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Bill Would Allow Handgun Concealed Carry Without Permit

Credit: Vitaly V. Kuzmin for Wikipedia

North Carolina lawmakers want handgun owners to be able to carry their weapons concealed without a permit.

Ten Republican legislators have introduced House Bill 69, calling it the “Constitution Carry Act.” It would remove the concealed-carry permit requirement for handguns, but not for larger firearms.

The News and Observer reports that under current law, concealed carry of a handgun without a permit is a Class 2 misdemeanor for a first offense.

There would still be some limitations if the new bill were allowed to pass.

Concealed weapons would not be allowed at parades, funerals, courthouses and some other areas.

It would also be illegal to conceal carry while drinking alcohol, on premises where alcoholic drinks are sold and consumed, and where firearms are not allowed.

Last year, lawmakers considered lifting permit requirements in the form of a constitutional amendment that would go to voters for consideration, but that proposal never received a hearing.

Neal Charnoff joined 88.5 WFDD as Morning Edition host in 2014. Raised in the Catskill region of upstate New York, he graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1983. Armed with a liberal arts degree, Neal was fully equipped to be a waiter. So he prolonged his arrested development bouncing around New York and L.A. until discovering that people enjoyed listening to his voice on the radio. After a few years doing overnight shifts at a local rock station, Neal spent most of his career at Vermont Public Radio. He began as host of a nightly jazz program, where he was proud to interview many of his idols, including Dave Brubeck and Sonny Rollins. Neal graduated to the news department, where he was the local host for NPR's All Things Considered for 14 years. In addition to news interviews and features, he originated and produced the Weekly Conversation On The Arts, as well as VPR Backstage, which profiled theater productions around the state. He contributed several stories to NPR, including coverage of a devastating ice storm. Neal now sees the value of that liberal arts degree, and approaches life with the knowledge that all subjects and all art forms are connected to each other. Neal and his wife Judy are enjoying exploring North Carolina and points south. They would both be happy to never experience a Vermont winter again.

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