Handgun Rationing, Other Gun Control Bills Die in Senate Courts

During a long afternoon meeting of Senate Courts, a number of gun control bills were defeated today, including a bill to reinstate handgun rationing (one handgun-a-month).  The following bills were defeated today:

• SB653 Requiring someone to have expressed permission to carry in church.
• SB 742 Prohibits any person from importing, selling, bartering, or transferring a firearms magazine designed to hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition stricken from the docket 
• SB434, Bill requiring a 15 year waiting period for a felon whose other rights have been restored to be able to petition for gun rights restoration. 
• SB811 Protective orders; possession of firearms; surrender or transfer of firearms.
• SB155 Allows a locality to adopt an ordinance that prohibits firearms, ammunition, or components or a combination thereof at any regular or special meeting of such local governing body. Defeated.
• SB442 Provides that any person who leaves a loaded, unsecured firearm in such a manner as to endanger the life or limb of any person under the age of 18 is guilty of a Class 6 felony. 
• SB385 Reinstating One Handgun-a-month.

Several Pro-gun bills failed to advance:

• SB351 Firearms in locked vehicles; immunity from liability. Passed by for the year.
• HB338 Allows a person who may lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition for a firearm to carry a firearm or ammo for a firearm into an area courthouse that is being used exclusively for purposes other than judicial proceedings outside of the courthouse's normal hours. PBI 12-1
• SB493 Allows any person who possesses a valid Virginia concealed handgun permit or a concealed handgun permit from another state that is recognized by Virginia to carry a concealed handgun at public institutions of higher education. PBI 8-6

There were a couple of pro-gun bills that were reported or reported and referred to Finance:

• SB372 Repeals the statutory prohibition on carrying a gun, pistol, bowie knife, dagger, or other dangerous weapon, without good and sufficient reason, to a place of worship while a meeting for religious purposes is being held at such place. Reported 9-6
• SB350 Extends from five to 15 years the validity of a concealed handgun permit. Reports 15-1 and referred to Finance

Two additional bill were heard and advanced:

• SB79 Adds public, private, or religious preschools and child day centers to list of places firearms prohibited. Reported 9-6 and referred to finance.
• SB797 Protective orders; possession of firearms; penalty. This bill passed last year but died in Finance. Reported and referred to Finance 12-3

While the Senate has taken up the bulk of the gun related bills, the House has yet to schedule hearings for the bills in the lower chamber.  VSSA's legislative team continues to work with legislators.  I'll be on NRATV at 4:20 Thursday to discuss today's meeting and legislative results today.  Also, and updates will be posted here on the blog.

New Crime Prevention Research Study Finds 12.8 Million Concealed Carry Permit Holders

CPRC has the story here.  The study notes that the number of concealed handgun permits is increasing at an ever- increasing rate with a 15.4% increase in just one single year. Slightly over five percent of the total adult population has a permit, five states now have more than 10% of their adult population with concealed handgun permits and ten states no longer require a permit to carry in all or virtually all of the state. According to the study, this is a major reason why legal carrying handguns is growing faster than the number of permits.  Also of note, since 2007, permits for women have increased by 270% and for men by156%.  The study also found some evidence suggesting that permit holding by minorities is increasing more than twice as fast as for whites. Yet the gun ban lobby tells us that gun ownership continues to decline and that minorities don't support the right of self-defense.

North Carolina Firearms Trainer Takes Aim at Virginia CHP Requirements

BearingArms.com has the story here.  Larry Wegman, a firearms trainer in Wake County, North Carolina, plays right into the hands of the gun ban lobby with his comments against the online option available for Virginia Concealed Handgun (CHP) permits. WRAL, the media outlet that Wegman collaborated with, doesn't even accurately describe the Virginia CHP requirements.

I think most people will agree that the requirements of most states to qualify for a concealed carry permit aren't what any serious gun owner would call "training," they are minimum requirements.  Virginia even accepts hunter safety courses as meeting the "training" requirement for a CHP.  However, I don't think it is a stretch to say that the vast majority of people who carry concealed are constantly training, rather it be self training at the range or taking additional courses and certifications. This is borne out by the fact there are so few incidents involving misuse of a firearm by permit holders.  So to have a firearms trainer team up with the media to trash online minimum requirement courses is nothing less than a slap in the face.

Virginia Legislative Update

Tuesday was the last day that the General Assembly could take up bills from the house of origin.  All surviving bills have now crossed over and VSSA is happy to report that not a single gun control measure made it out of the House of Delegates or the State Senate.  That is a massive smack down to Governor Terry McAuliffe who made gun control a major part of his 2015 legislative agenda. 

In reality, McAuliffe likely knew none of it would survive and calculated he could use the defeat as a campaign point in this year's legislative elections.  That too may be a miss calculation as he has very few pick-up opportunities in the House of Delegates and just as few in the State Senate.  He only needs one however to regain control of the State Senate so it is critical that gun owners be very active this election year to protect the pro-rights majority in the State Senate.  Below is a list of pro-rights bills that still remain alive for the remaining two and a half weeks of the Session.

