Advocates rally for gun safety measures at the General Assembly

Dozens of Moms Demand Action members and advocates, including elected officials, rallied at the General Assembly on Thursday to urge lawmakers to address gun violence during the legislative session.

Moms Demand Action was founded after the 2012 Newtown, Connecticut shooting at which 26 people, including 20 children, were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The group, which advocates for stronger gun laws to combat gun violence, has 10 million supporters across the country, according to its website. Every year, Moms Demand Action volunteers join other gun safety advocates in their states to lobby lawmakers for gun safety.

Rep. Marcia Morey, D-Durham, highlighted the broad support North Carolina residents have for sensible gun legislation, which she said has not been a priority in the General Assembly. She said she will file discharge petitions to advance gun violence bills out of committee onto the House floor. A House member can file a discharge petition — a procedural maneuver that releases the bill from a standing committee — if it has been in that committee for 30 days. Republican leaders have repeatedly refused to allow Democratic gun violence bills to be heard in committee hearings in recent years.

“We’re here again today to call attention to gun violence and urge passage of common-sense gun safety legislation, including red flag laws and safe storage measures,” Morey said, kicking off the press conference. “This is about saving lives. That’s why we’re here again.”

Grassroots North Carolina, a gun rights group, yesterday submitted a petition requesting that Sen. Phil Berger repeal the permit requirement for carrying a concealed handgun.

Sen. Jay Chaudhuri, D-Wake, said this reflects a larger trend among Republicans pushing for legislation “that would do away with even more background checks, do away with permits and do away with training.”

Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action, called the attempt to repeal the permit requirement “disgraceful.”

“That’s not what North Carolinians want or deserve,” Ferrell-Zabela said. “We are at a crossroad, and we need our elected leaders to show some courage and prioritize popular effective common sense gun safety bills instead of rolling back existing laws and exacerbating this crisis.”

Speakers including Durham Sheriff Clarence Birkhead said North Carolina legislators need to “step up” and implement red-flag and safe, secure storage laws. “The trauma that is being impacted upon these young people, these young lives in these communities, cannot be measured,” Birkhead said.

Rae Rackley, a freshman at Duke University and a volunteer with Students Demand Action, was spurred to join the group after a person died in a 2021 school shooting near her former high school.

“Students are sick of being forced to live in a world shaped by the cowardice of politicians who are endangering us every day,” Rackley said. “Don’t forget it’s election year so if our politicians don’t listen to us, they’ll be wishing for thoughts and prayers come election day.”