Sen. Bill Carrico isn’t pleased with Attorney General Mark Herring’s decision to end concealed carry reciprocity with 25 other states. A response he is considering [1]?
In November, a bill was filed that would require Virginia to recognize permits from other states. If approved, it would reverse Herring’s ruling.
Carrico said he’ll address the issue come January.
“A lot of the governor’s power is deferred to the General Assembly at that point and I’ll be getting with my colleagues to circumvent everything this governor has done on this point,” he said. “I have a budget amendment that I’m looking at to take away his executive protection unit. If he’s so afraid of guns, then I’m not going to surround him with armed state policemen.”
Okay, then.
Then bill referenced is H.B. 12 [2], patroned by Del. Lee Ware, and gathering additional support as time goes by.
And it is worth noting that while Del. Ware’s bill, if adopted, would effectively overturn the AG’s decision, Mr. Herring has applied the reciprocity law as it is written [3].
The General Assembly left the door open to Herring, or any other similarly inclined AG, to follow the same course. The worthies can attempt to change the law, but should be prepared for the all but certain gubernatorial veto (and recall House Republicans lost their veto-proof majority in November).
In other words, an otherwise dull session framed by a third try at Medicaid expansion might become even more interesting than the presidential primaries in March.