• HB 1287  Forfeiture of property used in connection with the commission of crimes; conviction required.
• HB 1309 Local school boards; arming of school security officers
• HB 1329 Out-of-state concealed handgun permits; photo identification.
• HB 1666 Firearms; restoration of rights, petition to any circuit court. 
• HB 2009 Firearms, certain; law-enforcement certification.
• HB 2015 Exemption from creditor process; bankruptcy proceedings (Makes several changes to articles that may be exempted from creditor process including removing the one gun limit)
• HB 2029 Concealed handgun permits; fees; background check; exemption for permit holders.
• HB 2286  Provides that the prohibition on the possession and transportation of firearms, ammunition, stun weapons, and explosive materials by convicted felons does not apply to a felon whose right to possess firearms or ammunition has been restored under the law of another state or political subdivision
• SB 848 Governor's Twenty marksmanship award. Establishes the "Governor's Twenty" marksmanship award to recognize the top 20 competitors in each of the rifle and pistol Excellence-in-Competition matches conducted at the annual Virginia State Championships conducted by the Virginia Shooting Sports Association. 
• SB 936 Unclaimed firearms; donation to Department of Forensic Science.
• SB 1137 Loaded rifle or shotgun; regulation of transportation.
• SB 1155 Firearms; confiscation, reporting, and return by law enforcement.
• SB 1191 Firearms; possession on school property.

It is likely that none of the Senate bills will encounter problems in the House of Delegates.  The only House Bill that could have tough going in the Senate is HB2029, that exempts concealed handgun permit (CHP) holders from background checks when they purchase a firearm.  Those checks would have to also undergo a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) check to qualify for the federal exemption from background checks for those with CHPs.  When the bill is scheduled for a hearing in Senate Courts of Justice, the meeting notice will be posted here and an alert will be sent to VSSA members to contact committee members.

Finally, as was reported here on Saturday, the budget amendment that would have had a severe impact on the Northern Virginia Gun Club was pulled by the patron before the final Senate budget was announced.  While the VSSA and NRA lobbyists worked members of the committee, this result would not have been possible if VSSA members and members of the NVGC had not contacted members of the Senate Finance Committee. Thank you again for answering our call and standing up for fellow gun owners.

This is shaping up to be a very successful session.

Danville, Lynchburg and Pittsylvania See Rise in Concealed Handgun Permit Applications

WSET TV has the story.  According to the clerk of the Circuit Court, more than 1700 permits were issued in 2013 and there was a 50% increase in both Danville and Lynchburg from 2012-2013.

WSET.com - ABC13

Free Training for Teachers

The VSSA Training Team offers free NRA certified pistol training to any teacher in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This training meets all the requirements for a Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) in Virginia. You can come to us in Fairfax, or we can set something up with a local range. All we need is access to a range and a classroom, everything else will be provided. Contact our training team lead, Tom Ciarula at Tom-C @ Cox.net to make arrangements.

Concealed Handgun Permits Increase in Albemarle, Charlottesville

Here is the story via NBC29
NBC29 WVIR Charlottesville, VA News, Sports and Weather

New Virginia Gun Laws Effective Sunday, July 1st

Sunday, July 1st, is the day laws passed by the General Assembly during the 2012 Session will take affect.  Most important among them is the repeal of gun rationing and repealing the requirement that first time concealed handgun permit applicants be fingerprinted.  Here is the complete list:

HB 20 - Emergency Services & Disaster Law; shall not be interpreted to prohibit carrying, etc., of firearms.
HB 22 - Firearms; disposition thereof acquired by localities (requires localities to pass an ordinance allowing engage in a compensated confiscation scheme).
HB 26 - Concealed handgun permit; failure to produce upon demand of a law-enforcement officer, penalty (provides a minor $25 penalty that may be waived by the court once the permit is produced similar to current law related to failure to produce a drivers license).
HB 288 - Courthouses; exception from prohibition against carrying weapon for city and county treasurers.
HB 375 - Firearms; workplace rules by localities (no locality shall adopt any workplace rule, other than for the purposes of a community services board or behavioral health authority, that prevents an employee of that locality from storing at that locality's workplace a lawfully possessed firearm and ammunition in a locked private motor vehicle).
HB 754/SB 67 - Concealed handgun permit applications; removes option for locality to require applicant fingerprint.
HB 940/SB 323 - Handguns; eliminates prohibition on purchasing more than one in a 30-day period.
HB 943 - Service handguns; certain law-enforcement officers to purchase.
SB 563 - Concealed handgun permits; application procedures.
SB 573 - Capitol Police; disposal of unclaimed firearms (provides that the Division of Capitol Police may destroy unclaimed firearms or other weapons after the items have been in the possession of the Division for 60 days).

WAVY TV Gets it Wrong on Concealed Handgun Permits

There are so many things wrong with this WAVY News 10 story that aired this morning, I don't know where to begin.  This morning's story set up another report that will run tonight.

Could online weapons permits backfire?: wavy.com

First, Virginia does not issue "Concealed Weapons Permits" we issue "Concealed Handgun Permits."  Second, you did not have to have "hands on" training or touch a firearm prior to being issued a permit even before last year's law clarifying online training met the requirements of the statute.  A number of firearms safety training met the requirement, including hunter safety courses.  So, online training changed nothing in this respect. 

