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Snaquebite
09-10-2010, 10:55
Did anyone see this? Just ran across it on another forum. Apparantly put in place 2 September by Gov Perdue.

I can't see how this would be constitutional.

GOV Perdue decided to take advantage of the recent storm to ban guns off one's own property.

http://www.nccrimecontrol.org/...20of%20Emergency.pdf

In her press release, Perdue said:

The order calls for all state and local government agencies to cooperate in the implementation of provisions of the North Carolina Emergency Operations Plan. The order also delegates authority to Crime Control and Public Safety Secretary Reuben Young to take “actions necessary to promote and secure the safety and protection of the populace in North Carolina.”

http://www.examiner.com/gun-ri...-suspends-gun-rights



[Raleigh] Yesterday, North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue signed Executive Order No. 62, declaring a State of Emergency in advance of Hurricane Earle. In doing so, Perdue suspended the right of state residents to use or carry firearms outside their premises.

At issue is N.C. General Statute 14-288.7, which prohibits transporting a “dangerous weapon” during a state of emergency:

§ 14 288.7. Transporting dangerous weapon or substance during emergency; possessing off premises; exceptions.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, it is unlawful for any person to transport or possess off his own premises any dangerous weapon or substance in any area:
(1) In which a declared state of emergency exists; or
(2) Within the immediate vicinity of which a riot is occurring.
(b) This section does not apply to persons exempted from the provisions of G.S. 14 269 with respect to any activities lawfully engaged in while carrying out their duties.
(c) Any person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. (1969, c. 869, s. 1; 1993, c. 539, s. 192; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c).)

According to § 14 288.1 (10), a state of emergency exists “whenever, during times of public crisis, disaster, rioting, catastrophe, or similar public emergency, public safety authorities are unable to maintain public order or afford adequate protection for lives or property, or whenever the occurrence of any such condition is imminent.”

Violation of the order is a Class I misdemeanor, punishable by up to 120 days in jail. Those impacted include concealed handgun permit-holders, sport-shooters, and anyone else carrying a firearm outside their home or business. Critics note that dove-hunting season begins on Saturday (September 4), potentially making criminals of thousands of hunters.

NC DEMOCRATS REFUSE TO RECTIFY PROBLEM

In recent years, two North Carolina bills could have prevented infringement on individual rights under state of emergency laws. Under Section 3 of House Bill 257: “No Seizure of Lawful Firearms in Emergency,” sponsored by Rep. George Cleveland (R-Onslow) and three other legislators, lawfully possessed firearms and ammunition would have been exempted from the state of emergency law.

Despite support from the state’s primary gun group, Grass Roots North Carolina*, and others the bill died when it was denied a committee hearing by Democrat leadership, including Speaker Joe Hackney (D-Chatham, Moore, Orange) House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman (D-Davidson) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Representative Ronnie Sutton (D-Robeson).

The issue became more urgent in February, when the town of King declared a state of emergency in response to an impending snowstorm and posted the entire town against the sale and purchase of firearms and ammunition.

In response, GRNC worked with Rep. Mark Hilton (R-Catawba) to revamp the bill and introduce it again, with stronger language on the state of emergency issue, during the second year of the legislature’s two-year session as HB 2031. Referred to the House Judiciary I Committee, chaired by anti-gun Rep. Deborah Ross, that bill too died when Democrats denied it a hearing.

LAWSUIT PENDING ON STATE OF EMERGENCY LAW

Ironically, in June GRNC joined Michael Bateman, Virgil Green, Forrest Minges, Jr., and the Second Amendment Foundation in a lawsuit against the state’s emergency powers gun ban.

Named in the suit are North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue; Reuben Young, secretary of the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety; Stokes County and the City of King.

Filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, the official title is Bateman et al v. Perdue et al, Case No. 5:10-cv-265. It contends that state statutes forbidding carrying of firearms and ammunition during declared states of emergency, as well as laws enabling government officials to prohibit purchase, sale and possession of firearms and ammunition are unconstitutional because they forbid the exercise of Second Amendment rights as affirmed by the Supreme Court ruling in McDonald v. Chicago.

