Civil approach advances as council settles on enforcement path
By Delayna Earley
The Island News
Beaufort County Council has rejected the criminal penalty version of a proposed rule regulating firearm discharge in unincorporated areas, while advancing a civil enforcement approach that will continue moving through the legislative process.
In a unanimous vote Monday night, April 13, 2026, council members voted down the measure that would have made certain firearm discharges a criminal offense. The decision effectively ends that version of the proposal.
The proposal, which has been under discussion for months, is aimed at restricting the discharge of firearms within 500 feet of homes in unincorporated Beaufort County, with exceptions and limitations built in.
By the time it returned to council this week, the debate had shifted from whether regulation was needed to how it should be enforced.
County staff made clear that council had a choice between two approaches: criminal penalties or a civil enforcement structure.
Council member Lawrence McElynn raised concerns about the criminal approach, warning that overlapping enforcement options could create confusion for residents.
“There would be confusion,” McElynn said, noting that residents should clearly understand what the law requires and what penalties apply.
Input from law enforcement also factored into the discussion. According to comments during the meeting, both the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and the solicitor’s office expressed a preference for a civil penalty structure.
Following the vote to reject the criminal version, council then took up the civil approach, which passed first reading later in the same meeting.
Under that version, violations would carry financial penalties rather than criminal charges. As discussed, a $500 fine could ultimately total more than $1,000 once fees and assessments are added.
Council members also discussed adding an educational component, encouraging those cited to complete a firearm safety course, which could be considered when penalties are determined.
The ordinance has gone through multiple rounds of debate, including committee approval, a public hearing, and revisions before returning to council this week.
With the criminal version now off the table and the civil version advancing, council appears to have settled on its direction, though additional readings and possible revisions remain ahead.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.