West Virginia: NICS Exemption Bill Passes House

Today, House Bill 4186 passed unanimously in the House of Delegates and will be sent to the state Senate for further consideration.

HB 4186, sponsored by Delegate Rupie Phillips (D-24), would clarify and make uniform the language of West Virginia’s concealed carry statutes.  After passage of HB 4186 by both legislative chambers and enactment by the Governor, this bill language will be sent to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) for further review.  The review by BATFE should ensure that valid carry permit holders will be exempt from the national instant criminal background check (NICS) when purchasing a firearm.

There have been some unfortunate rumors and misconceptions spread about what this bill will do.  HB 4186 will not grant the federal government greater access to regulate the ability of West Virginia residents to carry concealed in the Mountain State.  HB 4186 will not open up future regulations by the federal government on the ability to carry concealed or the gun rights of the citizens in West Virginia.

Passage of HB 4186 in the House of Delegates is a positive step forward for Second Amendment rights in West Virginia.  Please contact your two state Senators and ask them to vote YES ON HB 4186.  Contact information for your state Senators can be found here.

Please know that your NRA-ILA is fully supporting this legislation and will keep you up-to-date as changes in its status occur.  As always, keep an eye on www.nraila.org and your e-mail for further updates.