Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed the largely pro-gun bills into law last Friday. (Photo: Bob Brown/Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) signed a bill into law last Friday that restores and expands Virginia concealed-carry policy for residents and visitors to the state. The new law reverses McAuliffe’s December 2015 executive order that crippled concealed-carry reciprocity between Virginia and other states.
The order triggered instant backlash from gun rights supporters in Virginia and the rest of the country. The altered policy prompted state lawmakers to reassess gun laws in Virginia. With bipartisan support, lawmakers drafted the new law which includes one Democrat-backed provision that keeps guns out of the hands of anyone with a two-year protective order against them in cases of domestic violence.
“This is a bipartisan deal that will make Virginians safer,” said McAuliffe spokesman Brian Coy. “It also demonstrates that Democrats and Republicans can work together on key issues like keeping guns out of dangerous hands.”
The new law provides for a state trooper to be available at all Virginia gun shows to conduct voluntary background checks for face-to-face transfers. Police presence at guns shows is also expected to discourage illegal transfers.
“Common ground on this issue, as you know, has been elusive for so long,” McAuliffe said, reports the Star-Exponent. “We had a choice to make: We could continue to shake our fists and condemn the status quo or we could take action to actually change it — to do what voters actually elected us to do.”
“I’m so proud to announce that a new era begins today here in the commonwealth of Virginia,” said Gov. McAuliffe. “These new laws will serve as permanent protections for our citizens. They will remain in place when I leave office.”
See Also: Reciprocity Restored: Virginia Concealed-Carry May Get Even Better
Previous proposals to qualify people with protective orders against them as prohibited persons were unpopular with many Republican lawmakers, but this was accepted in order to quickly resolve broken concealed-carry reciprocity agreements. In exchange for the concession, pro-gun lawmakers expanded reciprocity to even more states.
“Now, more than six million law-abiding gun owners will be free to travel in and out of Virginia with their Second Amendment rights intact,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director of the NRA-ILA in the official statement. “Self-defense is a fundamental right that must be respected.”
Under the new laws, H.B. 1163 and S.B. 610, all out-of-state concealed-carry permits are recognized provided the person is 21 years old or older and has a valid state-issued government photo ID on their person. The law makes exceptions for issuing states that don’t have a 24-hour permit validation system and anyone who previously had a Virginian carry permit that was later revoked.
Of course, not everyone is happy with the bills, now signed into law. Anti-gun groups like the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, the CSGV, remain opposed to the measures.
“We obviously were disappointed with the governor because we thought he could have made a much better deal,” said CSGV Executive Director Josh Horwitz in a statement. “But now that the deal is finalized, we intend to take lemons and make lemonade by working with all stakeholders to ensure that the domestic violence law is vigorously implemented and forms the basis for future policy change in the Commonwealth.”
Can someone explain why adding a VSP to gun shows is new to be available, face to face, to provide background checks? VSP has always been there in either plain cloths or uniform, due to FFL’S that are doing checks, VSP has to be close to do an arrest if needed. Someone needs to research and write an article on long gun sales in Virginia ,or any other state, and the stance of ATF, due to the training of VSP conflicts with the procedure and interpretation. Who can buy/sell a long gun in Virginia, only a Virginia resident/ an FFL dealer or any citizen of the USA.
It always amazes me just how much politicians and other simply cannot grasp the meaning of “SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED”.
You forget the Attorney General is separate elected Virginia constitutional officer, and at any time he can again make another similar ruling banning recognitions out of state reciprocity—just as he did before to make this concession of rights necessary….
Before you wish for “big brother” to set things right in Virginia, you should remember the old saying “I’m from the Gov’t and I’m here to help”. The less power the
federal Gov’t has, the better chance we have to get our state legislators to listen and act.The only power the federal should have is to collect taxes, form an army and oversee trade.Most anything else should be left to the states to decide. It’s ultimately up to the citizens to protect the constitution ,not the bums in D.C.
Iam finding this political year to be an interesting year, Donald Trump maynot know what he has caused/started, but he has started someting that is far bigger than he is, a Political Revolution with in the Republican Party and he has exposed the scumbags who control the party and they have shown and said they will do anything in their power to maintain power, even trotting out their show pony , Uncle Mitt , who is no Ronald Reagan, and certainly no Conservative that he claims to be. People like Mitch McConnel and Lindesy Graham they need to go Home and let real Men and Women take over , who are Constitutionialists. LIke Trump or not, and yes he is no social conservative, but the most important thing is the man is a “REAL MAN” and a Born Leader, we must support him all the way or until a Constitutional-Real Leader-Candidate emerges.
