More things happened today in the General Assembly - some good, some very bad.

LET'S START WITH THE GOOD NEWS:

SB 58, Senator Reynolds' bill to remove the fingerprinting option for
localities issuing CHPs (put in for VCDL) passed out of the Senate
Courts of Justice Committee this afternoon.  I don't have the vote
tally yet.

Board member Jim Kadison spoke for VCDL as I could not make it to the
Committee meeting today.  EM Mike Stollenwerk was there and spoke for
the bill as well.  Same opposition as when Delegate Carrico's
matching House bill was heard last week - their argument against
passage didn't hold water.

The bill now moves to the Senate Floor.

HB 167, Delegate Lingamfelter's bill to make CHPs lifetime permits
was modified in a hastily convened Militia, Police and Public Safety
subcommittee #1 that had no public input.  The modified bill isn't
quite as good as the original - a permit holder, no later than 30
days before his permit is to expire, will fill out a form stating
that he has not been convicted of any disqualifying crimes and turn
that into the Circuit Court Clerk, who will then issue a new 5 year
permit.  There is no fee charged.

The above only applies if you are in the same locality that issued
the original permit.  If not, or if you apply for the renewal with
less than 30 days left before expiration, you will have to apply for
a new permit (and cough up another $50).

We have some heartburn with the new language - for one thing it does
not specifically state that you will get the new permit before the 30
days are up and it does not specifically say that the Court shall
accept renewal forms by mail.

We have seen too many judges 'misinterpret' very straight forward
laws before, hence we need the law to be specific so as not to be
abused.

The modified bill passed out of the subcommittee and will be heard on
Friday, where I will voice the above concerns and hopefully get the
bill fixed.

HB 1531, Delegate Armstrong's bill to keep doctors from asking you
questions about your firearm ownership has passed out of the Health,
Welfare and Institutions Committee and is going to the House Floor!

HB 829, Delegate Welch's 'castle doctrine' bill for a person in a
residence (put in at VCDL's request) has passed out of a House Courts
of Justice subcommittee and will be heard in full committee!

AND NOW FOR THE BAD NEWS:

If you take blood pressure pills, it's time to pop one.

The above hastily convened MP&PS subcommittee #1 also looked at two
other bills (without public input):

HB 424, Delegate Nutter's bill to honor permits from all other states
(put in for VCDL), WHICH HAD ALREADY PASSED OUT OF THIS SUBCOMMITTEE
LAST WEEK, was reconsidered by the subcommittee and WAS GUTTED
COMPLETELY!!!

The excuse was that the bill did not benefit VA gun owners, but only
permit holders from out of state.

But that's NOT TRUE!  There WOULD be some immediate benefits for VA
gun owners, including recognition by GA and NH!  But we are also
trying to invest in the future so that at some point all 50 states
will honor all 50 states, WHAT IS SO COMPLICATED ABOUT THAT?

Using a legislative slight of hand, the subcommittee neutralized the
bill and effectively rolled a completely empty shell into the Omnibus
bill HB 1577, leaving only Delegate Nutter's name on the bill!

It gets worse - HB 895, Delegate Gear's bill to allow permit holders
to carry in the non-sterile area of airport terminals was killed
because Delegate Gear "didn't show up."  THE TROUBLE IS THAT DELEGATE
GEAR WAS NEVER TOLD ABOUT THIS UNSCHEDULED SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING!!!

Delegate Gear was not pleased and neither am I.  I was told by
Delegate Hogan that the bill would have died in the Senate Courts of
Justice and thus they didn't want to force any Delegates to vote on
it.

Send it to the Courts of Justice so we can get some Senate votes on
it - elections are coming up in less than 2 years and I want to see
those votes!

ACTION ITEM:

We need to let all the members of the Militia, Police and Public
Safety committee hear from us and in numbers.  To that extent I have
put together a pre-written message that you can change as desired.
The message will go to all the key members of the committee:

http://www2.vcdl.org/cgi-bin/wspd_cgi.sh/vcdl/reflector.html?REF=CSPPM&PRE=HB424
895-1

Let's roll - the full committee meets Friday at 9 AM!

Done.

Link to VCDL automatic email

Steve
Hallmark Small Arms
804-986-7409

done.

I consider the alterations to HB 424 to be unacceptable.  The original bill clearly served Virginians' interests while the gutted version entered into HB 1577 clearly does not do so. I also find the early death of HB 895 unacceptable as well and would like to see it sent to the Senate Courts of Justice.

done

done, and thanks for the link

Done!

