GRNC Alert: Stein’s scheme to gut concealed carry: BureaucRATS scurry for cover

Anti-concealed carry forces just blinked. In response to your overwhelming negative input on Attorney General Josh Stein’s changes designed to make it harder to get a concealed handgun permit, the director of the NC Criminal Justice Standards Division just issued a “clarification” letter to concealed carry instructors.

The email sent to instructors claims: “While that email was intended to prepare instructors for the change and set a proposed implementation date, it incorrectly said that the proposed rules would be effective on October 1, 2023. I regret that error.”

Error, my a$$. Stein and his loser bureaucrat of a director, Jeffrey Smythe, intended to quietly ram it through with only token input. And but for YOUR emails and calls, they would have gotten away with it. The attached letter sent to instructors (the file for which, by the way, was labeled “CCH Rules Process FINAL,” and we did not add the caps), then goes on to list excuses for the rule change which are, frankly, laughable.

Stein’s excuse

Citing exactly FOUR instances of instructors supposedly abusing the process (out of perhaps 500,000-600,000 permits issued?), their “examples” of abuse used words like “allegedly,” “alleged conduct,” and “apparently,” meaning the NC Standards Division didn’t bother to do a true investigation.

Typical of leftist bureaucrats and gun ban advocates, Stein’s NCDOJ now intends to punish not the few instructors who MIGHT have abused the system, but instead ALL instructors, no matter how responsible they may be.

And what is Stein’s bureaucRATS’ so-called “concession?” They say, “It is certainly possible for [the Pre-Delivery Report] requirement to be reduced from 30 days to 10 days based on input from the field.”

Too little, too late. What about the “Gun Owner Registration” system the proposal creates? Crickets on that one. The state should have no interest in someone who takes the concealed carry strictly for educational purposes, with no intention of getting a permit. Yet under Stein’s scheme, instructors would be required to permanently retain a list of all students which could be reviewed (and copied?) by Stein’s minions at any time.

Make your voice heard on August 9

The public hearing on the changes will be held at 10:00am at the Wake Technical Community College, Public Safety Training Center, 321 Chapanoke Rd, Raleigh. Yes, they set it during working hours, quite probably to suppress attendance. ATTEND ANYWAY!

• CALL & EMAIL ATTORNEY GENERAL JOSH STEIN:  Using the message below, let him know in no uncertain terms that you hold him responsible for using NCDOJ to harass concealed handgun applicants and instructors and that you will remember it. Call Stein at 919-716-6400. To ensure reaching him by email, use all 3 of these addresses: 
  josh.stein@ncdoj.gov; jstein@ncdoj.gov; info@JoshStein.org
• CALL & EMAIL CRIMINAL JUSTICE STANDARDS PERSONNEL: Call Director Jeffrey Smythe (919-779-8203); Assistant Director Michelle Schilling (919-779-8205), and Program Director Bob Overton (984-275-7119) then email them at the following addresses: 
  jsmythe@ncdoj.gov; MSchilling@ncdoj.gov; boverton@ncdoj.gov
• EMAIL TRAINING STANDARDS COMMISSION MEMBERS: Use the following copy-and-paste list: 
  cblue@townofchapelhill.org; richardaepley@yahoo.com; Estella.patterson@raleighnc.gov; fesellers@northcarolina.edu; henryaa@wssu.edu; billy.gartin@raleighnc.gov; Jacques.gilbert@apexnc.org; welty@sog.unc.edu
• ATTEND THE AUGUST 9 PUBLIC MEETING: It will be held at 10:00am at the Wake Technical Community College, Public Safety Training Center, 321 Chapanoke Rd, Raleigh. Yes, they set it during working hours, quite probably to suppress attendance. ATTEND ANYWAY! 

• PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO GRNC: Help us fight gun control while we promote Second Amendment principles. Please CLICK HERE to contribute. Bear in mind that GRNC is an all-volunteer organization, so you can be sure your donations are put to the best possible use. Any amount helps, and any amount is appreciated.

Suggested Subject:  “Stop harassing concealed carry applicants”  

Attorney General Stein, NCCJSD staff and commissioners:

I am outraged that you ae playing politics with our concealed handgun training system, which has operated successfully since 1995. In a move straight from the playbook of the Biden Administration, which is using the BATFE to harass lawful gun owners and dealers, you are using the NC Criminal Justice Standards Division and NC Criminal Justice Education & Training Standards Committee to hamstring concealed carry instructors and students.

The requirement for a 30 day “Pre-Delivery Report” from instructors will make it harder for students to schedule requisite training, almost certainly suppressing applications and rendering citizens vulnerable to violent crime at exactly the time flawed public policies have increased criminal predation.

Requiring instructors to maintain a roster even of students who don’t ultimately apply for permits is a dangerous invasion of privacy that suggests registration of gun owners.

Worse, by all reports and the wording of the June 23 memo to instructors, the changes were devised unilaterally and without public input, potentially in violation of N.C.G.S. 150B-21.2.

If these changes are not rescinded or otherwise mitigated, I will support efforts to change the concealed handgun system in the NC General Assembly. I will also advise friends, family, co-workers, and acquaintances of Attorney General Stein’s malfeasance as he runs for North Carolina governor.

I will be monitoring this issue through Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts.

Respectfully,

Down South Ammo, Home of “SOUTHERN THUNDER” Exploding Targets, http://downsouthammo.com/