Another McAuliffe Veto - HB766/S626 Protecting Victims of Domestic Violence

Governor Terry McAuliffe has vetoed HB766 and SB626, bills that would have allowed anyone who had obtained a protective order to carry a concealed handgun for 45 days without having to go through the normal permit-application and training process. The person would have to be eligible to possess a firearm. Those who apply for a concealed handgun permit (CHP) during that 45-day period could have received a 45-day extension.

Calling the legislation "a very, very dangerous gamble that will lead to more tragedies," McAuliffe said the bills "may have been well-intentioned" but would make it easier for deadly firearms to be inserted into volatile situations where the gun could be turned against the person who sought it for protection.

McAuliffe had already tried to amend the bills by sending down a substitute before the end of the session but both the House of Delegates and the State Senate rejected the substitute bill, which would have required the victim to have already applied for a CHP and received training, thus requiring the victim to know ahead of time they were going to need, and be issued a protective order. In addition, the victim would not have been allowed to utilize the online training option that every other CHP applicant has the option of using.  The House, after defeating the substitute then passed the original bill again by a 2/3 margin and sent it to the Senate. Unfortunately, the Senate failed to muster the required 2/3 majority to pass the original bill into law over the Governor's objections. The House and Senate will have one more chance when the legislature reconvenes to take up vetoes and amendments.