U.S.A. -(AmmoLand.com)- With Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s raft of new gun controls set to take effect on July 1st, Alexandria Mayor Justin M. Wilson and the City Council are wasting no time in attacking gun rights. HB421/SB35, signed by Northam on April 22nd, weakened the state firearms preemption statute to allow localities to prohibit the possession, carrying, or transportation of firearms in an array of locations.
Those locations are as follows:
(i) in any building, or part thereof, owned or used by such locality, or by any authority or local governmental entity created or controlled by the locality, for governmental purposes;
(ii) in any public park owned or operated by the locality, or by any authority or local governmental entity created or controlled by the locality;
(iii) in any recreation or community center facility operated by the locality, or by any authority or local governmental entity created or controlled by the locality; or
(iv) in any public street, road, alley, or sidewalk or public right-of-way or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public and is being used by or is adjacent to a permitted event or an event that would otherwise require a permit.
On June 4th, the city manager presented the mayor and city council with legislation in the form of File #20-0902. With the intent of restricting firearms as much as state law permits, the proposed legislation changes the city code to prohibit firearms in all of the locations listed under the amended preemption statute. Even law-abiding citizens with a Virginia concealed handgun permit would be prohibited from carrying a firearm for self-defense in these locations. Those found in violation of the proposed prohibitions would face up to a year imprisonment and a $2,500 fine.
The Alexandria City Council is set to address the gun control proposal at a virtual hearing at 9:30AM on June 20th. The City released an updated proposal, File #20-0967, that now includes the same prohibitions on ammunition and firearm and ammunition components. This change substantially expands the ordinance, and Alexandria residents have little time to address this substantial change before the hearing tomorrow.
NRA has submitted comments to the City Council on the proposed gun control legislation and those comments can be read here.
About 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. Visit: www.nra.org
The conservatives voter’s in Virginia will need to eradicate this invasive malignancy of hatred toward Freedom.
Shame on any Gun Owner who votes Democrat!
This is just one more example how logic and rational argument have no effect on gun control advocates. In an age where truth and fact get trumped by narratives, telling some people the truth about gun free zones is like whistling into the wind. These arrogant stalwarts will only respect numbers or defiance by decent law-abiding citizens.
The state of Virginia has become the east coast version of California full of liberals and people who don’t believe in the constitution.
I can’t for the life of me understand the thinking of people who don’t believe in our constitution and bill of rights.
I guess they didn’t take American history in school.
If you vote democrat don’t cry why you lose your freedoms.
How many of the people that live in Virginia gain their sustenance from the Govt teat; either directly or indirectly? Yeah, I thought so.
City of Alexandria is going to ban not only firearms but ammo and components. Little do they understand hazards they will be creating. TX LTC instructors advise that when carriers enter “gun free zones” (GFZ) you should disassemble firearm, securing receiver (serialized part qualifying as firearm) in car and taking other components. This way if anyone breaks in to steal gun they do not get a functional firearm. This requires carrying slide and possibly loaded mags into school or other GFZ. Legal in Texas, but soon to be illegal in Alexandria. Thieves will know this and I expect a jump… Read more »
Well, it is what the majority voted for wasn’t it? Actions have consequences. Some of those consequences are unseen, some are unwanted, and some are disregarded, Everyone gets to decide how they’re going to react. They will have a chance to rectify their choices at the next election, if they choose to do so.