Gun Show Bills, Others, Surface at General Assembly

It took less than a week for bills attacking Virginia's gun shows to be introduced for the 2010 General Assembly Session. There are bills in both the House of Delegates and the State Senate. The Senate bill (SB 595) was introduced by Senator Louise Lucas. The House bill (HB 1234) was introduced by Delegate Jennifer McClellan. In the past two sessions, Richmond Senator Henry Marsh has been the champion of the anti-rights crowd, carrying their water to the bitter end. He apparently has had enough and passed the torch to Senator Lucas. The bill has only made it out of committee once and that was in the State Senate, only to be killed by the full Senate. It has always been a close vote. This year will be even closer as the make up of the Senate Courts of Justice Committee has changed for the worse with the departure of both Senators Ken Cuccinelli and Ken Stolle. Now the anti-rights forces can count on the vote of Senator Don McEachin. They will also be lobbying hard new committee member Chap Petersen. Gun owners need to stand ready to do battle on the gun show bill when it comes up in committee.

Other bills that have been introduced since Thursday include:

HB 1217 Firearm safety education program. This bill requires local school divisions to offer firearm safety education programs in the elementary grades. The bill requires that the program objectives incorporate, among other principles of firearm safety, accident prevention and the rules of the National Rifle Association's Eddie Eagle Gunsafe Program.

HB 995 Firearms; purchaser may present military identification card or concealed handgun permit. This bill allows a purchaser of an "assault firearm" to present a current or retired military identification card or a concealed handgun permit in order to establish citizenship or lawful admission for permanent residence. Currently, a purchaser has to provide a birth certificate to prove they are a citizen in order to purchase such a firearm.