With a new Republican governor in office the legislative body in VA didn’t waste any time paying back the NRA for all their help getting him into office in the first place. It’s funny how anti-government Republicans get all in favor of government activism when they are in charge.
Let’s take a look at the new laws. Given that the NRA spent $500,000 getting McDonnell elected, it’s probably safe to assume any of these that make it to his desk will be passed.
–Repeal the prohibition on buying more than one handgun a month that was enacted in 1993 because Virginia was the No. 1 supplier of guns used in crimes in other states.
Never let it be said that Virginia doesn’t care about about being the best, even if it’s being the best at supplying guns used in crimes. Hell, somebody has to supply the drug lords and rapists. It might was well be VA gun dealers.
–Allow gun owners without a concealed carry permit to lock handguns in a vehicle or boat. The Senate passed a similar bill.
How exactly is safety promoted by untrained people keeping loaded guns close at hand in their vehicles?
–Allow those with a concealed carry permit to take hidden guns into restaurants that sell alcohol as long as they don’t drink. The Senate also passed this bill.
Guns and alcohol, they go together like Donny and Marie? People so insecure that they feel like they need a gun on them at Applebees are exactly the sort of people should be kept far away from guns.
–Shield those who shoot intruders in their homes from lawsuits.
Agree with this 100%. You break into my house and I’m erring on the side of caution by assuming the worst.
–Allow concealed handgun permit holders to renew their permit by mail. This also passed the Senate.
Seems reasonable. If I can renew my drivers license by mail I don’t see why a CC permit should be any different.
–Restrict from federal regulation any gun made or sold in Virginia.
Seems like a cheap attempt to encourage gun manufacturers to move to VA.
–Shield from public access information on concealed handgun permit holders.
Nope, no special privacy rights for CC holders. They should be just as screwed by the lack of privacy protections as the rest of us.
–Require localities that hold gun buyback programs to attempt to sell or auction the guns to licensed firearms dealers before destroying them.
Republicans interfering in the markets again. Funny how they are only pro free market when they agree with the outcomes. Gun buy backs are silly in the first place, trying to dictate that the guns go back into the market is even sillier.
–Repeal the requirement that sellers of pistols and revolvers furnish the Circuit Court with the name and address of the buyer and other information, and require existing records to be destroyed.
The 2nd Amendment says we have the right to own guns. It says nothing about the right to own guns without anybody else knowing about it.
–Prohibit any person, property owner, employer or business to block someone from locking a gun in their vehicle, and shield them from liability from anything that may happen with that firearm.
Republicans don’t respect property rights now either? Is there any right other than the right to own a gun that Republicans give a damn about?
–Ban localities from being able to prohibit hunting within a half-mile of a subdivision, but allow them to prohibit hunting within a subdivision.
So I have to remove the deer blind in my back yard? Funny how the party of small local government is so willing to trample on the ability of local government to manage its own affairs.
–Direct Virginia State Police to develop a plan to allow lifetime concealed handgun permits to state residents. Currently, permits are good for five years.
Because people never change.
–Prohibit localities from requiring fingerprints for a concealed carry permit.
Maybe we should just include a handgun in the gift bag the hospitals give to newborns.
–Allow those who are denied a concealed handgun permit to have an appeals hearing. The Senate passed a similar bill.
That seems reasonable, which probably means there is a catch here that I’m missing.
–Allow those with concealed handgun permits to take guns into emergency shelters.
Definitely, those crazy homeless people in the shelters are dangerous. And if they smell too bad somebody can just shoot them. It’ll be a win-win!
–Allow a retired law enforcement officer to carry a concealed handgun without a permit.
Sorry, once retired they are citizens just like the rest of us, and thus should be subject to the same laws. Quite frankly, a retired cop with a file full of unnecessary force complaints should not be carrying anything more dangerous than a water pistol.
–Allow court clerks to issue concealed handgun permits to applicants who meet all requirements without judicial review.
Are court clerks qualified to do that? Again, seems reasonable on the surface, which probably means I shouldn’t trust it.
Virginia is already one of the easier places in the country to get a gun legally. It’s probably also a fairly easy place to get one illegally too. I don’t have any experience with the latter option. This is nothing more than the Republican party of VA paying tribute to their masters in the gun lobby. Other than the protection for home owners defending themselves, they are not solving any actual problems here. They are creating a few though.