The North Carolina Senate is eyeing a sweeping new gun bill that would sharply curb access for people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence, bring in universal background checks for many firearm transfers, and revive the state’s old pistol-purchase permit system with a new twist for parents: an annual safe-storage signoff tied to the school year.
The package, carried by Sen. Woodson Bradley, has already cleared an initial Senate reading. Supporters say it is designed to plug enforcement holes that opened after lawmakers scrapped the permit law in 2023. The measure bundles criminal penalties, dealer and private-sale rules, and a school-year storage certification into a single bill that still has to survive the committee gantlet before it can advance.
What the bill would do
Filed for the 2025–26 session as S633, the proposal would make it illegal for anyone convicted of a misdemeanor domestic-violence offense to possess, purchase, or receive firearms and ammunition. It would also require federally licensed dealers, and most private sellers, to run background checks before transferring a gun.
The text brings back the pistol-purchase permit framework and layers on a new requirement: parents or guardians would have to submit a form before each school year certifying that any firearms in the home are safely stored. The draft carves out narrow exceptions for certain loans within families and sets up confidential recordkeeping rules for private firearm transfers, all spelled out in the bill language.
Sponsors and supporters
Sen. Woodson Bradley (D‑Mecklenburg) is listed as the primary sponsor, with Sens. Terence Everitt, Lisa Grafstein, and other Democrats joining as co-sponsors, according to a legislative summary. Bradley has been active on domestic-violence issues and has spoken publicly about surviving abuse, a history that shaped her decision to spearhead this proposal.
Domestic-violence advocates are lining up behind the bill, arguing it would tighten accountability for offenders and close practical enforcement gaps that they say show up in real cases, not just in statute books.
Why it matters now
The bill is touted as a direct response to the fallout from the 2023 repeal of the pistol-purchase permit requirement. Critics warned at the time that the change would blow open a private-sale loophole, a concern echoed by the state attorney general and gun-safety groups.
Backers of S633 say the measure would restore safeguards that vanished with that repeal and lay out clearer state penalties in areas where enforcement has been spotty since the old law came off the books.
Timing and scope
Bill summaries say many of the provisions are drafted to kick in in late 2025. The school safe-storage certification would start with the 2025–26 school year if the measure becomes law.
The proposal applies statewide. If enacted, it would reshape how gun dealers, private sellers, and parents document firearm transfers and certify how guns are stored at home.
Legal consequences
On the enforcement side, the draft spells out a new set of crimes. Possession of a firearm or ammunition by a person convicted of a misdemeanor domestic-violence offense would be a Class A1 misdemeanor. Dealers who knowingly transfer guns in violation of the new rules, and anyone who lies in a material way to get a weapon, could face felony charges.
Certain violations involving private transfers would also be felonies. The bill creates state-level enforcement tools to back up the new background-check and recordkeeping requirements, aiming to give the rules some real teeth instead of leaving them as paper promises.
Advocates respond
Supporters are branding the proposal as a survivor-focused step to keep abusers away from guns. As reported by WCNC, Sen. Bradley, who has publicly described surviving domestic abuse, said limiting an abuser’s access to firearms was part of what helped her survive. Domestic-violence advocate Vickie L. Evans, also quoted by the outlet, called the bill “a step toward victory.”
What’s next
The measure still needs to clear committee hearings, face possible amendments, and win votes in both chambers before it can reach the governor’s desk. Sponsors say the hearings will be the place to hammer out details such as how background checks would work on the ground, how permits would be processed, and how schools and parents would handle the new storage certifications.
