The following is the latest update on legislation tracked by the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL). To learn more about VCDL, visit VCDL.org.
Here is the updated status this week on some bills that VCDL strongly supports:
HB 307, Delegate Lingamfelter, allows schools to offer hunter safety, PASSED the House 97 to 0 and heads to the Senate.
HB 752, Delegate Rush, give schools the option of not expelling a student for possessing an air gun, PASSED out of House Education subcommittee 9 to 0.
SB 377, Senator Reeves, allows a dealer to do a voluntary check that a gun he is buying, transferring, or trading from a non-dealer that the gun is not stolen, PASSED the Senate unanimously and heads to the House.
HB 43, Delegate Bob Marshall, prohibits state and local government employees from assisting the federal government in enforcing gun control passed after 12/1/2013, was modified and PASSED out of subcommittee by a 7 to 3 vote. It will be voted on in full committee on Monday afternoon and, if it passes, will head to Appropriations. The State Police are claiming that the bill will have a fiscal impact on them because the feds could withhold funds in retaliation. However, when Delegate Marshall asked the State Police to show evidence that they would lose any funding, the State Police never responded to him. Protecting our liberties and freedoms from an increasing overreaching federal government with the provisions of HB 43 would be worth ANY loss in federal funds to the State Police.
Here is the updated status this week on some bills that VCDL strongly opposes:
HB 1246, Delegate Filler-Corn, makes on-line training invalid for getting a CHP, KILLED in the Militia, Police and Public Safety Subcommittee #1 by a majority vote.
HB 810, Delegate Carr, “celebratory” gunfire bill, I was told that it has been NEUTERED to remove mention of firearms and becomes simply a malicious wounding bill. I need to verify the substitute bill’s wording to confirm that all the objectionable language has been removed.
HB 941, Delegate Surovell, makes a hidden compartment in a vehicle a crime, KILLED in the House Courts of Justice subcommittee.
The following pro-gun bills have not yet been assigned to a subcommittee. It’s not as if the subcommittees are overloaded with bills – they are not. If the bills are not assigned this week and/or heard in full committee, then the Speaker, Delegate Bill Howell, and Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee Chairman, Delegate Scott Lingamfelter, have effectively killed them with a “pocket veto.” These bills are too good to not be given a vote. I’ll follow up with Lingamfelter on these bills on Monday – watch for a possible urgent action item on Monday:
HB 114, Delegate Cole, allows private K-12 schools determine how they do security themselves.
HB 317, Delegate Berg, restores the right of a CHP holder to carry in the non-security areas of an airport terminal.
HB 786, Delegate Wilt, allows teachers in K-12 school to be able to store a handgun in their vehicle.
HB 1226, Delegate LaRock, fixes an issue with a trust registering a machine gun with the State Police.
These pro-gun bills are currently in limbo because of the attempt to pass the Lingamfelter/Carrico lifetime permit bill (which still has some problems):
HB 644, Delegate Campbell, lifetime permits.
HB 646, Delegate Campbell, removes fees for replacement CHPs.
HB 714, Delegate Campbell, removes fees for renewing CHPs.
HB 8, Delegate Lee Ware, reduces the maximum fee for CHPs to $25 from $50.
