Gun Bills To be Heard in Virginia Tomorrow!

Please Contact Members of the House Militia Sub-Committee #1!

The following bills will be heard before the House Militia Sub-Committee #1 tomorrow Thursday, February 4, at 5pm in the 4^th Floor West Conference Room in the General Assembly Building.

Please contact the Sub-Committee members listed below and respectfully encourage them to SUPPORT the following bills:

House Bill 109, sponsored by Delegate Mark Cole (R-88), would repeal 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, address of the purchaser, date of purchase and the serial number, make and caliber of the weapon.

House Bill 171, sponsored by Delegate Brenda Pogge (R-96), would prohibit property owners, employers, or a business entity from establishing or enforcing any policy or rule restricting a person who may lawfully possess a firearm from storing a firearm locked in a motor vehicle in a parking lot or parking space.

House Bill 490, sponsored by Delegate Scott Lingamfelter (R-31), would direct the Department of State Police, in cooperation with the Secretary of Public Safety, to develop a plan to allow the State Police to issue lifetime concealed handgun permits to Virginia residents. The Department and the Secretary shall submit the plan, and any recommended legislative changes to implement the plan, to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Militia, Police, and Public Safety and the Senate Committee for Courts of Justice by October 15, 2010.

House Bill 871, sponsored by Delegate Ben Cline (R-24), would clarify 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 995, sponsored by Delegate David Nutter (R-7), would add a valid concealed handgun permit and a current or retired military identification card as documentation needed to establish citizenship or permanent residence in order to purchase an "assault" firearm in Virginia.

House Bill 1070, sponsored by Delegate Clay Athey (R-18), would provide that a person who has a valid concealed handgun permit may not be barred from carrying a concealed handgun in any place or facility designated or used by the Governor, any political subdivision of the Commonwealth, or any other governmental entity as an emergency shelter or for the purpose of sheltering persons.

House Bill 1191, authored by Delegate H. Morgan Griffith (R-8), would allow 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), would 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 National Rifle Association'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.

Please contact the Sub-Committee and respectfully urge them to OPPOSE the following measures:

House Bill 520, sponsored by Delegate Joseph Morrissey (D-74), would require anyone who exhibits, sells or offers to sell three or more firearms per year at a gun show to register as a Virginia dealer. The intent of this bill is to ban the private transfer and sales of firearms at Virginia gun shows and ultimately to ban any private transfer or sale within the Commonwealth.

House Bill 1209, sponsored by Delegate Jeion Ward (D-92), would require owners of machine guns to notify the State Police of a change in the address of the owner.

House Bill 1379, sponsored by Delegate Mark Sickles (D-43), would provide that certain Northern Virginia localities may adopt local ordinances regulating the possession and storage of firearms, ammunition or components or combination thereof at child-care facilities, so long as such regulation is not more extensive in scope than comparable state regulations applicable to family day-care homes.

Virginia State House Militia Sub-Committee #1:

Delegate Thomas Wright (R-61) - Chairman
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Delegate H. Morgan Griffith (R-8)
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Delegate David Nutter (R-7)
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Delegate L. Scott Lingamfelter (R-31)
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Delegate Mark Keam (D-35)
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