Plaintiffs are represented by attorney Alan Gura, who won the recent McDonald v. Chicago Second Amendment case and the landmark D.C. v. Heller case preceding it. Local counsel includes Andrew Tripp and Kearns Davis of Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard, LLC.

After GRNC issued an alert to its members, word of the implications of Perdue's order spread on the Internet, including being featured on thetruthaboutguns.com. It is widely anticipated that the order will add impetus to the Bateman lawsuit.

*Author F. Paul Valone is president and a co-founder of Grass Roots North Carolina.

Pete
09-10-2010, 11:31
As a point of order I'd like to point out that all she did was declare the state of emergency.

That triggered the so-named statute.

Since we have a place by the Beach - if a bad Hurricane hit the area and a State of Emergency was declared it would be illegal for me to carry a weapon with me when I went down there to check on things.

Nice to know those things in advance. I can either work to change the law, break the law or stash a few guns here and there - legal guns in legal places of course.

Snaquebite
09-10-2010, 11:39
Pete, Point taken and I agree, however I never knew such a statute existed until I read the article.

I wonder just how many CCW holders, hunters and folks going to Jim's or any other range were breaking the law unknowingly.

PRB
09-10-2010, 14:50
Many States have taken action to do away with this so called power. This was brought to a head during Katrina when Cops actually confiscated legally owned firearms from folks's private property.
Az passed a law prohibiting the emergency powers act from this very unconstitutional thing.
You need to get on board politically and do something...a very simple way to disarm the public.

tonyz
09-10-2010, 19:21
Snaquebite and Pete,

Florida has adopted statutory language to protect citizens possessing legally owned weapons during declared emergencies.

I agree with PRB that not having such protection is a very simple way to disarm the public - at a most inopportune time.

Additionally, not having the statutory protection potentially makes criminals out of otherwise law abiding citizens that may permanently disqualify them from lawfully carrying concealed weapons in the future.

The citizens of NC can get the ball rolling - politically.

To assist - I have provided links to the pertinent (FL) statutes below and to an old legislative bill analysis (for the FL statutes) for you to help a group or friendly legislator get to work on this matter (the bill analysis would need to be updated and modified, of course, for NC purposes - but it provides some information that might help get the ball rolling).

The Florida statutory language may or may not pass muster in NC but it provides an example of what one might be looking for.

I have found that when dealing with legislators (or their staff) - arriving with suggestions often helps.

I hope this helps.



Legislative staff analysis in link below:


http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=h0285f.SAC.doc&DocumentType=Analysis&BillNumber=0285&Session=2006


Excerpt of statutory language in link below:


http://www.flsenate.gov/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0200-0299/0252/Sections/0252.36.html



The 2010 Florida Statutes

Title XVII
MILITARY AFFAIRS AND RELATED MATTERS

Chapter 252
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

View Entire Chapter
252.36

Emergency management powers of the Governor.



(5)

In addition to any other powers conferred upon the Governor by law, she or he may:

(h)

Suspend or limit the sale, dispensing, or transportation of alcoholic beverages, firearms, explosives, and combustibles. However, nothing contained in ss. 252.31-252.90 shall be construed to authorize the seizure, taking, or confiscation of firearms that are lawfully possessed, unless a person is engaged in the commission of a criminal act.



Statutory language in link below:


http://www.flsenate.gov/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0800-0899/0870/Sections/0870.044.html



The 2010 Florida Statutes

Title XLVI
CRIMES

Chapter 870
AFFRAYS; RIOTS; ROUTS; UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLIES

View Entire Chapter
870.044

Automatic emergency measures.


Whenever the public official declares that a state of emergency exists, pursuant to s. 870.043, the following acts shall be prohibited during the period of said emergency throughout the jurisdiction:
(1)

The sale of, or offer to sell, with or without consideration, any ammunition or gun or other firearm of any size or description.
(2)

The intentional display, after the emergency is declared, by or in any store or shop of any ammunition or gun or other firearm of any size or description.
(3)

The intentional possession in a public place of a firearm by any person, except a duly authorized law enforcement official or person in military service acting in the official performance of her or his duty.

Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to authorize the seizure, taking, or confiscation of firearms that are lawfully possessed, unless a person is engaged in a criminal act.