Virginia will no longer recognize concealed-handgun permits issued by 25 other states, its attorney general announced Tuesday, a stark change in a state known for its expansive gun rights.
Attorney General Mark R. Herring, a Democrat and a strong proponent of gun restrictions, used his authority under state law to bar permit-holding residents of the 25 states, which span the country from Alaska to Florida, from carrying concealed weapons in Virginia. He is revoking Virginia’s so-called reciprocity agreements with those states.
“We hear that we don’t need new gun laws, we just need to enforce the ones we have,” Mr. Herring said in a telephone interview, echoing the argument of the gun rights movement. “Well, I’m going to be enforcing the ones we have.”
Mr. Herring made the decision, his office said in a statement, after “months of research and evaluation,” including an audit of 30 states whose concealed-handgun permits have been considered valid in Virginia. All but five of them, he said, grant permits to people who would be barred from carrying concealed weapons in Virginia. He called revoking the agreements a “common-sense step.”
I suspect that when the legislature reconvenes, there will be a fix to this issue. However, in the meantime, lets look at the current solutions available,
ReplyDelete"•1. Open carry is legal in Virginia – no permit required and you can open carry in most places in Virginia. Our police don’t bat an eye. VCDL’s website has a list of the places that you cannot carry. And, here’s another good reason to open carry: McAuliffe and Herring HATE open carry. But, hey, it was THEIR brilliant idea to prohibit concealed carry, so they will have no choice but to get used to a whole lot more people open carrying in Virginia! 😉
•2. You can have a LOADED handgun in a CLOSED, but not necessarily locked, compartment or container in a vehicle. That includes a glovebox, console, and trunk as long as the compartment or container has some kind of latch. Optionally the loaded handgun can be in plain sight, on the seat or on the dashboard. Again, if concealed it MUST be in a compartment or container and nowhere else. Upon exiting the vehicle, the loaded handgun can be holstered and carried in plain view or you can unload the gun and put it in a carrying case.
•3. You can get a Utah non-resident concealed handgun permit or you can get a Virginia non-resident concealed handgun permit. For the money and the fact that Virginia’s permit has now been degraded by the Attorney General, I’d go for the Utah permit."
http://www.ammoland.com/2015/12/252373/#axzz3vLcjZ2Am
Again, we have the law of unintended consequences potentially rearing its head with the Governor actually taking steps that will increase the open carry of firearms in the state. Its a wonderful irony, even though I'm not personally a fan of open carry.
Its interesting that the people who have gone to the trouble of taking whatever training necessary for a permit in their individual states can apparently cant be trusted to carry concealed will be forced to legally carry openly.
Along with everyone who hasn't had any training who can also legally carry openly. Common sense indeed.
Well, it certainly didn't take long to get this in the works,
Delete"A house bill backed by Delegate Lee Ware (R), which will be taken up in January would undo the changes made by Herring by reforming Virginia law to honor any valid carry permit from all states and jurisdictions."
http://www.guns.com/2015/12/28/virginia-ccw-reciprocity-changes-bring-quick-backlash/
So instead of recognizing permits from only five states, the state would recognize permits from all fifty. Very cool.
"Governor actually taking steps that will increase the open carry of firearms"
DeleteAnd far from leading to an acceptance of seeing guns, these increased open carry fanatics will be seen as the nuts they are. Double backfire will follow.
"And far from leading to an acceptance of seeing guns, these increased open carry fanatics will be seen as the nuts they are."
DeleteMike, you seem to consider those that carry handguns openly under various open carry laws to be the equivalent of those who carry long arms openly. But they aren't the same at all.
This was likely as well thought out as the New York Safe Act, which required a special session to fix the more onerous parts. It will be interesting to see the final outcome of the Governor's executive action.
I agree there's a big difference between the AR-15 slung over the back kinda guy and the sidearm on the belt guy, at least in appearance. Underneath though you're all a bunch of nuts.
DeleteWell Mike, while I'm not sure of the accuracy of the numbers, I've read in some articles that the Governor has made some six million plus permit holders who could potentially visit the state either not visit at all, or decide to open carry.
DeleteNot a smart move considering that permit holders are much more law abiding than the general public.
Have you noticed that they haven't been able to use any examples of permit holders from the states that will no longer be recognized having committed violent crimes in Virginia?
Let's just see if this atrocity doesn't get corrected legislatively, shall we?
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ReplyDeleteTexas is still on their list. So I guess that means Texas law is pretty tough.
ReplyDeleteThis garbage from the usual States rights gun loons. But they won't let Virginia do anything that's against gun loon policy.
ReplyDelete"But they won't let Virginia do anything that's against gun loon policy."
DeleteIts called the will of the voters Anon. I predict an interesting legislative session in Virginia with this issue being fixed, and the gun control lobby possibly losing even more ground based entirely on the Governor's actions.
The "will" of the voters is clear, they want better back ground checks. If the Congress won't give that to them, their president will, and should.
Delete"The "will" of the voters is clear, they want better back ground checks."
DeleteLets try to stay on topic Anon. This is about neither background checks or the President.
Stay on topic? You never do. The will of the voters (90% want stiffer background checks) is not being enforced by a minority in Congress who are bought by the NRA.
Delete"The will of the voters (90% want stiffer background checks) is not being enforced by a minority in Congress who are bought by the NRA."
DeleteThen all the 90% of the voters need to do is to decide its important enough to vote the legislators that don't represent their wishes out of office. Shouldn't be tough with such a high percentage wanting it. Unless the poll isn't accurate of course.
Perhaps you can enlighten us on what background checks has, if anything to do with carry permit reciprocity?
The Virginia House of Delegates is taking the appropriate response; considering a bill to defund the Governors state police protection unit. If their goal is citizen disarmament, and it is, then as a citizen, McAullife shouldn't benefit from armed security either.
ReplyDeleteThere is also talk of passing legislation legalizing concealed carry permits from all 49 states, if a state has a permit system in place and you have that permit you will be legal to carry....
ReplyDeleteWell, that didn't last long......
ReplyDelete"Gov. Terry McAuliffe plans to announce Friday that Virginia will restore handgun reciprocity agreements with nearly all states, in a stunning reversal of firearms policy that angered Republicans and gun rights advocates across the nation.
The about-face is part of a deal that McAuliffe (D) struck with Republican leaders one month after Attorney General Mark R. Herring (D) severed the right for gun owners in 25 states to have their concealed carry permits recognized in Virginia."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/mcauliffe-to-restore-handgun-reciprocity-in-deal-with-republicans/2016/01/28/6f8c0240-c5d8-11e5-9693-933a4d31bcc8_story.html?postshare=6951454005619197&tid=ss_tw
Common sense and honesty restored. Oh, and Mikeb? How 'bout you "take that," ya' dig? ;-)
Delete