Done.

Link to learn your District number is here.  (Scroll down on the results page.)

Link to learn your Delegate's name is here.

Link to learn the Delegates who are on the Committee is here.

Please modify the text to reflect your concerns.  I, for one, would be interested in reading such submissions here.  Philip, can y'all make the subject line for future such messages modifiable as well?  VCDL can track the original message theme on the backend for statistical purposes, and individually tailored Subject lines might be more prone to being read.

While my Delegate is not numbered among this Committee's worthy membership, and hence is not an addressee, please accept my heartfelt appreciation for reading these words.  I implore you to ensure that all Committee activities, but especially the Committee's votes, reflect the best interests of all Virginians!   Like all Delegates, Delegate Ebin, (my Delegate, 49th District) should be afforded the opportunity to vote on the House Floor for these bills, which I believe to be good for the Commonwealth and her Citizens.  Without a vote, I will never know for sure my Delegate's stance.  Neither will my neighbors.   I understand that HB 424, Delegate Nutter's bill that recognizes all concealed handgun carry permits from other states, was completely gutted in a non-public meeting of subcommittee #1 on Wednesday.  Purportedly because the bill didn't benefit VA citizens, such skullduggery does not reflect well on the Committee.  Going beyond prevarication, such mendacity should not to be tolerated in the Commonwealth!  States like Georgia and New Hampshire will reciprocally honor states that honor their permits.  Upon the passage of HB 424, I will almost immediately benefit.  The bill's passage increases (almost immediately) the number of states that reciprocally honor the Commonwealth's Concealed Handgun Permits (CHP)!  Therefgore, as a CHP holder, I would immediately benefit. Also by honoring all other states' permits, the Commonwealth will move the Nation one step closer to that ideal strived for our Nation's Founders, whom I believe would've been flummoxed by the current situation in which all states do not honor the carry permits of all other states.  Eleven other states already reciprically recognize concealed-weapon permits issued by other states.  Virginia needs to join that list, the earlier the better. Please hear and take public comments on HB 424 in full committee. HB 895, Delegate Gear's bill to allow concealed handgun permit holders to carry in the non-sterile areas of airport terminals, was tabled in subcommittee because Delegate Gear didn't show up.  If Delegate Gear was not even told of the meeting, as has been reported, then I fear that the administrative staff(s) are willfully attempting to influence the course of legislation.  This must not be tolerated! <snip of unmodified original text> Sincerely, xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx 703.nnn-nnnn

ETA, for VCDL IT folks:  After submitting the message at the linked web-site, the form is presented to the user again with the original contents and a "Successfully Submitted" notice, this time with a modifiable subject line.  Changing the Subject line (and some of the text , might as well take the opportunity to send another message) and clicking "Submit" got me another success notification, and the screen was refreshed with my message contents, albeit with an unmodifiable subject line.

Done

Philip, can y'all make the subject line for future such messages modifiable as well?

You make a good point, but the reason we do it is so that anti's can't use the site against us.  They are stuck with a title that says the opposite of what they want...hundreds
Around 500 emails have been sent so far to the committee.

done, and done.

Quoted: <snip> the reason we do it is so that anti's can't use the site against us.  They are stuck with a title that says the opposite of what they want... After getting hundreds of these, they probably just count the messages by llooking at the title (although I know some read down to the name/address and respond to constituents). Around 500 emails have been sent so far to the committee.

Got'cha.  I suspect that many, if not all, of the delegates count subject lines (at best, some of the pogues might just filter them into the trash).  I always try to write from the heart, just in case the message happens to be read (by a staffer) and forwarded to the principal if for no other reason than apparent genuineness.

Thanks for your continued good efforts, Philip!

Done

Quoted: Thanks for your continued good efforts, Philip!

Seriously PVC, G-d Bless You.

Done this morning

 

SB 58, Senator Reynolds' bill to remove the fingerprinting option for
localities issuing CHPs (put in for VCDL) passed out of the Senate
Courts of Justice Committee this afternoon. I don't have the vote
tally yet.
 WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?  If it is what I think it meand than this is the reason that the va ccw permit is not honored in some states some of our va counties do not fingerprint. other states that do print  think that any state that has ccw permits should all so so they will not honor our permits.

So when can the bill to repeal the restaraunt ban be tried again? Is it once a year or how does that work? Sorry been a while since i took Government classes.

done.

As for the Restaurant Ban we have one more year of open carry before we get a shot again.