AN ACT TO reduce the concealed handgun permit application and renewal fees for a person who was discharged honorably or under general honorable conditions from military service in the Armed Forces of the United States and to authorize the sheriff to send the required notice prior to the expiration of a concealed handgun permit via electronic mail.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 14‑415.19 reads as rewritten:

§ 14‑415.19.  Fees.

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(a1)      The permit fees for a retired sworn law enforcement officer who provides the information required by subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection to the sheriff, in addition to any other information required under this Article, are as follows:

Application fee............................................................................. $45.00

Renewal fee................................................................................. $40.00

(1)        A copy of the officer's letter of retirement from either the North Carolina Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System or the North Carolina Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System.

(2)        Written documentation from the head of the agency where the person was previously employed indicating that the person was neither involuntarily terminated nor under administrative or criminal investigation within six months of retirement.

The county finance officer shall remit the proceeds of the fees assessed under this subsection to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety to cover the cost of performing the State and federal criminal record checks performed in connection with processing applications and for the implementation of the provisions of this Article.

(a2)      The permit fees for a person who was discharged honorably or under general honorable conditions from military service in the Armed Forces of the United States are the same as for a retired sworn law enforcement officer under subsection (a1) of this section. In addition to any other information required under this Article, an applicant claiming a reduced fee under this subsection shall provide a Form DD‑214 showing the applicant has been discharged honorably or under general honorable conditions from military service in the Armed Forces of the United States, a Veterans Identification Card issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, or other documentation (i) showing the person was discharged honorably or under general honorable conditions from military service in the Armed Forces of the United States and (ii) deemed satisfactory by the sheriff. The county finance officer shall remit the proceeds of the fees assessed under this subsection in the same manner as proceeds remitted under subsection (a1) of this section.

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SECTION 2.(a)  G.S. 14‑415.14 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:

(a1)    The permit application shall provide the permittee an option to consent for communications related to the permit to be sent by electronic means to a designated electronic mail address. The State Bureau of Investigation shall also create a separate paper form that a current permit holder may submit to the sheriff to provide or revoke their consent for electronic communications related to their permit.

SECTION 2.(b)  G.S. 14‑415.16(a) reads as rewritten:

(a)      At least 45 days prior to the expiration date of a permit, the sheriff of the county where the permit was issued shall send a written notice to the permittee explaining that the permit is about to expire and including information about the requirements for renewal of the permit. The notice shall be sent by first class mail to the last known address of the permittee. permittee or, with consent of the permittee, by electronic means to a designated electronic mail address of the permittee. Failure to receive a renewal notice shall not relieve a permittee of requirements imposed in this section for renewal of the permit.

SECTION 3.  Section 1 of this act becomes effective July 1, 2025, and applies to applications for concealed handgun permits and permit renewals submitted on or after that date. Section 2 of this act becomes effective October 1, 2025. The remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law.