A Democrat governor just trampled on Second Amendment rights by vetoing a bill that would have expanded freedoms for law-abiding citizens.
Specifically, the bill that North Carolina Governor Josh Stein shot down would have permitted concealed carry of firearms without government permission.
Stein’s actions blocked Senate Bill 50, which would have aligned North Carolina with 29 other states that respect constitutional carry rights and eliminated bureaucratic hurdles for gun owners.
The Democrat governor rejected Republican-backed legislation that would have removed training requirements, eliminated the $80 fee, and lowered the age requirement for concealed carry from 21 to 18.
Stein claimed the bill would make North Carolinians “less safe,” a common talking point to justify restricting Second Amendment freedoms.
Senate Republican leader Phil Berger co-sponsored the bill and immediately announced plans to pursue a veto override.
“Law-abiding North Carolinians shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to effectively exercise their Second Amendment rights,” Berger stated.
The legislation would have ended North Carolina’s outdated permit system that requires citizens to get government permission before exercising their constitutional right to self-defense.
Current laws force applicants to pay fees, undergo background checks, and pass tests on shooting accuracy and legal knowledge.
Republicans have argued that armed citizens enhance public safety, while Democrats continue pushing for more restrictions on law-abiding gun owners.
If passed, North Carolina would have joined most southeastern states in recognizing permitless carry rights.
The veto is just one of several moves by Stein, who also rejected two immigration enforcement bills on the same day.
These additional vetoes would have required state law enforcement to participate in the 287(g) program for immigration status checks and expanded a 2024 law requiring jails to hold certain defendants for ICE.
Berger did not mince words about Stein’s immigration vetoes: “Gov. Stein proved where his allegiances are.”
“He’d rather prioritize his far-left donors and their dangerous open-border policies over the citizens of North Carolina who are desperately pleading for us to put an end to the illegal immigration crisis,” Berger added.
Republican lawmakers now face the challenge of overriding Stein’s vetoes.
While the GOP maintains a one-vote supermajority in the Senate, Democrats recently broke the Republican supermajority in the House, making the override effort more difficult.
These vetoes mark Stein’s first since taking office, signaling his willingness to block conservative priorities despite their popularity among the state’s voters.
