The following is the latest update on legislation tracked by the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL). To learn more about VCDL, visit VCDL.org.
On Wednesday two pro-gun bills were killed in the Senate Courts of Justice Committee and one was passed out of committee. While 3,145 of you responded to the last Action Item on these three bills (thank you!), that means about 23,000 did not help out. That isn’t how we win these battles. Please don’t expect other people to carry your weight. And DO NOT assume that because your Senator or Delegate is a Democrat that you needn’t bother to contact them. There are many Democrats that vote right on gun bills, some more than other, but we need their votes whenever we can get them:
HB 705 was KILLED (6-9) by a partisan vote. Delegate Todd Gilbert introduced this bill at VCDL’s request. It would honor concealed handgun permits from all other states, allowing us to carry in Georgia, New Hampshire, and Colorado.
Shamefully the Virginia State Police opposed this bill. They claimed that an officer with a traffic stop *needs* to be able to verify an out-of-state permit 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Oh, baloney.
Unless the permit holder was committing a crime with his gun instead of committing some moving violation in his vehicle, showing his permit is all the officer needs to see. In fact, the State Police have never been able to provide the number of times any officer has even done such a check. My guess: zero or very close to zero.
If the out-of-state permit holder committed a serious crime, the police will have plenty of time to check on the permit – and that will probably be the least of their interest in such a case.
Senator Stuart spoke to the committee on the importance of HB 705 and we thank him and the others for their support. A big thanks to Delegate Gilbert for introducing the bill and putting up a good fight for it.
Voting anti-liberty: Marsh, McEachin, Saslaw, Howell, Lucas, Edwards, Puller, Petersen, Wexton
Voting pro-liberty: Norment, Obenshain, McDougle, Stuart, Vogel, Stanley
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HB 878 was KILLED (5-9) by a partisan vote. Delegate Dave LaRock introduced HB 878 to help those Virginia gun owners who are stuck in localities, such as Henrico, where the Chief Law Enforcement Officer refuses to sign off on a Form 4 for the purchase of a Class III firearm. Senator Obenshain offered an amendment to try to save the bill, but the amendment was rejected on a partisan vote.
Voting anti-liberty: Marsh, McEachin, Saslaw, Howell, Lucas, Edwards, Puller, Petersen, Wexton
Voting pro-liberty: Norment, Obenshain, McDougle, Stuart, Stanley
Not present due to weather: Vogel
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HB 962 PASSED (8-6) out of committee on a BI-PARTISAN vote and heads to the Senate Floor. HB 962 was introduced by Delegate Ben Cline at VCDL’s request. It **clarifies** current law that a person without a CHP can have a loaded handgun in a CLOSED, but not necessarily LOCKED, compartment or container while in a vehicle or vessel.
Voting anti-liberty: Marsh, McEachin, Saslaw, Howell, Lucas, Puller
Voting pro-liberty: Norment, Edwards, Obenshain, McDougle, Petersen, Stuart, Stanley, Wexton
Not present due to weather: Vogel
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On Friday an anti-gun bill, SB 510, introduced by Senator Favola will be heard in the House Courts of Justice Criminal Law subcommittee. That bill’s House counterpart, Delegate Simon’s HB 48, already died in that same committee. Hopefully SB 510 will meet that same fate.
