AN ACT To increase the criminal penalty for altering, destroying, or removing the permanent serial number of a firearm and for possessing a firearm with the serial number removed.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 14‑160.1(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	Unless the conduct is covered under some other provision of law providing greater punishment, a violation of any of the provisions of this section shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor."
SECTION 2.  Article 23 of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 14‑160.2.  Alteration, destruction, or removal of serial number from firearm; possession of firearm with serial number removed.
(a)	It shall be unlawful for any person to alter, deface, destroy, or remove the permanent serial number, manufacturer's identification plate, or other permanent distinguishing number or identification mark from any firearm with the intent thereby to conceal or misrepresent the identity of the firearm.
(b)	It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to sell, buy, or be in possession of any firearm on which the permanent serial number, manufacturer's identification plate, or other permanent distinguishing number or identification mark has been altered, defaced, destroyed, or removed for the purpose of concealing or misrepresenting the identity of the firearm.
(c)	A violation of any of the provisions of this section shall be a Class H felony."
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective December 1, 2009, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 17th day of June, 2009.

	s/	 Walter H. Dalton
	 President of the Senate

	s/	 Joe Hackney
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

	s/	 Beverly E. Perdue
	 Governor

Approved 12:01 p.m. this 26th day of June, 2009