Today in Virginia a plethora of pro 2nd Amendment laws go into effect. The past legislative session witnessed some of the biggest victories for gun rights advocates that the Commonwealth has seen in years. And it only took a Republican sweep in the top elected positions in Virginia after eight years of control by anti gun Democrats Tim Kaine and Mark Warner!
With the McDonnell, Bolling, and Cuccinelli elections it seemed that Constitution loving Virginians took a collective deep breath of relief and pushed for as many reforms as possible. The pro gun victories were taking such a toll on gun control nuts that the Democrat controlled State Senate had to shame itself by violating the Constitution and creating a subcommittee designed to kill as many pro gun bills as possible. From a gun control standpoint this stopped the bleeding and prevented the most controversial bill from being passed: repealing the one handgun a month statute.
A lone, but big victory for Democrats. However, there is a strong chance that the ban will be repealed sometime in the near future though.
This pro gun trend is also seen at the national level, although not through any effort by the executive or legislative branches. The Supreme Court has issued two landmark decisions that clarified the founding fathers intent to the right to bear arms applies to the individual and cannot be infringed upon by states, localities, and districts.
When the next legislative session begins, Republicans and conservatives have to be wondering, what else can we get accomplished that we couldn’t for the past eight years?
The point I’m trying to make is if Virginia can make great strides in expanding something (often seen) as controversial as gun rights, what else can we get done before Bob McDonnell leaves office?
Pro-life measures? Off shore drilling? Lower taxes? Reduction in government? Approving a Constitutional Convention? Finally working towards better transportation? Immigration reform?
Conservatives in Virginia should think big. Just like how liberals were licking their chops at the national level to institute reforms they have been dreaming about for a long time. While we can’t do anything about that until November, there is reason to be optimistic that we can do even more in the Commonwealth.
Going into effect today (as provided by the NRA-ILA):
House Bill 8/Senate Bill 3, sponsored by State Senator Ralph Smith (R-22) and Delegate Charles Carrico (R-5), allows Virginia residents to renew concealed carry permits by mail.
House Bill 109, sponsored by Delegate Mark Cole (R-88), repeals the statute which allows the governing body of any county to require the sellers of pistols and revolvers to furnish the Clerk of the Circuit Court with the name and address of the purchaser, date of purchase and the number, make, and caliber of the gun.
House Bill 505/Senate Bill 334, sponsored by State Senator Emmett Hanger (R-24) and Delegate Todd Gilbert (R-15), will allow a concealed carry permit holder to carry his or her firearm into a restaurant that serves alcohol, provided he or she does not consume any alcohol. HB505 was conformed to SB334 by creating a Class 2 misdemeanor for consumption of alcohol while carrying concealed and stripping retired law enforcement officers of the ability to drink while carrying concealed.
House Bill 637, authored by Delegate Ward Armstrong (D-10), will exempt a boarding team member or boarding team officer in the United States Coast Guard from the concealed handgun permit issuance fee, provided they have completed 15 years of service or reached the age of 55.
House Bill 871, authored by Delegate Ben Cline (R-24), clarifies that a person who is applying for a concealed handgun permit for the first time has the same right to an ore tenus (verbal or oral statements) hearing if the permit is denied as a person who has previously held a concealed handgun permit.
House Bill 885, sponsored by Delegate Cliff Athey (R-18), allows any person who may lawfully possess a firearm and is carrying a handgun while in a personal, private vehicle or vessel to keep the firearm secured in a container or compartment in the vehicle or vessel.
House Bill 1092, sponsored by Delegate Anne B. Crockett-Stark (R-6), gives retired law-enforcement the ability to carry a concealed handgun without a permit.
House Bill 1191, sponsored by Delegate H. Morgan Griffith (R-8), allows a circuit court judge to authorize the Clerk of Court to issue concealed handgun permits in instances where the application is complete, the background check does not indicate that the applicant is disqualified, and, after consulting with the local sheriff or police department, there are no other questions or issues surrounding the application.
House Bill 1217, sponsored by Delegate Lynwood Lewis (D-100), will allow local school boards to offer firearm safety education programs in the elementary grades. To assist local school boards opting to provide such instruction, the Board of Education must establish a standardized program of firearm safety education for students in the elementary school grades to promote the protection and safety of children. The bill requires that the program objectives incorporate, among other principles of firearm safety, accident prevention and the rules of the NRA’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program. Local school boards offering the program must comply with Board curriculum guidelines and integrate the instruction in appropriate subject areas, if feasible, to ensure that every elementary school student receives instruction in firearm safety education.
House Bill 1256, sponsored by Delegate Paula Miller (D-87), provides that certain law-enforcement officers with at least 20 years of service who resign from their position in good standing to accept a position covered by the Virginia Retirement System, will now be eligible to carry a concealed handgun if he or she has received written proof of consultation with and favorable review of the need to carry a concealed handgun, issued by the chief law-enforcement officer of the agency from which the officer resigned.
