I recently got the VCDL Update with information about all the house bills that are in play right now, and came across this:
HB 146, Delegate Cole, restaurant ban repeal. Concealed handgun
permit holders can carry concealed in restaurants that serve alcohol
as long as they don't drink. 36 other states allow permit holders to
carry in restaurants that serve alcohol without a problem and until
1995, so did Virginia (and still does if the person openly carries
his handgun)! Concealed handgun permit holders have shown themselves
to be the most law-abiding of any group of Virginia citizens for well
over a decade now. There is no valid reason that they can't be
trusted to go to a restaurant and eat a meal without drinking alcohol.
So my questions is....If you're abiding by the laws as they are written right now and you open-carry into an alcohol serving establishment, are you allowed to consume? I know the law says it's a no-no to be "under the influence of alcohol" and that it will result in revocation of CHP, but it goes on to define "under the influence" as a list of offenses such as DUI, public drunkenness, etc. But what if you go in and have a beer with dinner (please don't go down the "diminished capacities" road here, that's not the point of my post.)? Is it illegal to consume alcohol while carrying either open or concealed?
Thanks to anyone who can clarify.