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Gun Owners Due Process Bill Goes to VA Governor

Virginia Gun Owners Coalition

Virginia --(Ammoland.com)- HB 1699, Gun Owners Due Process Bill, now moves to Governor Bob McDonnell’s desk to be signed.

Delegate Athey’s HB 1699 provides a path to restoration of gun rights to those who believe they have been wrongly denied them because of a mental health observation or an unwarranted restraining order.

HB 1699 is also a good example of what happens when there is lots of political heat.

You see, anti-gun Senate Democrat leader Richard Saslaw from Northern Virginia came up to me in the hallway to tell me that he had voted for the bill.

I had reminded him the week before that “due process” was a fundamental right and that HB 1699 should be a bi-partisan issue.

Is that why the bill passed?

It might have helped a little but the real story is all the heat that Saslaw was taking for mimicking Republican Speaker of the House, Bill Howell.

You see, Bill Howell regularly sends bills to small sub-committees of hand picked delegates to kill the bills he does not want to have full recorded votes on.

Saslaw grew tired of this abuse of power and decided to fight fire with fire by doing the same in the Senate.

There has been an outcry of rage from lobby groups all across the political spectrum about how unfair this is.

So the real story is that Saslaw has been looking for bills that he can stomach that he would like to kill but needs to pass to provide credibility to the lie that he is being fair.

Usually gun owners end up on the the short end of the stick when it comes to these issues but this is one time we came out on top.

Next year we need to fight for full restoration of gun rights for anyone convicted of a non-violent crime who has done their time.

Call Governor McDonnell at 804 786 2211 and urge him to sign HB 1699, The Gun Owners Due Process Bill.

About:
Virginia Gun Owners Coalition is Virginia’s only no-compromise, non-partisan gun lobby patterned after Gun Owners of America on Capitol Hill. VGOC is a non-profit tax-exempt organization under 501(c)(4) of the IRS code. Because we lobby politicians to protect and defend the 2nd Amendment, contributions are not tax deductible for IRS purposes. Visit: www.vgoc.org

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First Virginia Anti-gun Bill Defeated
Senate Committee on Local Government Defeats Attack on Preemption

Virginia Shooting Sports Association

Virginia --(AmmoLand.com)- Yesterday, the Senate Local Government Committee defeated SB268 by a vote of 9 to 6.

This bill would have created a patchwork of local gun restrictions by allowing local governments to pass ordinances banning firearms on property owned or leased by the locality. It would have also applied to access roads and parking areas for those facilities.

Please contact the following members of the Senate Local Government Committee and thank them for defeating SB268.
State Senator Emmett W. Hanger, Jr. (R-24)
(804) 698-7524
district24@senate.virginia.gov

State Senator Mark R. Herring (D-33)
(804) 698-7533
district33@senate.virginia.gov

State Senator Stephen H. Martin (R-11)
(804) 698-7511

district11@senate.virginia.gov

State Senator Mark D. Obenshain (R-26)
(804) 698-7526
district26@senate.virginia.gov

State Senator Frederick M. Quayle (R-13)
(804) 698-7513
district13@senate.virginia.gov

State Senator Wm. Roscoe Reynolds (D-20)
(804) 698-7520
district20@senate.virginia.gov

State Senator Frank M. Ruff, Jr. (R-15)
(804) 698-7515
district15@senate.virginia.gov

State Senator Ralph K. Smith (R-22)
(804) 698-7522
district22@senate.virginia.gov

State Senator Richard H. Stuart (R-28)
(804) 698-7528
district28@senate.virginia.gov

Castle Doctrine Bills On House Courts Criminal Subcommittee Docket Today

A priority for VSSA for a number of years has been the passage of Castle Doctrine legislation. The Castle Doctrine provides that a person who uses justifiable force against an intruder shall be immune from civil liability for injuries or death of the criminal. Two bills aimed at establishing the Castle Doctrine in Virginia are scheduled to be heard today in the House Courts of Justice Criminal Subcommittee. The subcommittee will meet after the full House Courts Committee adjourns.

For a full list of firearm related bills be sure to check the VSSA Legislative Tracking Form.

About:
The Virginia Shooting Sports Association (VSSA) was originally founded as the Virginia State Rifle and Revolver Association in 1938. VSSA is the official state association of the National Rifle Association. VSSA is also closely affiliated with the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP), Virginia Outdoor Sports Information Network (VOSIN), National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), Virginia Gun Collectors Association, and the Virginia Wildlife Federation (VWF). Visit: www.myvssa.org

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