Virginia carry gettin' friendlier

[GKar]

A key VA Senate committee today passed on to the floor of the Senate a bill that would allow permit holders to carry concealed in any restaurant that serves alcohol (previously, you could open carry, but not concealed carry - ?!?). This legislation has passed the General Assembly on two previous occasions, but fell victim to vetoes by the former governor. Newly elected Gov. McDonnell supports this bill.

Since most of the better restaurants in Bristol are located on the VA side of town, this bill actually does more for me than similar Tennessee legislation will...LOL.

Also coming in the VA legislation this year - permit renewal by mail (not sure how they have to do it now - they can get their permit, including training class, online!!), and carry in a locked compartment of a boat or vehicle even if you do not have a permit.

[eapking]

OMG...here comes the Wild West!

[Oh Shoot]

A key VA Senate committee today passed on to the floor of the Senate a bill that would allow permit holders to carry concealed in any restaurant that serves alcohol (previously, you could open carry, but not concealed carry - ?!?).... .

Called the "Virginia Tuck", where permit holders expose their concealed weapons. More of an "untuck" really, but meaning tuck your shirt or cover garment behind the weapon so it can be seen.

Open carry without a permit is legal in VA, and there was no law prohibiting open carry in boozy places, only against permit holders. A permit is required to carry concealed.

Just crazy stuff like that all over the US.

- OS

[GKar]

Yeah, I got used to the "tuck" when we'd go out. Gotta be able to tell its a gun from three angles, IIRC. Lookin forward to that practice being retired soon.

Back during the summer and the heated debates about "guns-in-restaurants" and such here in TN, it was always interesting to point out to folks around here that, just across the street downtown, people have been open-carrying guns where they serve alcohol for years, and so far the blood hadn't run across the street into Tennessee...

[GKar]

The Virginia House of Delegates was busy Tuesday. Among other things, they passed the following 2A related bills:

--Allow gun owners without a concealed carry permit to lock handguns in a vehicle or boat. The Senate passed a similar bill.

--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.

--Allow concealed handgun permit holders to renew their permit by mail. This also passed the Senate.

--Allow those who are denied a concealed handgun permit to have an appeals hearing. The Senate passed a similar bill.

--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.

--Shield those who shoot intruders in their homes from lawsuits.

--Restrict from federal regulation any gun made or sold in Virginia.

--Shield from public access information on concealed handgun permit holders.

--Require localities that hold gun buyback programs to attempt to sell or auction the guns to licensed firearms dealers before destroying them.

--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.

--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.

--Ban localities from being able to prohibit hunting within a half-mile of a subdivision, but allow them to prohibit hunting within a subdivision.

--Direct Virginia State Police to develop a plan to allow lifetime concealed handgun permits to state residents. Currently, permits are good for five years.

--Prohibit localities from requiring fingerprints for a concealed carry permit.

--Allow those with concealed handgun permits to take guns into emergency shelters.

--Allow a retired law enforcement officer to carry a concealed handgun without a permit.

--Allow court clerks to issue concealed handgun permits to applicants who meet all requirements without judicial review.

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There are a few on here I kinda wish TN would address

Admission: this list was copied from a Richmond area newspaper article...could ya tell? LOL, yeah, I thought so...

[eapking]

Dang, nice job VA!!!

[GKar]

Nice thing is, the family and I reap the benefits of these within a half-mile or so of our house. Most of our shopping and dining actually occur in VA (there's a 4.5% sales tax difference ), and the VA side of town cut some attractive deals with developers and businesses to bring in decent restaurants and merchants.

Which highlights another thing we sometimes forget - the list of folks affected by our legislation/legislature reaches far beyond TN and those who "visit" here as tourists/business travel. There are 8 states that border ours and generate a substantial number of regular traffic. Those folks have to keep an eye on two (or even three, here - NC is only 25 minutes away) sets of laws pertinent to firearms regulation as a day-to-day matter in the course of their daily routine.

[Guest m&pc9]

That will hurt their tourism, Just ask Rayburn!

I hope TN will follow.

[RinTN]

Sounds good to me - opens up the fine dining options a bit. :-)

[Guest tadams]

OMG...here comes the Wild West!

LMAO You've obviously never been to exit 7.