Mark have you checked out lately as you say the real man/has degree in BS and bigger degree in the head BSER. Now for that real man that you would like to run the country well, I have a problem with the real man whom owns the part debt for $250,000,000.01 and the other part for $350,000,000.01 now this is not as we would say with (collateral) oh the other part was the $103,000,000,000.01 and this was thru Sax & Goldman and also backed by other financial lenders. Best part is was probability some of your money one way or another. But since these lenders were so kind to all ” real men like you” YEA RIGHT. Being so nice the lender forgave, OH, lets see calculations right for the amount of $103,000,000,000.01 now lets get this real crook man on correct course. What these lenders did is the same thing they would do for us, if we had a problem like the real man does and this was oh lets see HOLY COW IT WAS A CASINO AND THE COMPLETE RENOVATION OF YOU KNOW THOSE CHEAP HIGH RISE EFFICENTCY APARTMENTS. So now the REal Man will only make a mear pittance of millions, billions. Well its only real man MONEY he makes after the little write off of $1.3 billion and just thing the lenders whom did this pissed away well lets just say your investments IRA<401<and other retirement funds you will never possibility see. Well you may get the REAL MAN AMOUNT OF ABOUT 1% of your total, if you have anything like investments run by REAL MEN who help the REAL MAN AS YOU SAY!! I do not know how people like him get these breaks, but you can kiss it goodbye, if you think they will do it for you. So lets let him run this country the rest of the way to hell.no money nation as what his name is now doing. This leader we have went to see young mans parents INSTEAD of attending the funeral of a GENERAL OF OUR COUNTRY,,, YOU KNOW GAVE HIS TIME AND LIFE TO HELP PROTECT THE OBA PLAN. .THE REAL MAN STUFF. I REALLY THINK THERE IS NO CANIDATE WHO SHOULD RUN OUR COUNTRY. IF YOU WANT TO RUN MAKE SURE YOU START WITH A MINUM OF $10MILLION AND THAT IS NOTHING SO IT ALL GOES BACK TO NOT HOW GOOD YOU WOULD DO THE BEST JOB FOR YOU AND I BUT WHO HAS THE CASH AND I KNOW ITS NOT ME OR YOU SINCE. I DID NOT SEE YOU ON THE REPUB OR DEM TICKETS. SO YES LETS JUST KEEP GOING WITH THE BIG MOUTH REAL MAN THAT NEEDS SOMETHING TO DO. I KNOW I CAN BE A,,,, A-HOLE,, LOUD MOUTH,,, IDIOT AS HE HAS ALREAY HAS DONE FOR HIS EGO OR HE BOARD AND NEED SOMETHING NEW TO DO,. ITS ALL BLOWING US UNTIL YOUR REAL MAN IS THERE. THEN WHEN THIS HAPPENS ALL THE REAL MAN/MEN STILL GET ALL THE MONEY AND YOU GET THE LEFT OVER —- SHOVED DOWN YOUR. DO NOT GET ME WRONG, ON THE REAL ISSUE, WHICH IS THE ISSUE FOR ME, I LOVE MY COUNTRY
In Arizona we do not need a permit to exercise our 2nd Amendment rights to keep and bear arms. This is the only solution to reciprocity laws. Since “The Commonwealth” has illegal laws, which infringe on the peoples right to keep and bear arms, Arizona and all other states should do something to punish “The Commonwealth” and bring it into line with the values our founding documents mandate for a more perfect union. The federal government should be suing “The Commonwealth” for enacting laws which are contrary to the Constitution. Just like they sued Arizona in 2010. It’s time for the federal government to stop discriminating against our Bill Of Rights and do the job they are sworn to, which is to uphold it. Anything less is nothing to celebrate.
There is no rule of law. There is no nation. Stop wasting your time hoping.
I will disagree with you about wasting time, Arizonia is not wasting time nor energy, only quitters feel like you.
Make no mistake, I am not wasting my time hoping. I carry at a minimum, a rifle and side arm wherever I go. Sometimes the side arm is concealed, sometimes it’s not. Depends on what the situation calls for. If anybody tries to stop me or confiscate my firearms without a legal reason, I will stop them using whatever means I have to. That’s it. I don’t have money or time for lawyers and courts. We will deal with it on the spot. That goes for anywhere in the United state I may roam. I will not be arrested, molested or otherwise harassed by anybody over my right to keep and bear arms. The highest law in the nation is clearly on my side. I suggest everybody take this simple, but serious pledge. When the time comes, I will kill four gun grabber before they kill me. If we all said that and half of us meant it, we wouldn’t need articles like this or the NRA, or any of it. The only thing I hope is that I never have to keep that pledge. But don’t test me.
You obviously don’t know or understand Virginia gun laws. Or maybe you didn’t make yourself clear in your statement. We do not need a permit to open carry or to own firearms. The only permit we need is one for concealed carry like most states have.
Yep. One has to wonder how supposedly educated politicians cannot grasp the most simple of statements – “SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED”. To infringe is to limit or restrict. Thus, any law, executive order or other ‘ruling’ that limits or restricts the Second Amendment rights of a US citizen is by it very definition UNCONSTITUTIONAL. No ifs, and ands, no buts.
That’s why it’s long past time to take a tougher stand. I’m tired of dealing with all the bullshit out there. My stand? Try to infringe on my rights and I will kill you where you stand, along four of your friends. That’s as simple as our 2nd Amendment. That’s the way it ought to be.