North Carolina Republicans Move to Strengthen Carry Laws

While the permitless carry bills introduced in North Carolina have received a lot of media attention this session, SB 50 and HB 5 aren’t the only pro-Second Amendment measures that are on the table. HB 439 is expected to win final committee approval this week and head to the floor of the House for a vote, and it too represents a major step forward for the right to keep and bear arms in the state. 

HB 439 isn’t a gun bill. Instead, it would open the door to the concealed carry of knives, which is currently against the law. According to a legislative summary of the measure:

G.S. 14-269(a) states that a person shall not carry concealed about his or her person any bowie knife, dagger, slung shot, loaded cane, metallic knuckles, razor, shuriken, stun gun, or other deadly weapon of like kind, except when the person is on the person’s own premises.

The PCS to House Bill 439 would create an exception to G.S. 14-269(a) if all of the following are true:

• The weapon is a knife.

• The person carrying the concealed knife is at least 18 years of age.

• The person carries valid identification at all times the person is carrying a concealed knife and displays the identification upon demand of a law enforcement officer.

• The person has not been convicted of a felony.

• Ther person is not carrying a concealed knife anywhere a concealed handgun is prohibited from being carried under G.S. 14-415.11(c). 

Under HB 439, knives are defined as bowie knives, dirks, daggers, switchblades, and bladed weapons “of like kind”. Unlike the state statute for concealed carry of firearms, no permit would be needed to possess a concealed knife. Frankly, that’s already the standard for the vast majority of states, though the specifics can vary wildly depending on what state we’re talking about. 

In neighboring Virginia, for example, there are almost no limitations on carrying pocket knives, so long as the blade is less than three inches in length. It is against the law, however, to conceal carry “a dirk, bowie knife, ballistic knife, machete, razor, throwing star, oriental dart, or any weapon of like kind'”. 

The law is much more permissive in South Carolina, where the American Knife and Tool Institute says “there are no state restrictions on the possession of knives, with the understandable exception for inmates of state and local correctional facilities. (24-13-440) and knives with a blade length longer than two inches on primary and secondary school property.” 

While we usually think of the Second Amendment as the right to keep and bear firearms, it’s really about keeping and bearing arms in general, and that would definitely include bladed weapons. HB 439 would be a substantial improvement on the status quo for both residents and visitors. I just hope it’s not the only legislation dealing with concealed carry to pass out of the House. The state Senate has already given its approval to the permitless carry bill introduced in the upper chamber, but the House bill repealing the permit requirement for concealed carry of firearms has been sitting in the House Rules Committee for over a month, and there’s no word on when or if it will get a the final vote needed to allow the full House to consider the legislation.