GASTON COUNTY, N.C. -- On Tuesday, Gaston County became the latest county in our area to receive the Second Amendment Sanctuary designation.

Gaston County Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution to oppose any efforts to unconstitutionally restrict people’s right to bear arms.

Commissioner Chad Brown, who is also running for Secretary of State, co-sponsored the resolution.

"This is about our constitution and our freedoms to bear arms,” Brown said. “It has a symbolic measure of telling our citizens, our residents, that we are for taking care of their needs and what is happening in the Constitution."

He added it also sends a message to state lawmakers.

“It tells the legislature, ‘hey, your constituency says this is not something they want and they are going to stand up and stand behind it at the end of the day,'” Brown said.

This month, several counties in North Carolina have passed similar resolutions.

According to University of North Carolina School of Law Professor Rick Su, the resolutions are not controversial but they could become an issue if counties intend to disregard court rulings.

"There seems to be implication that counties would not enforce any gun control regulation, even those that a court has not held to be unconstitutional, that would be highly problematic and it’s very unlikely, especially in North Carolina, that the county can essentially choose not to abide by a uniform state law,” Su said.

However, he said the situation would be different if county governments decide not to implement a new federal gun law.

“If what they are saying is they won’t enforce federal law, that’s actually constitutional,” Su said. “Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean the county is a total sanctuary, federal agents can come into the county and enforce the federal gun laws.”

In Gaston County’s case, Board of Commissioners Chairman Tracy Philbeck said, with the resolution, the county government is making the statement that it would challenge the state or federal government in court if they implement a new legislation that would violate peoples' gun rights.

Gun owner Deborah Garland, who was in support of the resolution, feels better knowing the commissioners are on their side.

“We have to stick to the Constitution. We are granted that right in our Constitution and any law that is made that tries to trump those rights, these guys are going to protect us against that,” Garland said.

The Gaston County Second Amendment resolution also states public funds, resources, employees, buildings or offices can’t be used to restrict Second Amendment rights.