The state of North Carolina became the third state to forbid law enforcement from destroying unclaimed firearms and weapons, NBC News reported on Tuesday. The legislation was termed "save the guns" by advocates.
North Carolina has followed Kentucky and Arizona with instituting this kind of weapons legislation, a measure strongly backed by the National Rifle Association.
In June, the North Carolina Legislature voted 48-1 in the Senate and 96-16 in the House to strip judges of the "power to decide what law enforcement agencies can do with seized firearms," NBC News also reported.
The new bill was signed into law by Governor Pat McCory.
Until now, local police departments needed a judge's permission to sell or destroy guns.
While the bill was being debated, the NRA sent out an alert urging constituents to tell their representatives to prevent the bill from being amended in any way that would give the enforcements the power to destroy the guns being confiscated.
"It is critical for you to contact your state Representative TODAY and urge her or him to oppose any efforts to amend H 714 in a way that will allow any discretion by judges or law enforcement to destroy lawful functioning firearms," the alert read.
The legislature also required agencies to post notices of unclaimed firearms so owners could retrieve them, news reports said. If not claimed within 30 days, they must be sold or kept by the state.
Earlier this year, the state passed laws which would allow concealed-carry permit holders the ability to bring guns into bars, restaurants and playgrounds, news reports said.
