NC governor vetoes legislation to allow guns in private schools

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Josh Stein has vetoed a bill that would have allowed firearms on the state’s private school campuses.

The legislation, House Bill 193, would have let people with concealed-carry permits bring firearms onto private school property if they had permission from the school.

Stein called the proposal a threat to student safety.

“This bill would make our children less safe,” Stein wrote in his veto message. “Just as we should not allow guns in the General Assembly, we should keep them out of our schools unless they are in the possession of law enforcement.”

Stein noted law enforcement officers in North Carolina receive over 800 hours of public safety education, which includes firearms training.

Additionally, school resource officers receive comprehensive training to respond to crises and know how to de-escalate conflicts, according to Stein.

“We cannot substitute the protection offered by well-trained law enforcement officers by asking teachers and school volunteers to step in and respond to crises while armed,” he said.

However, Rep. Jeffrey McNeely, R-Iredell, argued the measure would offer smaller schools some added protection.

“This would allow some of these smaller private schools… to have somebody that they designate to be able to add some layer of protection to them until the law enforcement can get there,” McNeely said.

“This will allow for security guards who are not able, people who do have training, but they do not fall under law enforcement, to be able to be there on hand and hopefully offer some level of protection,” he added.

The National Rifle Association argued the measure didn’t go far enough.

“While the NRA supports decisions involving security being left up to private property owners rather than a government-mandated one-size-fits-all solution, this legislation, as amended, severely limits those who can exercise their right to self-defense and adds unnecessary barriers for them to do so,” it said in a statement.

The Republican-controlled House is unlikely to override the governor’s veto, as it’s nine seats short of a supermajority in the chamber.