Today, pro-gun Senate Bill 284 passed favorably out of the House Judiciary Committee and now heads to the full House of Delegates for their consideration. Introduced by state Senator David Nohe (R-3), SB 284 would require that a chief law enforcement officer (CLEO) sign an application for the transfer of any item regulated under the National Firearms Act (NFA) within 30 days if the applicant is not prohibited by law from receiving it. By removing any possibility of personal bias and creating a statewide standard, SB 284 would protect the rights of law-abiding gun owners across the Mountain State. Please contact your state Delegate and politely urge him or her to SUPPORT Senate Bill 284.
On Sunday, House Bill 2128 passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and has been transmitted to the state Senate for their consideration. House Bill 2128, introduced by state Delegate Gary Howell (R-56), would permit individuals with a concealed handgun license to legally store a firearm in their private vehicle on state Capitol grounds. Please contact your state Senator and politely urge him or her to SUPPORT House Bill 2128.
On Saturday, Senate Bill 347, NRA-backed permitless carry legislation, passed out of the House Judiciary Committee with the addition of a committee substitute. SB 347 now awaits a vote on the House floor. The adopted committee substitute changes the age for those who can legally carry from 18 to 21, adds enhanced penalties for felony crimes with a firearm and allows for the recouping of legal fees from unlawful permit denials. This substitute was a combined effort between the NRA, the West Virginia Citizen’s Defense League and the West Virginia Sheriff’s Association to act in good faith to make a better bill for all those involved.
As previously reported, SB 347 is a necessary update to concealed carry statutes in West Virginia and would recognize your right to legally carry concealed without having to obtain a Concealed Handgun License (CHL), allowing law-abiding gun owners the ability to better protect themselves and their loved ones. In West Virginia, it is already legal to carry a firearm openly, as long as the individual is not prohibited by law from possessing a firearm. However, under current law, if a firearm becomes covered by a coat or if a woman prefers to carry a firearm for self-protection in her purse, he or she would need to possess a concealed pistol permit.
SB 347 gives you the freedom to choose the best method of carrying, based on your attire, gender and/or physical attributes. Also important, this legislation would keep in place the current permitting system so that people who obtain a permit could still enjoy the reciprocity agreements that West Virginia has with other states across the country. Please contact your state Delegate and politely urge him or her to SUPPORT Senate Bill 347. Please also begin calling Governor Earl Ray Tomblin (D) at 1-888-438-2731 in support of this legislation.
These three important pro-gun bills aim to benefit the law-abiding gun owners of West Virginia, and they need your active support. Please show your legislators and Governor Tomblin the strong support their constituents have for these bills, and contact them in support of SB 284, SB 347 and HB 2128 today.
Stay tuned to your email inbox and www.nraila.org for further updates.
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