Action on Air Rifle Bill Postponed

Yesterday, State Senator Roscoe Reynolds, who has sponsored SB757, a bill removing some restrictions on shooting air rifles on private property, asked that the bill be passed by for the day in the Senate Local Government Committee.  Some of the members wanted more time to research issues related to the bill.

SB757 would require localities that have ordinances regulating air rifles (mainly suburban counties), to include an exemption for shooting on private property with permission of the owner when discharge is conducted with reasonable care to prevent a projectile from crossing the property boundary.  Virginia has experienced an increasing problem of localities passing regulations restricting shooting of air rifles within certain distances of other buildings or dwellings without taking into consideration that air rifle ranges can be set up in garages or outdoors in such a way as to insure the BBs or pellets do not cross the property line.

Senator Reynolds request gives gun owners more time to lobby committee members.  Please contact them by phone and email and politely ask them to report SB757.  It will likely be on the docket next Tuesday at 2:00 pm.

The Committee Members are:
Lucas (Chairman), Marsh, Quayle, Martin, Hanger, Ticer, Reynolds, Puller, Ruff, Obenshain, Stanley, Herring, Locke, Smith, Marsden.

You should concentrate your efforts on Senators Quayle, Herring, and Marsden as they are the swing votes on this committee.