2008 Virginia General Assembly Opens with Attacks on Preemption!

The 2008 General Assembly session will convene on Wednesday, January 9, and we expect numerous firearms-related bills to be taken up for consideration.

Several pro-Second Amendment measures will be offered, and we will alert you to them once they have been officially filed. In addition to those bills, two anti-freedom bills have already been introduced. State Senator Mamie Locke (D-2) is the patron of two bills that seek to gut Virginia’s firearms-preemption statutes that establish uniform laws throughout the Commonwealth.  Senate Bill 32 would allow localities to ban the possession of firearms in libraries and Senate Bill 33 would allow localities to ban the possession of firearms at outdoor theatres, fairs and carnivals at which 500 or more people are present.  Not only will these bills dismantle preemption, but they also will take away your right to self-defense by essentially banning your Right-to-Carry in those locations.    

Virginia’s current preemption provisions were passed by overwhelming bi-partisan majorities in 2004 and signed into law by former Governor Mark Warner (D). Please be sure to contact your State Senator at (804) 698-7410 and your State Delegate at (804) 698-1500 to respectfully urge them to defend Virginia’s commonsense preemption statutes and your right to self-defense by opposing SB32 and SB33!