Politics Over Public Safety: Republican State Lawmakers Vote to Override Veto of Permitless Carry in the Senate

In Response to Bipartisan Opposition and Broad Public Disapproval of Permitless Carry Legislation, Governor Stein Vetoed SB 50 In June

RALEIGH, N.C. — Today, the North Carolina chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, issued the following statements after state lawmakers in the Senate voted to override Governor Stein’s veto of SB 50, a widely-opposed bill that would allow people 18 or older to carry concealed handguns in public without a permit—effectively eliminating all safeguards put in place by the current permitting system, including a background check, safety training, and live-fire training. Last month, Governor Josh Stein vetoed the legislation in response to 77% of likely voters in North Carolina opposing the removal of permitting requirements. The bill now heads to the House, where lawmakers have the opportunity to sustain Governor Stein’s veto. 

“I am furious that Republican lawmakers decided to play politics with our lives by overriding Governor Stein’s veto,” said Anne Enberg, a volunteer with the North Carolina chapter of Moms Demand Action. “This bill strips away one of the few remaining safeguards we have in place to prevent gun violence — putting more guns in public places with no permits, no background checks, and no training. North Carolinians deserve better than leaders who ignore public safety and put us in greater danger.”

“I’m tired of watching lawmakers treat our lives like they’re disposable,” said Sam Mell, a volunteer with North Carolina Students Demand Action. “We’ve grown up practicing lockdown drills, losing classmates to gun violence, and begging the adults in power to do something. Our generation won’t forget who chose the gun lobby over our lives.”

Governor Stein’s decision to veto SB 50 wasn’t made in a vacuum, it was made to keep North Carolina communities safe. States that removed concealed carry permit requirements between 1999 and 2021 saw, on average, a 27 percent increase in gun homicides within three years of the change—the U.S. as a whole saw less than half that increase. In 2023, North Carolina lawmakers eliminated the state’s handgun purchase permit. In the 12 months following its passage, handgun sales increased nearly 11-fold—from 34,826 to 378,546— compared to the prior 12 months. In that same period, handgun sales in North Carolina surpassed the total from the previous 22 years combined, with the state experiencing 27 mass shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive. 

Instead of listening to the will of North Carolinians and taking real steps to address the gun violence crisis — like passing secure storage laws that save lives — state lawmakers are choosing to waste time and resources overriding a veto the public supported.

In an average year, 1,714 people die by guns and 4,197 are wounded by guns in North Carolina. With a rate of 15.9 deaths per 100,000 people, North Carolina has the 23rd-highest rate of gun deaths in the US. 53% of gun deaths are by gun suicide. Read more about gun violence in North Carolina here.