North Carolina residents may soon be able to carry concealed weapons in public without a permit.
Senate Bill 50, or “Freedom to Carry NC,” was recently approved by the state Senate and is currently moving through the House. It’s one of several gun-related bills introduced to the legislature so far this year.
Advocates are also eager to expand gun rights on the federal level, as Congress recently made progress on two bills that would loosen regulations. But in a win last week for gun regulators, the Supreme Court upheld federal restrictions on “ghost guns,” or untraceable, build-it-yourself gun kits.
In 2023, almost 47,000 people in the U.S. died of gun-related injuries. That number is down from the record of 48,830 in 2021, but still among the highest annual totals on record, according to Pew Research Center. Suicide accounted for the majority at 58% of all gun-related deaths in 2023, and murder made up 38% of the total.
On this episode of Charlotte Talks, we consider the potential impact of new gun legislation in North Carolina and nationwide.
GUESTS:
Chip Brownlee, reporter at The Trace, which covers federal policy related to gun violence
Becky Ceartas, executive director of North Carolinians Against Gun Violence
Christine Zhu, state politics and government reporter for NC Newsline
