Please Contact Your State Senator Today!
On Monday, February 23, two important NRA-backed bills successfully passed the Senate Courts of Justice Committee. House Bill 1851 and House Bill 2144 now head to the full Senate where they await consideration.
HB1851, sponsored by Delegate L. Scott Lingamfelter (R-31), would exempt active duty military personnel or Virginia National Guardsmen from
HB2144, introduced by Delegate David Nutter (R-7), would restrict access to the Virginia concealed carry permit holder list maintained by the Virginia State Police. This bill would make that information confidential and put a stop to the abuses of the concealed carry permit holder list. As you may recall, the Roanoke Times abused this data by creating a public online database with information about Virginia’s Right-to-Carry permit holders, allowing criminals to target law-abiding gun owners.
On Tuesday, February 24, the House of Delegates passed Senate Bill 1035 by a vote of 66 to 33 and Senate Bill 1513 by a vote of 88 to 13.
SB1035, authored by State Senator Emmett Hanger, Jr. (R-24), would permit a Right-to-Carry permit holder to carry concealed in a restaurant, provided he or she does not consume alcohol. The House amended SB1035, removing the notification requirement of CCW permit holders to the alcohol beverage manager. This change sends SB1035 back to the Senate for concurrence on the improved language.
SB 1513, sponsored by State Senator Ralph Smith (R-22), was improved by the House through the replacement of "shall" with "may" in the bill’s text. SB 1513, the companion bill to House Bill 1655, would require a court to award reasonable attorney fees, expenses, and court costs to any entity that prevails in an action challenging an ordinance, resolution, motion, or administrative action as being in conflict with a locality's authority to control firearms. The Senate must now vote to approve the amended bill or it will move into conference committee where members of both houses must agree on modified language.
Also on Tuesday, House Bill 2528 was approved 21 to 18 by the Senate. Introduced by Delegate Mark Cole (R-88), HB 2528 requires that any locality holding gun "buybacks" sell the firearms to a federally licensed dealer. Currently, those firearms are often destroyed. HB 2528 was later brought up for reconsideration and amended on the Senate floor where it was passed over for the day. The bill could be brought up as early as today, Wednesday, February 25.
It is vital that you contact your State Senator TODAY and respectfully urge them to support HB 1851, HB 2144, SB 1035, SB 1513, and HB 2528. For contact information or help identifying your State Senator, please click here.
More Like This From Around The NRA
