Garrett's SB1132 Defeated in Full Senate Today

Senator Tom Garret's SB 1132 fell two votes short of passage today in the full Senate.  SB 1132 would have provides an exception to the crime of possessing a firearm on school property if a person has a valid concealed handgun permit and possession of a concealed handgun occurs outside normal school hours. The bill also provided an exception if a person with a concealed handgun permit stores a concealed handgun in a motor vehicle in a parking lot, traffic circle or other means of vehicular ingress or egress to the school. Current law allows possession while the person is in the motor vehicle in one of those areas.

GOP Senators John Watkins (R-Chesterfield), Stocsh (R-Henrico) and Norment (R-James City) and usually pro-rights John Edwards (D - Roanoke) and other Democrats in defeating the bill.