Criminal Justice (Firearms)

HB 350 requires North Carolina firearm owners to report lost or stolen firearms to local law enforcement or the State Bureau of Investigation within 24 hours of discovery. Owners must provide specific details like the firearm’s make, model, serial number, and circumstances of the loss or theft. Law enforcement must then enter key details into the National Crime Information Center database. Violations are punishable as a Class 3 misdemeanor for a first offense, escalating to a Class I felony for repeat violations. The law takes effect December 1, 2025.

SB 406 would establish a new court process in North Carolina called Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), allowing family members, law enforcement, or health care providers to seek temporary removal of firearms from individuals deemed to pose a significant risk of self-harm or harm to others. Courts could issue emergency orders without the person present if danger is imminent, requiring immediate surrender of firearms and ammunition, with seizure ordered if compliance fails. The bill mandates specific evidence in petitions (e.g., details on firearms and safety risks), includes due process safeguards like verifying existing protection orders, and waives court costs for petitioners. It also requires annual reports to the legislature tracking ERPO usage, including petitions filed, orders issued, and denials.

HB 206 modifies North Carolina's process for handling firearms surrendered under domestic violence protective orders. It requires defendants to immediately surrender firearms, ammunition, and permits to the sheriff when such orders are issued, with a 24-hour deadline if immediate surrender isn't possible. The bill clarifies that sheriffs must store these items, may charge reasonable storage fees, and must conduct criminal background checks before returning firearms after the order ends. This directly affects domestic violence defendants, victims, and sheriffs managing firearm storage and retrieval.