Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

Virginia: Bill Filed to Eliminate Right-to-Carry Permit Reciprocity!

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Virginia: Bill Filed to Eliminate Right-to-Carry Permit Reciprocity!

In an unhinged effort to attack Virginians’ Second Amendment rights, one member of the Michael Bloomberg-bought General Assembly is willing to undermine a bipartisan policy advanced by the previous Democratic governor and target one of the state’s most law-abiding constituencies. H.B. 569, introduced by New Jersey native Dan Helmer (HD-40), targets Right-to-Carry permit holders by curtailing Virginia’s reciprocity regime.

At present, Virginia recognizes Right-to-Carry permits issued by all other states. Out-of-state carry permit holders are free to carry in the Commonwealth, provided they obey local laws and carry photo identification. The present law also helps Virginia Right-to-Carry permit holders because some jurisdictions only grant another state permit reciprocity if that other state recognizes their permit.

Virginia’s path to full Right-to-Carry permit reciprocity was born out of an earlier episode of anti-gun lunacy. Until late 2015, Virginia recognized 30 state Right-to-Carry permits. At the time, Virginia law gave the state attorney general some discretion regarding which permits the Commonwealth would recognize. 

On December 22, 2015, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring announced that he had conducted an audit of the state’s reciprocity agreements. The anti-gun attorney general concluded 25 of the 30 recognized state Right-to-Carry permits would no longer be recognized by the Commonwealth as of February 1, 2016.

Understanding the problems that Herring’s anti-gun activism would create for law-abiding Virginians and visitors to the state, Virginia lawmakers set to work cleaning up the attorney general’s mess. The result of this cleanup effort was rare bipartisan gun compromise

In early 2016 H.B. 1163 and S.B. 610 were passed. The legislation made Virginia a full recognition state and required the state police to enter into formal reciprocity agreements with any state that so required. As part of the compromise, pro-gun lawmakers agreed to a measure requiring the state police to attend all gun shows in the commonwealth to provide voluntary background checks and a change to Virginia’s domestic violence protective order law. The Right-to-Carry reciprocity legislation passed the House of Delegates by a margin of 72 to 26, while it passed the Senate 29 to 11. It was then signed by Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe.

Such bipartisan agreement was possible on this issue because the Right-to-Carry movement has been a sweeping success. Examination of Right-to-Carry permit holder revocation data in large states, such as Florida and Texas, has long made it clear that permit holders are among the most law-abiding demographics in society.

H.B. 569 would eliminate the changes made to state law in 2016, and revert it to the language that Herring abused in 2015. Despite his own blackface scandal, Herring is still the attorney general of the Commonwealth. If this legislation is enacted, Right-to-Carry permit holders can expect that Herring will finally carry out his failed 2015 gun control plan.

Helmer’s willingness to attack an extremely law-abiding segment of society and undermine the bipartisan work of his legislative predecessors illustrates just how extreme some members of the Bloomberg-bought General Assembly have become. Such foolish legislation underscores the fact that gun control is not about public safety, but rather is about arrogant politicians indulging their ugly political and cultural prejudices.

Stay tuned to www.nraila.org for updates. And, in the meantime, please sign up to volunteer to help defeat the Bloomberg-bought General Assembly’s gun control legislation.

IN THIS ARTICLE
Virginia Right-To-Carry
TRENDING NOW
Court Dismisses “Lawfare” Claims Against Maryland Gun Dealers

News  

Monday, February 24, 2025

Court Dismisses “Lawfare” Claims Against Maryland Gun Dealers

“Lawfare” is the misuse of the legal system to damage political or business opponents, either through frivolous lawsuits in which the cost of defending becomes too much to bear or through the pursuit of political ...

Tenth Circuit Sidesteps Bruen with Nonviolent Felon Ruling

News  

Monday, February 24, 2025

Tenth Circuit Sidesteps Bruen with Nonviolent Felon Ruling

As NRA-ILA pointed out last week, the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022) has prompted a long-overdue reappraisal of the federal law as it pertains ...

Defending the Indefensible: Court Strikes Illinois FOID Card Law

News  

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Defending the Indefensible: Court Strikes Illinois FOID Card Law

Lawmakers in Illinois have a long track record of irrational gun bans and restrictions based on the idea that public safety is best served by disarming criminals and law-abiding citizens alike, even if that means ...

NRA Statement on President Trump’s Executive Order Protecting Second Amendment Rights

News  

Second Amendment  

Friday, February 7, 2025

NRA Statement on President Trump’s Executive Order Protecting Second Amendment Rights

Today, the White House announced a new Executive Order to protect and expand the Second Amendment rights of all law-abiding Americans. This is the first action taken by President Donald J. Trump to carry through ...

Hogg Roasted Over Using DNC Resources to Raise Funds for His Own Project (and Employer)

News  

Monday, February 24, 2025

Hogg Roasted Over Using DNC Resources to Raise Funds for His Own Project (and Employer)

A few weeks ago, we noted that anti-gun activist David Hogg wanted to be a Democratic National Committee (DNC) vice chair.  We suggested caution be exercised before the DNC put an impulsive, often ill-informed individual with little ...

Colorado: Final House Vote on Age Restriction Bill Imminent

Saturday, February 22, 2025

Colorado: Final House Vote on Age Restriction Bill Imminent

Late Friday night, House Bill 25-1133 passed its second reading on the House floor, and is expected to come up for a final vote on Monday, February 24th.

Legislation Introduced to Block Credit Card Gun Registry

News  

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Legislation Introduced to Block Credit Card Gun Registry

U.S. Representatives Riley Moore (R-WV-02), Richard Hudson (R-NC-09), and Andy Barr (R-KY-06) have introduced H.R. 1181, the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act. This crucial legislation would prohibit credit card companies from tracking constitutionally protected purchases ...

The Hearing Protection Act Introduced in the 119th Congress

News  

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

The Hearing Protection Act Introduced in the 119th Congress

U.S. Representative Ben Cline (R-VA-06) and U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) recently reintroduced the Hearing Protection Act (H.R. 404/S. 364) in the 119th Congress. This commonsense legislation will give gun owners and hunters the opportunity to ...

DNC Goes All-In on Gun Control

News  

Monday, February 10, 2025

DNC Goes All-In on Gun Control

A couple weeks ago, we wrote about anti-gun activist David Hogg campaigning to be a Vice Chair for the Democratic National Committee (DNC).  We (somewhat) jokingly endorsed his candidacy, as it would make abundantly clear that ...

Washington: Hearings Scheduled for Permit-To-Purchase Bill

Saturday, February 22, 2025

Washington: Hearings Scheduled for Permit-To-Purchase Bill

On Monday, February 24th, the House Committee on Appropriations will hold a hearing on House Bill 1163, and is scheduled for an executive session later in the week.

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.