Virginia: House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee Passes Five Pro-Gun Bills!

This morning, the House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee passed five pro-gun bills: House Bill 20, House Bill 22, House Bill 26, House Bill 375 and House Bill 940. These bills will all now be sent to the floor of the House of Delegates for consideration.

House Bill 20, drafted by the NRA and sponsored by Delegate Tony Wilt (R-25), would update Virginia’s Emergency Powers doctrine by adding lawful carrying and transportation to the list of actions that cannot be prohibited during a declaration of emergency. This legislation passed unanimously.

House Bill 22, drafted by the NRA in 2009 and sponsored by Delegate Mark Cole (R-88), would establish that no locality or entity may participate in a gun “buyback” program where individuals are given anything of value or money in exchange for surrendering a firearm to the locality unless the governing body first passes an ordinance authorizing the gun “buyback.” This legislation also requires that any locality holding gun "buybacks" sell the firearms to a federally licensed dealer “or be disposed of in any appropriate manner” if they could not be sold. This legislation passed by a 16 to 5 vote.

House Bill 26, sponsored by Delegate Mark Cole (R-88), would allow a court to waive a $25 dollar fine upon presentation of the permit to the court, if a person fails to display his concealed handgun permit when requested by a law enforcement officer.  This legislation passed by a 17 to 4 vote.

House Bill 375, sponsored by Delegate Brenda Pogge (R-96), would prohibit localities from adopting any workplace rule that prevents an employee from storing a lawfully possessed firearm and ammunition in his locked motor vehicle. The firearm must be in a secured container or compartment in the vehicle.  This legislation passed by a 16 to 5 vote.

House Bill 940, drafted by the NRA and sponsored by Delegate Scott Lingamfelter (R-31), would repeal Virginia’s gun-rationing scheme which prohibits the purchase of more than one handgun in a thirty-day period.  This legislation passed by a 16 to 5 vote.

With HB 20, HB 22, HB 26, HB 375 and HB 940 now being sent to the floor of the House for consideration, it is important that you contact your Delegate today and urge him or her to support these bills when they come up for a vote.  To find your Delegate and his or her contact information, please click here.