Following their passage in the Virginia General Assembly, Governor Terry McAuliffe vetoed multiple self-defense bills; Senate Bill 1299, Senate Bill 1300, House Bill 1852, and House Bill 1853. Today, Governor McAuliffe used an amendatory veto on Senate Bill 1023 to send the legislation back to the General Assembly in the form of a “one-handgun-a-month” bill.
On Wednesday, April 5, the Virginia General Assembly will vote to override the Governor’s veto of these important bills, and your legislators need to hear from you now! Please contact your state Senator and Delegate and strongly urge them to veto override SB 1299, SB 1300, HB 1852, HB 1853 and to reject the Governor’s amendments to SB 1023.
Senate Bill 1299, Senate Bill 1300, House Bill 1852, and House Bill 1853, sponsored by state Senator Jill Holtzman Vogel and Delegate Todd Gilbert (R-15), would allow any person who is 21 or older, not prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm and who are currently protected by an unexpired protective order to carry a concealed handgun for 45 days after the protective order was issued. This would provide time for the victim to apply for their concealed carry permit. SB 1300 and HB 1853 would also provide funding for reimbursement of training expenses as well as information for those individuals seeking training under the protection of a protective order.
Governor McAuliffe’s veto of this legislation shows a blatant disregard to the lives of domestic violence victims by not allowing them to immediately protect themselves in a situation where a protective order that is just a piece of paper cannot protect them. These bills would allow a woman who may not feel comfortable open carrying in a volatile situation to permissively and lawfully carry a firearm in her purse while she goes through the concealed carry permit process. Further, to veto legislation to provide more resources for victims of domestic violence to protect themselves and their families is proof that the governor is playing politics with the lives and safety of DV victims.
Governor McAuliffe’s amendatory veto of Senate Bill 1023 has sent the bill back to the General Assembly as a “one-handgun-a-month” bill in an attempt to restore the gun control law that was repealed back in 2012. One-handgun-a-month laws place an arbitrary limit on the Second Amendment and have long been a staple on the anti-gun political wishlist. Law-abiding Virginians who are legally allowed to own and possess a firearm should not be prevented from doing so by this archaic legislation.
In its original form, Senate Bill 1023, sponsored by state Senator Richard Stuart, would prohibit the sharing of information regarding Virginia concealed handgun permits (CHP) with law enforcement in states that do not recognize Virginia CHPs. SB 1023 would also require the Department of State Police to maintain and publish an online list of states that recognize a Virginia concealed handgun permit.
Again, please click the “Take Action” button above to contact your state Senator and Delegate and strongly urge them to vote to override the vetoes on SB 1299, SB 1300, HB 1852, and HB 1853, and to also reject Governor McAuliffe’s amendments to SB 1023.
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