Virginia: Report on Legislative Action for the Week of February 6

Today, the Virginia House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee took up the following pro-gun bills: 

SUPPORT House Bill 1329: Sponsored by pro-gun Delegate Lee Ware (R-65), HB 1329 would allow out-of-state concealed handgun permits or licenses to be recognized in Virginia if accompanied by government-issued photo identification.  HB 1329 would acknowledge the rights of everyone, regardless of what state you are from. (passed by a 15-6 vote and sent to the full House of Delegates)

SUPPORT House Bill 2009: Sponsored by pro-gun Delegate Dave LaRock (R-33), HB 2009 would require that when certification of a chief law enforcement officer is required by federal law for transfer of a firearm as defined in the National Firearms Act, such certification must be provided within 60 days if the applicant is not prohibited by law from receiving the firearm.  The reforms in this bill would benefit law-abiding Virginia firearm owners by ensuring the process to obtain certain federally-regulated firearms already legal in Virginia remains fair, fact-based and objective. (passed by a 15-6 vote and sent to the full House of Delegates)

SUPPORT House Bill 2029: Sponsored by pro-gun Delegate Tony Wilt (R-26), HB 2029 would exempt Virginia residents with a valid concealed handgun permit and a photo ID from undergoing a background check to purchase a firearm. (passed by a 15-6 vote and sent to the full committee)

SUPPORT House Bill 2214: Sponsored by pro-gun Delegate Nick Rush (R-7), HB 2214 provides a mechanism for reporting when an individual restores their right to possess, transport, and carry a firearm to the State Police. (passed unanimously and sent to the full House of Delegates)

Yesterday, the Virginia House Militia, Police and Public Safety Subcommittee #1 took up the following bills:

OPPOSE House Bill 2024: Sponsored by anti-gun Delegate Mamye BaCote (D-95), HB 2024 would prohibit the carrying of firearms in libraries.  Your inherent right to self-defense should not stop at the library door. (was tabled)

OPPOSE House Bill 2045: Sponsored by anti-gun Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn (D-41), HB 2045 would prohibit anyone subject to a protective order from possessing a firearm, without the protections of due process.  Protective orders are used in a wide variety of circumstances, many of which do not involve violence.  NRA believes that revocation of an individual’s constitutional right should be subject to due process, not accusations that lack being substantiated through some form of judicial review where an individual has an opportunity to present their own defense. (laid on table by voice vote)

OPPOSE House Bill 2328: Sponsored by anti-gun Delegate Marcus Simon (D-53), HB 2328 would mandate that anyone served with a protective order must surrender any firearm they possess within 24 hours of being served.  Once again, NRA believes that revocation of an individual’s constitutional right should be subject to due process, not accusations that lack being substantiated through some form of judicial review. (laid on table by voice vote)

OPPOSE House Bill 2359: Sponsored by anti-gun Delegate Marcus Simon (D-53), HB 2359 would change the type of training courses that may be taken to satisfy the requirement for a concealed handgun permit, making the requirements more onerous for law-abiding gun owners. (laid on table by voice vote)

On Wednesday, February 4, the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee passed House Bill 2111 unanimously.  Sponsored by Delegate Michael Futrell (D-2), HB 2111 would allow for the use of electronic versions of certain hunting, trapping and fishing licenses. (sent to the full House of Delegates)

On Tuesday, February 3, the full House of Delegates took up the following two bills:

SUPPORT House Bill 2286: Sponsored by pro-gun Delegate Michael Webert (R-18), HB 2286 makes it possible for individuals who had their rights fully restored in other states to possess firearms in Virginia.  Under current case law, people with felony convictions whose rights were restored by those states, are nonetheless prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition here. (passed by a 64-34 vote and sent to the Senate)

SUPPORT House Bill 1666: Sponsored by pro-gun Delegate Buddy Fowler (R-55), HB 1666 would allow former Virginia residents to petition to have their gun rights restored in the same manner as residents. (passed unanimously and sent to Senate for committee referral)

On Monday, February 2, the Senate took up the following two bills:

SUPPORT Senate Bill 1132: Sponsored by pro-gun Senator Tom Garrett (R-22), SB 1132 would allow a person with a valid concealed handgun permit to carry on school grounds after hours, or store a concealed handgun in a motor vehicle in the parking lot. (defeated by a 18-20 vote)

SUPPORT Senate Bill 1137: Sponsored by pro-gun Senator Tom Garrett (R-22), SB 1137 would prohibit local ordinances that ban concealed carry permit holders from transporting a loaded rifle or shotgun, eliminating a patchwork of inconsistent laws that are unnecessarily confusing for law-abiding citizens. (passed by a 25-13 vote and referred to House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee)

Your NRA-ILA will keep you informed as these bills and others progress during this important legislative session so that you can contact your state legislators and urge them to support the bills that advance your Second Amendment rights and oppose those bills that would restrict those rights.  Also, please continue to check your email and www.nraila.org for updates on these and other firearms-related bills.