RALEIGH, N.C. (WGHP) – The North Carolina Senate apparently intends to hold a vote Tuesday to override Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of Senate Bill 41, the bill that repealed gun laws that governed some pistol permits and allowed weapons on school grounds for certain events.
On Monday afternoon state Sen. Bill Rabon (R-Brunswick) sent a memo to Senate Democratic Leader Dan Blue (D-Wake) to notify him of the plan to vote when the Senate convenes at 4 p.m. Tuesday. The note also is addressed to “Fred,” whose identity is unclear but could be GOP Caucus Leader Carl Ford (R-Rowan).
Cooper on Friday vetoed the so-called “Guarantee 2nd Amendment Freedom and Protections” bill, citing that its elimination of “strong background checks will allow more domestic abusers and other dangerous people to own handguns and reduces law enforcement’s ability to stop them from committing violent crimes. Second Amendment-supporting, responsible gun owners know this will put families and communities at risk.”
The Senate, which has a supermajority of Republican members, could be expected to override the veto. The bill passed, 29-19, along party lines, with two members absent. Two Republican votes would have to flip for the override to fail.
The bill went to Cooper after the House passed it last week, 70-44 on second reading, with three Democrats voting for it: Rep. Marvin Lucas (D-Cumberland), Rep. Shelly Willingham (D-Bertie) and Rep. Michael Wray (D-Halifax). No Republicans voted against it.
It’s unclear when or if the House would hold an override vote, but the GOP lacks one vote of a supermajority in the House. The Democrats would have to continue to support to bill to override the veto.
Senate Bill 41 by Steven Doyle on Scribd
State Sen. Michael Garrett in a post on his Twitter account on Monday cited the timing of the vote considering the deadly school shooting Monday morning in Nashville, Tennessee.
“Today, we wanted pre-K children, hand in hand, walking away from their school, the latest victims of gun violence in America,” Garrett wrote. “Tomorrow the Senate intends to override @NC_Governor’s veto of SB41. Further eroding the ability to keep our communities & families safe. Outrageous.”
SB 41, as ratified, permits licensed gun owners to carry their weapons on public school property that is used for religious gatherings; repeals all or part of seven statutes for pistol purchase permits granted by county sheriffs that include some private sales not covered by national background checks; and to create an unfunded initiative to help promote safe firearm storage practices that include the distribution of gun locks.
