According to Firearm Chronicles
The sheriff of Wake County, North Carolina is facing mounting criticism over his decision to suspend issuing pistol purchase permits for one month, but the bigger issue is the fact that the state still has a Jim Crow-era law on the books that requires sheriffs to individually approve purchases of handguns to begin with.
Sheriff Gerald Baker says his office is simply swamped with pistol purchase permit applications, and he wants to take the month to work through the backlog and give office staff the ability to limit their interactions with the public to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. The problem is that under state law, unless you possess a concealed carry license, you must acquire that permit before you can legally buy a handgun, and the sheriff’s office has 14-days to process your application.
Baker’s decision has led some to say it’s an infringement on their second amendment right, including Speaker of the House Tim Moore (R). “The problem is people are scared right now, and in times when people are scared you can’t be denying them their ability to protect themselves. It feeds into a lot of paranoia and mistrust,” Moore said.
Moore also questioned the legality of the move.
Baker says the decision does not limit anyone’s right to purchase a handgun. Rather, he says, the move will limit people encountering each other during the state of emergency. “We’re not telling you you can no longer get pistol permits, but what we’re trying to do is still in line with the efforts of keeping that virus out of this building,” he said.