RTD: Rancor reigned at 2012 General Assembly

As the legislature has now been notified of Governor McDonnell's actions on the approximately 1600 bills passed during the 2012 session of the General Assembly, and they prepare to vote on a budget for the Commonwealth next Tuesday, a day before the Reconvened Session to act on the Governor's amendments and vetoes, we have one more article telling us about how social issues caused all of the rancor during the 2012 General Assembly.  All of these articles point to repeal of Virginia's gun rationing law, bills requiring voter identification when attempting to cast a vote on Election Day, and pro-life legislation, as a major reason for the partisanship.  University of Virginia Political Scientist Larry Sabato put it like this:

"There's a different tone. It's a more aggressive tone and a much more partisan tone, and I think it's fair to say the partisanship's on both sides," he said.

Sabato is on to something. The Democrats were not happy when Republican Lt. Governor Bill Bolling cast a tie breaking vote to organize the evenly split State Senate with a Republican majority including all important committee chairmanships.  They resorted to asserting control the only way they could, stopping the passage of a state budget, which required 21 votes in the senate.  Bolling does not have the constitutional power to break a tie on budget votes.  They are still threatening to stop passage of a budget next week.

"You ain't got 21 votes in the Senate for a budget — period," Sen. Richard L. Saslaw, D-Fairfax, said late Thursday. "Not now. Not next week. Not next month. Not June. That's the way it is."

We'll know next week if Virginia is going down the road traveled by politicians in D.C.

Bills Introduced to Repeal Handgun Rationing

Bills have been introduced in the Virginia House and Senate to repeal Virginia's Handgun Rationing Law.  Repeal of the law is the top priority for VSSA during the 2012 legislative session.  Follow all of the firearm and sportsmen legislation on the VSSA Legislative Tracking form and be sure to subscribe to VSSA's Twitter feed for timely updates.

Washington Post Laments Republican State Senate Majority

In an article that reads more like an editorial, the Washington Post reports that Virginia Republicans took over as the majority in the Virginia Senate yesterday.

By day’s end, the GOP acquired greater power through a raft of rule changes that not only mean they chair all committees but also allows them to have greater say over school funding, transportation and social issues, among others. Republicans now have the votes to approve legislation that would limit abortions and ease gun laws, which have been previously blocked by Senate Democrats.

It should be an interesting 60 days reading the Post's coverage of the General Assembly.

House of Delegates Committee Assignments

Below are the new assignments of committees where gun and hunting bills may be assigned.

Since 2000, House Republican Leadership has apportioned committee membership in proportion to the body as a whole, which has 68 Republicans and Independents and 32 Democrats. Most standing committees now include 22 members, with 15 Republicans and 7 Democrats serving on each. The membership of the Courts of Justice Committee was reduced from 22 members last session to 18 members, while the Rules Committee has 15 members.

COURTS OF JUSTICE

Albo (Chairman), Kilgore, Bell (of Albemarle) (Vice Chairman), Cline, Iaquinto, Gilbert, Miller, Loupassi, Villanueva, Habeeb, Farrell, Minchew, Morris, Johnson, Watts, Toscano, Herring, McClellan.

COUNTIES, CITIES AND TOWNS

Ingram (Chairman), Marshall (of Prince William), Marshall (of Danville) (Vice Chairman), Iaquinto, Crockett-Stark, Poindexter, Merricks, Knight, Morefield, Edmunds, Stolle, LeMunyon, Wilt, Morris, Hodges, Spruill, Ware (of Roanoke City), McQuinn, Howell (of Norfolk), Surovell, Kory, Torian.

AGRICULTURE, CHESAPEAKE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Sherwood (Chairman), Ware (of Powhatan), Wright, Orrock, Scott (of Madison) (Vice Chairman), Marshall (of Danville), Poindexter, Pogge, Knight, Edmunds, Wilt, Morefield, Webert, Ransone, Fariss, Plum, Lewis, Bulova, Sickles, Englin, James, Torian.

MILITIA, POLICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY

Lingamfelter (Chairman), Sherwood, Wright (Vice Chairman), Cline, Gilbert, Merricks, Morefield, Edmunds, Wilt, Webert, Morris, Fariss, O'Quinn, Head, Rush, Lewis, Tyler, Filler-Corn, Hope, Surovell, Kory, Lopez.

RULES

Howell (of Stafford) (Chairman), Putney, Landes, Cox (of Colonial Heights), Kilgore, Ware (of Powhatan), Sherwood, Jones, Orrock, Gilbert (Vice Chairman), Knight, Joannou, Johnson, Plum, Alexander.

Bev Sherwood, who had been chairman of Militia and Police is now chairman of Ag.  Lingamfelter, a staunch pro-freedom legislator takes over for Sherwood as chairman of Militia and Police.

General Assembly Convenes Today

The 2012 Session of the Virginia General Assembly convenes at noon today.  A few firearm related bills have been prefiled but expect more to follow in the coming days.  So far the list includes:

HB 20 Emergency Services & Disaster Law; shall not be interpreted to prohibit carrying, etc., of firearms.

HB 22 Firearms; disposition thereof acquired by localities. This bill prohibits localities from participating in compensated confiscation schemes (gun buybacks) without the governing body enacting an ordinance authorizing the activity.  A similar bill passed a couple of years ago but was vetoed by Governor Kaine.

HB 25 Concealed handgun permits; confidentiality of permittee information.

HB 26 Concealed handgun permit; failure to produce upon demand of a law-enforcement officer, penalty.

HB 91 Higher educational institutions; possession of concealed handguns by faculty members.

HB 139 Concealed handguns; persons who may lawfully carry hidden from common observation, penalty.
This is the s"Constitutional Carry" measure.  It retains the permit option for those who still wish to obtain a permit (i.e. so they can carry in states that have reciprocity with Virginia's permit).

HB 172 Hunting; knowingly trespassing while carrying a firearm, penalty.

HB 237 Criminal history record information checks upon handgun purchases; dissemination of information.

HB 288 Courthouses; exception from prohibition against carrying weapon for city and county treasurers. This bill allows city and county treasurers to carry in courthouses while on duty.

HB 375 Firearms; workplace rules by localities. This is a limited "Parking Lot" bill that prohibits localities from prohibiting their employees from storing their firearm in their locked vehicle while at work.

VSSA's priorities this session are repeal of handgun rationing and enacting Castle Doctrine.  There will be other bills that VSSA will be lobbying for passage and it is expected there will be a few anti-rights bill.  But the pro-freedom forces will be playing offense again this year while the anti-freedom crowd will be forced to play defense.  It will be a very active session.