Today, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced that holders of a valid Concealed Handgun License (CHL) issued on or after June 4, 2014 will be exempt from additional background checks when purchasing a firearm from a licensed gun dealer. This announcement follows yesterday’s open letter from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) to Federal Firearms Licensed Dealers in West Virginia.
Your NRA has been working tirelessly on this effort for the past three years, with the goal of enacting legislation that would be approved by BATFE. Thanks to the passage and enactment of House Bill 4186, sponsored by Delegate Rupie Phillips (D-24), during the 2014 legislative session, West Virginia’s concealed carry statutes were clarified and made uniform, enabling this exemption for CHLs in the Mountain State. This exemption allows the initial background check for a CHL to serve as a background check for all future transfers by a licensed gun dealer, eliminating the duplicative process.
This is a great day for supporters of the Second Amendment, and your NRA wants to thank all of our members across West Virginia who worked so hard to make this legislation and exemption a reality.