News Roundup

As the North State Journal reports, the General Assembly recently passed a bill that repeals North Carolina’s pistol purchase permit law.  Opinions on the bill are divided and it remains to be seen whether Governor Cooper will sign it into law.  Keep reading for more on this story and other news. Pistol Permits.  As noted in the lead, the permit repeal bill has been controversial.  The North Carolina Sheriff’s Association says that the purchase permit requirement now is duplicative since firearm sellers use the National Instant Criminal Background Check System to check a purchaser’s criminal history and mental health records.  A statement released by Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger criticized Democrats for not supporting the measure, saying that the permit system is discriminatory in that Black applicants are rejected at a much higher rate than white applicants.  Attorney General Josh Stein said in a statement that repealing the permit requirement threatens public safety because under the current system sheriffs consider the risk that a person may pose to community safety. SB 300.  In other legislative news, the General Assembly passed SB 300 this week, a bill that includes a wide range of modifications to North Carolina criminal law.  Among other things, the bill mandates first appearances for misdemeanor defendants held in custody and limits the proliferation of ordinance crimes.  The bill also includes policing reforms, with a provision requiring law enforcement officers to intervene when they observe another officer using excessive force, and a provision modifying the state’s law on [...]