear in mind that GRNC is an all-volunteer organization, so you can be sure your donations are put to the best possible use. Any amount helps, and any amount is appreciated.

Suggested Subject: Please support purchase permit repeal & close church carry loophole

Dear [Senator or Representative]:

I’m pleased that Republican leadership is moving bills to repeal our archaic and subjective Jim Crow-era pistol purchase permit law and to close the church carry loophole which now prohibits protecting religious meeting places that sponsor schools. 

Both of these concepts have previously passed through the legislature, only to be vetoed by Gov. Roy Cooper. Their enactment is long overdue.

Claims by gun ban advocates that Missouri experienced increased homicide after repealing its pistol purchase law are false. Said Dr. John R, Lott of the Crime Prevention Research Center, “While it is true that the murder rates in Missouri rose 17 percent relative to the rest of the US after the law was changed, it had actually increased by 32 percent during the five years prior to the change.” So in truth, Missouri’s increase in murder rate DECLINED after repealing the purchase permit law.

The NC Sheriffs’ Association supports repeal of purchase permit law: In the 2021-2022 session of the General Assembly, a NC Sheriff’s Association representative testified in support of repeal, citing recent improvements in reporting to the National Instant Background Check System (NICS) and calling the law “duplicative.”

By closing the church carry loophole, we will be affording churches which sponsor schools exactly the same protection most North Carolina churches have enjoyed since 1995. In recent years, three mass killings in churches have been stopped when armed congregants shot attackers (Colorado Springs, Colorado, 12/9/07; Sutherland Springs, TX, 11/5/17; White Settlement, TX, 12/29/19).

By prohibiting concealed carry during curricular and extracurricular school activities, nothing with respect to educational property will change.

I strongly urge you to support both measures by all means procedural and substantive. I will be monitoring this issue through Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts.

Respectfully,