A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to prohibit leaving a firearm in an unattended motor vehicle unless the vehicle is locked and the firearm is secured or otherwise safely stored.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Article 35 of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes reads as rewritten:
"§ 14‑269.9.  Firearms in unattended motor vehicles.
(a)	Definition. – For purposes of this section, the term "firearm" is as defined in G.S. 14‑408.1.
(b)	Prohibition. – It is unlawful to leave a firearm in an unattended motor vehicle unless the vehicle is locked and the firearm is either (i) secured with a trigger lock or other safety device designed to prevent an unauthorized user from operating the firearm or (ii) in a locked container.
(c)	Penalty. – Any person who violates subsection (b) of this section is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor."
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective December 1, 2019, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.