Virginia: General Assembly to Meet Wednesday to Override Governor’s Vetoes!

Please Contact Your State Legislators Today! 

As we previously reported, Governor Tim Kaine (D) vetoed five pro-gun bills which passed with strong bi-partisan support in both the Senate and House (Senate Bill 1035, Senate Bill 877, Senate Bill 1528, House Bill 1851, and House Bill 2528).  The General Assembly will meet on Wednesday, April 8 to consider overriding the Governor’s vetoes.

It is imperative that you contact your state legislators TODAY and respectfully request that they vote to override the Governor’s veto of the following bills:

SB1035 would permit a Right-to-Carry permit holder to carry concealed in a restaurant, provided he or she does not consume alcohol. SB1035 was amended by the House, improving it by removing the requirement that Right-to-Carry permit holders notify the alcohol beverage manager when they carry concealed in their establishment.

After vetoing SB1035, Governor Kaine said, "Allowing concealed weapons into restaurants and bars that serve alcohol puts the public, the employees, and our public safety officers at risk. I take seriously the objections of law enforcement to this measure."  However, last year the Governor signed a bill permitting Commonwealth Attorneys to carry a concealed firearm for self-defense in restaurants even while consuming alcohol.  It should be noted that SB1035 prohibited the consumption of alcohol while carrying concealed by licensed Right-to-Carry permit holders. 
 
SB877 would allow "retired" law enforcement officers to carry concealed in a restaurant that serves alcoholic beverages. Unlike SB1035, this bill applies only to retired law enforcement officers.
 
HB1851 would exempt active duty military personnel or Virginia National Guardsmen from Virginia’s “one-gun-a-month” law on handgun purchases.
 
SB1528 would allow a safety course required for obtaining a concealed handgun permit, conducted by a state-certified or NRA-certified firearms instructor to be done electronically or online.
 
HB2528 would establish that no locality or entity may participate in a gun “buyback” program where individuals are given anything of value or money in exchange for surrendering a firearm to the locality unless the governing body first passes an ordinance authorizing the gun “buyback.”  The legislation also requires that any locality holding gun "buybacks" sell the firearms to a federally licensed dealer “or be disposed of in any appropriate manner” if they could not be sold.

To read a Washington Times editorial regarding Governor Kaine’s vetoes, please visit www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/01/anti-reason-on-guns-kaine-vetoes-five-bills-despit.

Again, please contact your State Senator and Delegate TODAY and respectfully encourage them to support Virginia's law-abiding gun owners and override these anti-gun vetoes.  Contact information can be found by clicking here.