RALEIGH, N.C. — Legislation rolled out Wednesday would let people buy multiple handguns without getting multiple permits from their local sheriff, a change supporters billed as a “streamlining.”
“This is not opening up more guns. It’s just cutting out some bureaucracy,” said Eddie Caldwell, executive vice president and general counsel of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association.
Under current law, people who don’t have concealed carry permits have to get a pistol purchase permit from their sheriff for each handgun they buy. They can get more than one permit in a day, and there’s no limit how many permits they can get, but each purchase requires separate paperwork from the county sheriff.
Senate Bill 90 would change that, making a single permit good for five years, regardless of how many handguns the person buys.
Federal background check rules, which require a check at the dealer for each purchase, would remain in place.