BTW, nothing personal.... just to make GKar smile.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Vote for more republicans. It helped in VA.

[GKar]

LOL...yeah, Exit 7 is indeed a far cry from the Wild West - unless you are talking about traffic flows...

[GKar]

From today's Richmond Times:

------------------------------------------------------------

The House of Delegates today voted 72-27 to approve a bill to allow holders of concealed weapons permits to carry concealed guns into bars.

The holder of the gun would not be allowed to drink alcohol in the establishment. The bill now goes to Gov. Bob McDonnell, who has indicated that he will sign it. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine vetoed similar legislation last year.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Funny...the actual legislation said nothing about "bars". Don't reckon the paper had its collective panties in a wad, do ya?

Likely to go into effect July 1, as does most new legislation in VA.

[Guest Dean Wormer]

If your in Memphis, one can dine in Mississippi as they accept TN permits and have no ban on carry in alcohol serving restaurants. No state parks in MS though.

[DaveTN]

--Allow gun owners without a concealed carry permit to lock handguns in a vehicle or boat. The Senate passed a similar bill.

That’s big, that is getting close to acknowledging a right to bear arms.

--Shield those who shoot intruders in their homes from lawsuits.

I wish tennessee would word ours that way.

--Restrict from federal regulation any gun made or sold in Virginia.

That will be interesting.

--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.

They got it right.

--Ban localities from being able to prohibit hunting within a half-mile of a subdivision, but allow them to prohibit hunting within a subdivision.

Thts a joke right?

[GKar]

It seems that several of these bils, after being passed in the House, were derailed by one of the most blatant hijacks I've seen. State Sen Harry Marsh, a Dem from the Prince William area, sits as the Chair of the Justice Cmte. He was so angered by passage of several pro-gun bills, including VA's restaurant bill, that he created a special subcommittee of the Justice Cmte, chaired by himself and stacked with three anti-gun Dems and a single RINO jellyfish, to hear all remaining gun bills. As chair, he then refused to even bring some bills to the table for consideration, while those that did appear were, not surprisingly, killed by the subcommitte and thus unable to make it to the Senate floor.

[rab]

I guess that I am a little dum about Va. laws. Is it that a person can carry open without a permit but must have a permit to carry concealed in Va.?

[Oh Shoot]

I guess that I am a little dum about Va. laws. Is it that a person can carry open without a permit but must have a permit to carry concealed in Va.?

Correct.

- OS

[GKar]

I read an interesting article over the weekend RE Virginia's laws RE gun possession and alcohol consumption. According to this article (which I now can't find), Virginia's open carry status seems have no prohibition against those who open carry a firearm into an establishment that serves alcohol from consuming alcohol. The concealed carry provisions, however, currently prohibit carry into such estalishment. The new law, awaiting the Gov's signature, would allow concealed carry, but still prohibit those who do conceal carry from consuming. There is speculation that, prior to signing, the governor may remedy this discontinuity and prohibit consumption by anyone possessing a firearm.

[ac3boyz]

GKar,

Hopefully being from Bristol you know the answer to this question. I understand Virginia recognizes carry permits from Tennessee. Does that allow me to carry "concealed" while I'm visiting Virginia? I've sent an email with that question to the state but they haven't responded and I'm heading that way for Easter. Thanks for any info.

[GKar]

Not a lawyer or LEO, but here's my experience (and I shop in VA much more than in TN due to the 5% sales tax diffo ) Yes, Virginia does recognize and honor Tennessee carry permit, and as a TN HCP holder you may carry concelaed anywhere a Virginia CCW permit holder can conceal. At this moment, that does NOT include restaurants where alcohol is served; however, should you find yourself visiting such a restaurant, you can open carry (which includes the infamous "Virginia tuck"...exposing enough of the weapon so that it easily can be visibly determined that it is a gun by, for example, tucking in your shirt or jacket behind the holstered weapon).

[ac3boyz]

Thanks for the info! I figured that was the case but wanted to be sure before I headed that way.

[JAB]

Sounds like VA is doing some good things. Personally, I'd take being able to carry openly in a restaurant where alchohol is served over having to leave my handgun in my vehicle just to eat dinner and drink iced tea.