New Law Will Restore 2nd Amendment Rights for Some Felons Who Have Served There Time

The Culpeper Star-Exponent has the story here:

Culpeper Town Councilman Jon Russell, chairman of the public safety committee, congratulated Webert and McAuliffe on passing "such an important piece of legislation." Russell said,

"Just like restored voting rights, felons who have worked hard to be on the right side of the law should have their 2nd Amendment rights returned. It's refreshing to see there is still some common sense bi-partisanship in the commonwealth."

Not everyone was happy with the bill however:

Andy Goddard, legislative director with The Virginia Center for Public Safety, an anti-gun violence organization based in Norfolk, said they opposed the legislation during the general assembly session because the wording was and still is confusing. 

"It should say Virginia would recognize a person's right to have firearms in another state provided the restoration was done with no conditions. It's not a terrible, blood's going to flow in the streets sort of thing, obviously, but it's just adding confusion to something that already needed to be straightened out ," he said. "The bottom line to this whole thing is it's all kind of moot because it's the federal government that makes it illegal for a felon to have a firearm, not the state." 

Goddard disagreed with violent felons ever getting their gun rights restored, but felt it was OK in the case of nonviolent felons, saying existing Virginia law does not specify between the two.

VSSA agrees with Councilman Russell. The law take effect July 1.