Delegate Todd Gilbert Receives the NRA Defender of Freedom Award

On Friday, April 28, Delegate Todd Gilbert was presented the 2017 NRA Defender of Freedom Award at the NRA Annual Meeting's and Exhibits.  Delegate Gilbert has been a tireless defender of our firearm freedom in the Virginia House of Delegates.. He has sponsored numerous bills to restore our freedoms and has worked to defeat bills that infringe on those freedoms.  This year, he was the House sponsor of legislation that would have allowed victims of domestic violence to carry a concealed handgun for 45 days after a protective order was issued. The bill also provided that if the person issued the protective order applies for a concealed handgun permit during such 45-day period, such person will be authorized to carry a concealed handgun for an additional 45 days and be given a copy of the certified application, which would serve as a de facto concealed handgun permit.   Governor McAuliffe vetoed the legislation.  He spoke with NRATV while he was at the Annual Meeting.

Virginia's Struggle Over Gun Laws

The Washington Post has this article that is as much a profile of pro-rights Delegate Todd Gilbert (and to a lesser extent gun ban lobbyist Andrew Goddard) as it is a report on how pro-rights bills have fared much better than anti-rights bills since the Virginia Tech shooting seven years ago.

After the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary, horror and outrage prompted lawmakers in Connecticut, Maryland, New York and a handful of other states to implement tough new gun restrictions. But since its own tragedy seven years ago at Virginia Tech, the commonwealth has gone in the other direction. Over the six full legislative sessions since Seung Hui Cho’s rampage left 32 dead, it is gun rights, not gun restrictions, that have grown stronger. 

Gilbert, a former Shenandoah Valley prosecutor and the deputy majority leader in Virginia’s House of Delegates, is a big reason why.

Delegate Gilbert approaches the issue from the perspective of a former prosecutor who believes you take the guns out of the hands of the bad guys and keep them in the hands of the law abiding.

“All the members of this place try to oversimplify everything all the time. I know it’s a complicated issue,” Gilbert said. “But I’ve just never seen how disarming law-abiding people made anybody safer.”

The Post also touched on an issue that seems to be a favorite of those reporting on Virginia gun laws, and at the same time misreported - online safety courses that qualify applicants for concealed handgun permits (CHPs).

“I think I’ve said this every year since I’ve been here,” Goddard began. “I got a permit. I shouldn’t have a permit. I’ve never held a handgun. I should have had training. I went online and answered some questions that I could have answered if I hadn’t watched the silly little movie in advance. I shouldn’t be allowed to have a permit to carry a handgun in public until I know how to handle it and know about the laws.”

The Post refers to the online course under the requirement that the applicant has a "demonstrated competence with a handgun" from the CHP statute without also listing all of the different courses that qualify. There is no range time requirement in the Code and some of the examples given as acceptable courses do not include instruction on a handgun.  It has been a long time since I took a hunter safety course (which is one of the acceptable courses listed in the Code) but I did not have any handgun instruction in that course.  What no one in the media seems to understand is that Virginia's requirement is a basic safety course.  Anyone serious about carrying concealed should (and likely does) take a lot of different training that includes subjects like situational awareness, drawing a firearm in various senarios, just to name a couple. But to qualify for the permit, you simply have to take a basic firearm safety course.  But Gilbert makes an excellent point:

“While this is couched as a reasonable extension of public policy, it really just nibbles away at that basic proposition that we shouldn’t have to go get the government’s permission to go protect ourselves and our families as we see fit,” Gilbert said. “Free citizens, acting as Mr. Goddard does, will choose to carry a firearm or not carry a firearm. Criminals will choose to do it or not do it — without regard for any of these laws.”

The article ends with a discussion of how we may be entering a period of a stalemate as the Governor's office and the State Senate are now controlled by the Democrats.  If this session is an indication, the Post may be right on that point.

Volunteers Needed to Help Todd Gilbert in 15th House of Delegates District This Weekend

Do you live in or near the 15th House of Delegates District and have a couple of hours to spare to help with a volunteer efforts for Todd Gilbert?  NRA-ILA needs help with two lit drops and they want to have a presence at a couple of events this weekend. They also are trying to get people in the district to submit letters to the editor in support of Delegate Gilbert.  If you can lend a hand, please send an email to Susannah Warner at SWarner@nrahq.org. 

The 15th District includes all of Page and Shenandoah Counties and portions of Warren and Rockingham Counties.  If you live in the district, or near the area and can help, please contact Susannah if you can volunteer some time to help Delegate Gilbert.

VSSA Endorses Delegates Todd Gilbert, Bobby Orrock for Re-election

Delegates Todd Gilbert (R-15th) and Bobby Orrock (R-54th) are engaged in primary nomination elections that will be held on June 11, 2013.  Both deserve re-election and have been endorsed by VSSA.

Delegate Todd Gilbert has been responsible for some of the major firearm law reforms of the past three years.  Having sponsored the repeal of the so-called "restaurant ban," he is responsible for removing the prohibition on carrying concealed firearms in restaurants like Applebee's and Olive Garden.  When Virginia passed the "shall-issue" concealed handgun permit (CHP) reform in 1995, it also prohibited permit holders from carrying in restaurants that serve alcohol in addition to food.  Those carrying openly could carry in those very same restaurants.  This made absolutely no sense.  Many gun owners prefer not to make themselves target number one by carrying openly.  So, their option was to either carry openly even though it was not their preferred method, or leave their self-defense firearm in their vehicle while eating.  Thanks to Delegate Gilbert and his colleagues who voted to repeal this ban, gun owners who carry a self-defense firearm concealed no longer have to be disarmed to eat in their favorite restaurant. Delegate Orrock joined Gilbert in voting for this important legislation.

Gilbert also was a co-sponsor of legislation to repeal Virginia's handgun rationing law known as "one gun-a-month.  Orrock also voted to repeal handgun rationing.

If you live in either of these House of Delegates districts, please contact the campaigns to see how you can help in the closing weeks.  Also, be sure to vote on June 11.

The 15th District includes all of Page and Shenandoah Counties and portions of Warren and Rockingham Counties.  Contact Delegate Gilbert's campaign at http://www.delegatetoddgilbert.com/.

The 54th District encompasses parts of Caroline and Spotsylvania Counties.  Contact Delegate Orrock's campaign at http://bobbyorrock.net/.

Help Delegate Todd Gilbert Win His Primary on June 11

Virginia's primary election is Tuesday, June 11, and it is crucial that VSSA members in Virginia's 15th House District get engaged and involved to help re-elect Delegate Todd Gilbert!  The 15h District lies in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley and includes all of Page and Shenandoah Counties, and portions of warren and Rockingham Counties.

Del. Gilbert has been a true friend to Virginia Gun Owners and a strong supporter of our Second Amendment rights in Richmond, and it is critical that you volunteer to help his re-election campaign.

 
On Saturday, June 4th, NRA will hold a free Grassroots Workshop so gun owners can learn what you can do to re-elect Todd Gilbert.  It's totally FREE. Light refreshments will be served beginning at 6:00 p.m., and the Workshop will run from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.  The workshop will be held at Moose Lodge 575, 152 Moose Road, Woodstock, VA, 22664.