(RALEIGH) -- North Carolina could become the 45th state to allow concealed handguns in restaurants. A House committee approved a bill on Thursday that would allow people with concealed carry permits to be armed in restaurants.

Sen. Buck Newton said it is not the law-abiding citizens that people should be worried about.  "I should not be penalized as a law-abiding citizen from the places that I should be able to go.  In other words, the criminals can go with their guns and break the law and because I'm a law-abiding citizen I have to be a target of that and that's not right," said Newton.

State law already prohibits anyone who is carrying a firearm from consuming alcohol. The bill also clarifies that legally obtained guns can be carried in parks, greenways, and other recreational areas.

Legislators heard from the NRA and a statewide gun rights organization. The also heard from a pediatrician who said that they worry about children being exposed to gun violence.