Legislative Update for January 19th.

It has been a good week for gun owners in the State Senate this week.  The bulk of Governor Northam's gun control legislation has been turned back.  In all, 24 bad bills have been defeated.  Only a handful of bills remain active in the upper chamber and the committee has completed it's work on firearm related bills.  The House of Delegates has yet to take up any firearm bills.

First the list of bad bills that have been defeated in the Senate:

• SB 2 Firearms; carrying loaded in public place, etc.
• SB 5 Firearm transfers; criminal history record information checks, penalty.
• SB 63 Firearms; control of possession, etc., by localities at lawful demonstrations and protests.
• SB 119 Firearms; reporting when lost or stolen.
• SB 145 Firearm transfers; penalties.
• SB 155 Firearms; chambers of local governing bodies.
• SB 276 Firearms; removal from persons posing substantial risk, penalties.
• SB 288 Firearms; reporting when lost or stolen.
• SB 360 Firearms, etc.; permitted events.
• SB 385 Handguns; limitation on purchases, penalty.
• SB 412 Firearm transfers; criminal history record information checks, penalty.
• SB 432 Firearms, transfer of; criminal history record information check, penalties.
• SB 433 Reporting lost or stolen firearms; civil penalty.
• SB 434 Restoration of firearms rights; convicted felons.
• SB 442 Firearms; allowing access to children, penalty.
• SB 447 Firearm transfers; penalties.
• SB 641 Purchase, possession, or transportation of firearms by persons voluntarily admitted.
• SB 653 Dangerous weapons; place of religious worship.
• SB 665 Prohibition on carrying of certain firearms in public places; County of Albemarle; penalty.
• SB 668 Localities; regulation of firearms in government buildings.
• SB 732 Possession or transportation of firearms.
• SB 742 Firearms magazines and firearms, certain; prohibition of sale, transfer, etc., penalties.
• SB 794 Prohibition of sale, transfer, etc., of certain firearms magazines; penalties.
• SB 811 Protective orders; possession of firearms; surrender or transfer of firearms. 

Five good bills failed to make it out of committee:

• SB 595 Carrying concealed handguns; protective orders.
• SB 596 Victims of domestic violence, etc.; firearms safety or training course. 
• SB 493 Possession of concealed handguns; concealed handgun permit holders at public institutions.
• SB 351 Firearms in locked vehicles; immunity from liability.
• SB 338 Firearms; certain persons allowed to carry into courthouses. 
• SB 209 Concealed handgun permits; sharing of information.

The committee did report four good bills:

• SB 48 Concealed handgun; eligibility to carry openly within Commonwealth.  Reported and referred to Finance
• SB 350 Concealed handgun permit; extends expiration date.  Reported and referred to Finance
• SB 372 Place of religious worship; carrying dangerous weapon.  - This Bill was on Constitutional 1st Reading today
• SB 715 Carrying a concealed handgun; firefighters and emergency medical services providers.  Reported and referred to Finance

The only disappointing news of the week is that several bad bills were reported.  All three were referred to the Finance Committee which allows the VSSA Legislative team an additional opportunity to defeat the bill before they make it to the full Senate.

• SB 1 Firearms; mechanical devices designed to increase rate of fire, penalty.
• SB 79 Firearms; prohibited at certain preschools and child day centers.
• SB 797 Protective orders; possession of firearms; penalty.

I had the opportunity to provide an update on NRATV's Cam and Company yesterday.
Please be sure to check this blog and the VSSA web site for updates.  If your action is required a special legislative alert will be sent by email.