Last Day To Contact Legislators on Vetoes

As previously posted, Governor Tim Kaine vetoed five important self-defense and pro-gun bills which passed with strong bi-partisan support in both the State Senate and House of Delegates. The General Assembly will meet tomorrow, April 8, to consider overriding the Governor’s vetoes.

Today through tomorrow morning before 11:30 AM will be your last chance to make your voice heard and to urge that your state legislators vote to override the Governor’s veto of the following bills:

SB1035 would permit a Right-to-Carry permit holder to carry concealed in a restaurant like Applebees, Olive Garden or any other restaurant that serves food and alcohol, provided he or she does not consume alcohol. SB1035 was amended by the House, improving it by removing the requirement that Right-to-Carry permit holders notify the alcohol beverage manager when they carry concealed in their establishment. After vetoing SB1035, Governor Kaine said, "Allowing concealed weapons into restaurants and bars that serve alcohol puts the public, the employees, and our public safety officers at risk. I take seriously the objections of law enforcement to this measure." It should be noted that last year Governor Kaine signed a bill permitting Commonwealth Attorneys to carry a concealed firearm for self-defense in restaurants even while consuming alcohol.

SB877 would allow "retired" law enforcement officers to carry concealed in a restaurant that serves food and alcohol. Unlike SB1035, this bill applies only to retired law enforcement officers and does not prohibit them from consuming alcohol.

SB1528 states that the safety course required for obtaining a concealed handgun permit, conducted by a state-certified or NRA-certified firearms instructor can be done electronically or online.

HB1851 would exempt active duty military personnel or Virginia National Guardsmen from Virginia’s handgun rationing (“one-handgun-a-month”) law.

HB2528 would establish that no locality or entity may participate in a compensated gun confiscation (“buyback”) program, where individuals are given anything of value or money in exchange for surrendering a firearm to the locality, unless the governing body first passes an ordinance authorizing the gun “buyback.” The legislation also requires that any locality holding compensated gun confiscation programs sell the firearms to a federally licensed dealer “or be disposed of in any appropriate manner” if they could not be sold. This bill provides some much needed sunshine on these schemes. It should be noted that there is no empirical evidence to support claims that these schemes remove guns used by criminals. There is no margin for error on this vote. While Senator Lucas voted yes on the amended bill she intended to vote nay - meaning it passed with 27 votes - the minimum needed to override the veto.

It is very important that you contact your State Senator and Delegate TODAY and respectfully encourage them to support Virginia's law-abiding gun owners and override these anti-gun vetoes. You can find contact information for your senator and delegate here.

If you live in the district of one of the following members of the State Senate, please be sure to give your special attention to them as each has been targeted by the anti-rights crowd in their lobbying efforts:

Senator George L. Barker
Phone: (804) 698-7539
district39@senate.virginia.gov
Voted for SB 877, SB 1528

Senator Harry B. Blevins
Phone: (804) 698-7514
district14@senate.virginia.gov
Voted for SB 877, SB 1528, HB 1851, HB2528 (voted against introduced bill and voted for version that passed)

Senator Charles J. Colgan
Phone: (804) 698-7529
district29@senate.virginia.gov
Voted for SB 877, SB 1528, HB 1851, HB 2528

Senator R. Creigh Deeds
Phone: (804) 698-7525
district25@senate.virginia.gov
Voted for SB 877, SB 1035, SB 1528 , HB 1851, HB 2528 (voted against introduced bill and voted for version that passed)

Senator John S. Edwards
Phone: (804) 698-7521
district21@senate.virginia.gov
Voted for SB 877, SB 1035, SB 1528, HB 1851, HB 2528)

Senator Mark R. Herring
Phone: (804) 698-7533
district33@senate.virginia.gov
Voted for SB 877, SB 1528, HB 1851

Senator L. Louise Lucas
Phone: (804) 698-7518
district18@senate.virginia.gov
Voted for SB 877, HB 1851

Senator John C. Miller
Phone: (804) 698-7501
district01@senate.virginia.gov
Voted for SB 877, HB 1851, HB 2528 (voted against introduced bill and voted for version that passed)

Senator Thomas K. Norment, Jr.
Phone: (804) 698-7503
district03@senate.virginia.gov
Voted for SB 877, SB 1528, HB 1851, HB 2528

Senator Ralph S. Northam
Phone: (804) 698-7506
district06@senate.virginia.gov
Voted for SB 877, SB 1528, HB 1851, HB 2528

Senator Chap Petersen
Phone: (804) 698-7534
district34@senate.virginia.gov
Voted for SB 877, SB 1035 (Did not cast vote on SB 1528), HB 1851, HB 2528 (voted against introduced bill and voted for version that passed)

Senator Frederick M. Quayle
Phone: (804) 698-7513
district13@senate.virginia.gov
Voted for SB 877. SB 1035, SB 1528, HB 1851

Senator Kenneth W. Stolle
Phone: (804) 698-7508
district08@senate.virginia.gov
Voted for SB 877, SB 1035, SB 1528, HB 1851

Senator John Watkins
Phone: (804) 698-7510
district10@senate.virginia.gov
Voted for SB 877, SB 1035 , SB 1528, HB 1851, HB 2528 (voted against introduced bill and voted for version that passed)