Virginia General Assembly Overrides Veto of Two Pro-Gun Bills!

Thank You for Your Hard Work and Support!

Today, the General Assembly overrode Governor Tim Kaine’s (D) veto of two pro-gun bills.

Senate Bill 877 will allow "retired" law enforcement officers to carry concealed in a restaurant that serves alcoholic beverages. Unlike Senate Bill 1035, this bill applies only to retired law enforcement officers.  The Senate voted to override the Governor by a vote of 30-10 with the House voting 76-22 to override. 

Senate Bill 1528 will allow a safety course required for obtaining a concealed handgun permit, conducted by a state-certified or NRA-certified firearms instructor to be done electronically or online.  The Senate voted 28-12 to override with the House concurring 73-23.  

Unfortunately, the Senate failed to override the veto of Senate Bill 1035, House Bill 1851, and House Bill 2528.

SB1035 would have permitted a Right-to-Carry permit holder to carry concealed in a restaurant, provided he or she did not consume alcohol.  The bill failed to pass by a 24-16 vote.

HB1851 would have exempted active duty military personnel or Virginia National Guardsmen from Virginia’s “one-gun-a-month” law on handgun purchases.  HB1851, which passed the House in the override session by a vote of 73-26, failed in the Senate by a vote of 26 to 14 (27 votes were needed for an override).

HB2528 would have established 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.”  The legislation also required 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.  HB2528 passed the House 71-28 only to be defeated in the Senate by a vote of 24-16.

Thank you to all of the NRA members who answered the call to action in support of these bills.  Without you, the passage of SB877 and SB1528 would not have been possible.

Please contact Governor Kaine TODAY and respectfully voice your disapproval with his vetoes.  Let the Governor know that you do not appreciate him undermining the rights of Virginia’s law-abiding gun owners.  The Governor can be reached by phone at (804) 786-2211, by fax at (804) 371-6351, or email ima@governor.virginia.gov.