LE Today Article on HB 567

Text of bill

WTF is that all about?

Gets rid of every range except police and military.

This is arguably even more extreme than SB16.  I’m not surprised that this is what they want, but I am surprised that they are showing their hand on this at this time.

Absolutely unbelievable.

It is becoming very clear that Democrats in the Commonwealth have thought carefully how to end the 'gun culture' they hate.  With no ranges in places like Fairfax, Arlington, you slowly kill the opportunity to shoot. The big victory for them is it will shut the NRA HQ range.

It’s a stupid bill, but I don’t think that’s quite right.  The linked article misses it, too: there is an “exception,” under (i) if the building has less than 50 employees.  Not quite sure what they’re getting at, and would defer to the lawyers.  Maybe ranges in places like strip malls or industrial parks?

It's meant to first take out the NRA range in Fairfax.  Then they'll reduce the number of people to 25.....then to 15......then to 10......then to 1

Ah.  Forgot about the NRA for a minute...

I doubt it will shut down the NRA, it will just cause them to move elsewhere

NRA is no doubt the prime target (I believe they may be in Comrade Helmer's district, and oh, btw, he has the moral authority on all things related to firearms so you have to listen to him), but I was wondering if a place like Sharpshooters in Springfield would be collateral damage because they are in that building in the industrial park.  Who knows how many people are employed in the businesses located in the same building?  The press release where all these proposed bills are explained is particularly infuriating for the amount of b.s. it contains.  This guy is a carpetbagger from NJ plain and simple determined to bring NJ to the Commonwealth.

I can think of at least (3) ranges with at least 50 people employed in the building, I'm sure there are more.

As the law is written, I believe they'd have to buy or build a stand-alone building to permit a less than 90% law enforcement usage of the range.  I'm sure somebody who has a paycheck that ties back to a Bloomberg organization helped craft that one.

Not a ban on all indoor ranges.
The operative term in this law is when the indoor range is in a building with 50+ employees therein.
The purpose stated by the proposer is to prevent workplace violence.
The supposition here is that proximity of an indoor range somehow facilitates workplace violence. Which most likely not supported by ANY data.
The disconnect between indoor ranges and workplace violence is how to attack that particular law.

It’s 100% targeted for the NRA

I don’t know how many employees someplace like elite has but I bet it’s less than 50...

The collateral damage is a place like sharpshooters where the range is in a building with other businesses.

We were at West Point at different times but I absolutely know his type.  He is a blue falcon of the highest order.  Fuck him

He’s a WP grad?

Holy Shit.

Blanket Party!!

This.

It means all ranges must be owned by the government.  OR, a private range may exist only if 90% of its users are government.

Also... this is interesting: MVM Corp (Silver Eagle Group) STILL donating to anti-gunners (In this case, SASLAW)

Make no mistake, this is deliberate retribution. The owner of my home range, Elite, spoke at the board meeting in PWC back in December. He may return today.

As with everybody else, there isn't really anything forum-appropriate to say.

You guys are not reading this right. You can still operate a range under the bill if you have less then 50 employees. It will not eliminate all ranges but, will most likely eliminate a lot of them if passed.

HOUSE BILL NO. 567
Offered January 8, 2020
Prefiled January 6, 2020
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 3 of Chapter 12 of Title 18.2 a section numbered 18.2-511.2, relating to indoor shooting ranges; prohibited in buildings not owned or leased by the Commonwealth or federal government; exceptions; civil penalty.
----------
Patron-- Helmer
----------
Committee Referral Pending
----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Article 3 of Chapter 12 of Title 18.2 a section numbered 18.2-511.2 as follows:

§ 18.2-511.2. Indoor shooting ranges; prohibited in private buildings; exceptions; penalty.

A. As used in this section, "indoor shooting range" means any fully enclosed or indoor area or facility designed for the use of rifles, shotguns, pistols, silhouettes, skeet, trap, or black powder or any other similar sport shooting.

B. It is unlawful to operate an indoor shooting range in any building not owned or leased by the Commonwealth or the federal government unless (i) fewer than 50 employees work in the building or (ii) (a) at least 90 percent of the users of the indoor shooting range are law-enforcement officers, as defined in § 9.1-101, or federal law-enforcement officers, (b) the indoor shooting range maintains a log of each user's name, phone number, address, and the law-enforcement agency where such user is employed, and (c) the indoor shooting range verifies each user's identity and address by requiring all users to present a government-issued photo-identification card.

C. Any person that violates the provisions of this section is subject to a civil penalty of not less than $1,000 nor more than $100,000 for the initial violation and $5,000 per day for each day of violation thereafter.