It goes without saying that VSSA promotes the safe handling of firearms and urges anyone considering applying for a CHP to receive the training that appropriately prepares them for the responsibility that goes along with the permit.  Carrying a firearm is not something to be taken lightly and it is not something to be done without some careful thought of the consequences should one have to use it.  Further, it is something that requires regular practice to insure that one is always prepared in the event they may actually have to use the firearm in self defense.  The folks I know that have a permit spend regular time at the range.

Finally, this whole report makes it sound like a large majority of people with a permit have taken advantage of the online training.  I would like to see their data if they have something to support that hypothesis.  Giving them the benefit of the doubt, after almost a year of the law being in affect that makes it clear online training is acceptable to meet the training requirement, I am not aware of anyone who received their permit after such training, having used the firearm to harm another person.

If these reporters would take the time to also speak to someone who actually knows what they are talking about when it comes to Virginia's firearm laws, their stories may be a little more accurate.  I don't expect tonight's promised story on what Virginia's gun laws mean to surrounding states to be any more accurate than this morning's story but I can't wait to watch so I can pick it apart too.

Locality Sees Decline in Gun Sales and Carry Permits

The Virginia Gazette ran this story over the weekend about firearms sales levels and applications for concealed handgun permits (CHPs) leveling off somewhat in the Williamsburg area. The Sheriff and Circuit Court clerks office noted that in 2007 they processed 356 permits. Last year that number almost doubled, to 615. This year is trending more to just a little more than 500. The Sheriff noted that renewals are down this year too.

A local gun shop owner said it's not because the desire is not there:

But according to George Christy, who runs G&L Arms on Mooretown Road, the desire for guns and concealed carry permits hasn’t waned. “The fears are not gone, but the money is,” he said in an interview Friday.

He said gun rights advocates still believe the Obama administration wants to impose
additional gun laws, despite making no attempt to do that so far.

Christy also noted that as supplies have caught up to demand on sporting rifles, the prices have come back down to earth.

My sense is there is probably a little bit of what both the sheriff and Christy mentioned playing into current sales and CHP application numbers. Those that wanted them now have them (CHPs), and the economy is probably finally catching up to the firearms industry. At any rate, while sales may have come back down to a more "normal" number, normal is probably going to be defined by a higher number than in the past.

JMU Students Participate in "Empty Holster" Week

The James Madison University (JMU) student newspaper blog posted a story today about students who are participating in this week's "Empty Holster" protest. For the second year in a row, Students for Concealed Carry on Campus is sponsoring the protest as part of their effort to raise awareness and change the rules prohibiting legal concealed carry on college and university campuses.

Like most institutions of higher learning, JMU prohibits firearms on campus. While visitors to the campus cannot be prohibited from carrying their legally permitted concealed handgun according to a 2006 Attorney General's Opinion, Virginia's colleges and universities can ban students and employees from carrying.

JMU has a very active chapter of SCCC and members are working to change university policy.

“It’s clearly been shown that a college is not secure,” said junior Kory Verdonck, SCCC’s service coordinator. “Courthouses, airports [where weapons are prohibited] have very heavy security, and campus security has holes.”

Not surprising, JMU takes a different view:

University spokesman Don Egle disagreed with SCCC’s opinion that JMU was not a secure campus.

“The university is responsible for ensuring a safe environment for students and staff,” Egle said. “We have a great law enforcement division and a responsible faculty and staff. Individuals carrying concealed weapons does not make campus safer.”

Maybe Mr. Egle should sign up for a Google News Alert with the key words "Crime on College Campuses" and he would get the same list of articles that this writer receives everyday. Like any police department, college police cannot protect every individual. They react to incidents, usually after they have happened. All the JMU students, and the other students who support SCCC's position, want is the ability to protect themselves should the need arise.

The JMU chapter will also be holding an open forum-style debate on the issue on the Campus tonight at 6 p.m. for any students who are interested.

Women and Concealed Carry

ABC affiliate WRIC Channel 8 ran a couple of stories on the increasing numbers of women in the Richmond area that have applied for and received concealed carry permits. Part 1 is below.

Hat tip to VA-Alert

Gun Show Bill Carried Over to Next Year

Senate Bill 595 was carried over to next year. SB595 was the so-called gun show loophole bill. Being carried over puts the bill on life support but it will not move this year. There did not seem to be much appetite to deal with the bill, even among some of its previous supporters. Of note, one of the members voting to carry it over was Senator Creigh Deeds. Deeds had been an opponent of the annual bill until 2008. Switching to a supporter likely cost him the NRA's endorsement in last year's Governor's election and most certainly cost him the support of VSSA.

It also appears that Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) holders will be able to renew by mail with the committee reporting SB 3. House Militia and Police also approved a companion bill allowing for renewal by mail.

No action was taken on SB 79, a bill that would strip the ability of localities to require fingerprints when an individual applies for a CHP.

While all of the bills reported still need to be approved by the full Senate, they have cleared the first hurdle.

It has been a good day for gun owners.