Summary of This Morning's Crime Commission Meeting

As posted earlier today, Virginia State Crime Commission met this morning for their monthly meeting. First on the agenda was a review of Virginia's Concealed Weapons statute which was under review because of HB923 introduced by Del. Scott Lingamfelter during the 2012 General Assembly Session. The briefing was short to make time for other more lengthy items on the agenda. The presentation began with an overview of HB923 and its intent to separate the current code into 17 different sections in order to simplify the states concealed weapons code. Commission staff provided an overview of the law and it's changes since 1975. In 1975 the law consisted of three sections; 1) defining what was considered a concealed weapon, 2) an exemption for law enforcement, and 3) allowing a circuit court to grant permission to carry a concealed weapon for up to one year. Since 1975 the General Assembly has made changes and additions to the
law every year resulting in the code containing over fifty paragraphs and divided into twenty-seven subsections.

The presentation concluded with remarks from Delegate Lingamfelter and the public. Delegate Lingamfelter stated that since first being elected in 2001 he has seen a change to the concealed weapons law every year and felt his legislation would give more clarity to law.  Members of the public from both the pro-rights and anti-rights side of the issue testified in support of the legislation remarking that any bill that would give better clarity and understanding of the conceal weapons law would be considered helpful by both sides of the issue.

VSSA will continue to monitor the issue as it is before the Commission.  The Commission generally makes recommendations for legislation before the beginning of the General Assembly.