West Virginia: Pro-Gun Legislation Needs Your Help Before Committee Deadline this Wednesday

Contact members of the Senate AND House Judiciary Committees to urge them to hear these critical pro-gun bills

The NRA needs your immediate help to get four important House bills moving and passed in the state Senate Judiciary Committee by this Wednesday’s deadline.  The following pro-gun House bills must be heard and voted on by this Wednesday, March 5:

House Bill 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.

House Bill 4309, sponsored by Delegate Rupie Phillips (D-24), would permit a person to legally store a firearm in a private vehicle on state Capitol grounds provided that firearm is locked away and out of view.

House Bill 4310, sponsored by Delegate Rupie Phillips (D-24), would ensure the confidentiality of personal information of all current and renewing applicants for deadly weapons permits.  Additionally, it would make the personal information of those persons who have earned a concealed deadly weapons permit private to everyone other than law enforcement agencies.

House Bill 4431, sponsored by Delegate Randy Swartzmiller (D-1), would clarify the distinction between hunters and shooters in the field and would allow shooters who are in possession of a firearm, in or near the woods, to be protected from unnecessary interference by a Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officer based solely on possession of a firearm.

Using the contact information provided below, please call AND e-mail members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and urge them to hear and vote for HB 4186, HB 4309, HB 4310 and HB 4431.

Please also contact members of the House Judiciary Committee and urge them to hear and vote for Senate Bill 317 before Wednesday’s deadline.  As previously reported, your NRA has worked very closely in Charleston with many state legislators over the past few weeks to craft legislation that would clarify, change and restrict the municipal regulation of your gun rights.  SB 317, as passed by the state Senate, would now do the following:

• Remove the “grandfathered” regulations in Charleston and other municipalities that allow regulations like a three-day “waiting period” on handguns and the purchase of one handgun a month.
• Eliminate the ability of municipalities to regulate the carrying of firearms in municipally-owned property that is rented out to private businesses such as those in Martinsburg.
• Limit those buildings a municipality may restrict and regulate the carrying of a firearm to itemized and specific locations like courthouses and city halls.
• Allow for the storage of firearms in personal vehicles on municipal property when locked and out of sight.

Click here for contact information for members of the House Judiciary Committee.  Contact members of this committee TODAY and urge them to vote for this critical firearms preemption language!

Senate Judiciary Committee:

Senator Corey Palumbo (D-17), Chairman
(304) 357-7880
[email protected]

Senator Gregory Tucker (D-11), Vice-Chairman
(304) 357-7906
[email protected]

Senator Robert Beach (D-13)
(304) 357-7919
[email protected]

Senator Sam Cann (D-12)
(304) 357-7904
[email protected]

Senator Donald Cookman (D-15)
(304) 357-7980
[email protected]

Senator Rocky Fitzsimmons (D-1)
(304) 357-7918
[email protected]

Senator Daniel Hall (D-9)
(304) 357-7807
[email protected]

Senator Art Kirkendoll (D-7)
(304) 357-7857
[email protected]

Senator Ronald Miller (D-10)
(304) 357-7959
[email protected]

Senator Herb Snyder (D-16)
(304) 357-7957
[email protected]

Senator John Unger (D-16)
(304) 357-7933
[email protected]

Senator Bob Williams (D-14)
(304) 357-7995
[email protected]

Senator Mitch Carmichael (R-4)
(304) 357-7855
[email protected]

Senator Bill Cole (R-6)
(304) 357-7843
[email protected]

Senator Evan Jenkins (R-5)
(304) 357-7956
[email protected]

Senator David Nohe (R-3)
(304) 357-7970
[email protected]

Senator Chris Walters (R-8)
(304) 357-7866
[email protected]