GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2003

SESSION LAW 2003-199

SENATE BILL 33

AN ACT to provide reciprocal concealed handgun rights to concealed handgun permit holders of other states.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Article 54B of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§ 14-415.24.  Reciprocity; out-of-state handgun permits.

(a) A valid concealed handgun permit or license issued by another state is valid in North Carolina if that state grants the same right to residents of North Carolina who have valid concealed handgun permits issued pursuant to this Article in their possession while carrying concealed weapons in that state.

(b) The Attorney General shall maintain a registry of states that meet the requirements of this section on the North Carolina Criminal Information Network and make the registry available to law enforcement officers for investigative purposes.

(c) Every 12 months after the effective date of this subsection, the Department of Justice shall make written inquiry of the concealed handgun permitting authorities in each other state as to: (i) whether a North Carolina resident may carry a concealed handgun in their state based upon having a valid North Carolina concealed handgun permit and (ii) whether a North Carolina resident may apply for a concealed handgun permit in that state based upon having a valid North Carolina concealed handgun permit. The Department of Justice shall attempt to secure from each state permission for North Carolina residents who hold a valid North Carolina concealed handgun permit to carry a concealed handgun in that state, either on the basis of the North Carolina permit or on the basis that the North Carolina permit is sufficient to permit the issuance of a similar license or permit by the other state."

SECTION 2.  G.S. 14-269(a1) reads as rewritten:

"(a1)    It shall be unlawful for any person willfully and intentionally to carry concealed about his person any pistol or gun except in the following circumstances:

(1)       The person is on the person's own premises.

(2)       The deadly weapon is a handgun, and the person has a concealed handgun permit issued in accordance with Article 54B of this Chapter. Chapter or considered valid under G.S. 14-415.24."

SECTION 3.  G.S. 14-415.24(b), as enacted by this act, is effective when this act becomes law.  The Attorney General shall implement G.S. 14-415.24(b), as enacted by Section 1 of this act, within 60 days after this act becomes law.  The remainder of this act becomes effective 60 days after this act becomes law.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 4^th day of June, 2003.

                                                                    s/ Beverly E. Perdue

                                                                         President of the Senate

                                                                    s/ Richard T. Morgan

                                                                         Speaker of the House of Representatives

                                                                    s/ Michael F. Easley

                                                                         Governor

Approved 8:16 a.m. this 14^th day of June, 2003