Concealed carry from 25 states is recognized again in Virginia
We were a part of the outcry when Attorney General Herring cut recognition of concealed carry from 25 other states a few months ago because he believed other states had looser permit laws. Now we’re a part of the celebration.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed bipartisan gun legislation Friday that recognizes concealed carry permits from other states, including Tennessee.
“The debate on gun safety has had sharp edges that have kept all of us apart for so many years,” McAuliffe said. “But we braved those sharp edges together this year. And we can be proud of the accomplishments.”
The deal will expand recognition of out-of-state concealed carry permits, reversing Attorney General Mark R. Herring’s decision late last year to sever ties with 25 states, including Tennessee and Kentucky, that he said have looser permitting rules than Virginia.
Herring’s decision angered many gun enthusiasts in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee and state lawmakers, including Virginia Delegate Terry Kilgore.
“I am glad that we finally got this compromise signed and into law,” Kilgore said Friday. “This is a very important piece of legislation to our area since we live on the border. Southwest Virginians can continue to carry across state lines.”
Herring, who has criticized the move to recognize concealed carry permits from every state that issues them, did not attend Friday’s ceremony. Herring learned of the signing ceremony Friday morning and did not have time to adjust his schedule, according to his staff.
Two other bills that were part of the agreement were also signed Friday. One will require domestic abusers under permanent protective orders to give up any guns in their possession within 24 hours and the other will position Virginia State Police at every gun show to perform voluntary background checks requested by unlicensed sellers who lack access to the federal database used by gun dealers.
It was a pretty smart compromise. For one, gun show attendees and vendors are usually careful and law-abiding anyhow, so state police presence won’t change anything, and convicted domestic abusers shouldn’t have guns anymore anyway… Just like felons.
The original decision was just a joke, it seemed all too similar to Obama blaming Chicago’s violence problem on the states surrounding it because of their “looser laws.”
What they don’t understand is changing the laws or further restricting gun rights is not going to do anything to reduce crime. Criminals aren’t going to suddenly obey a new law and quit their bad habits…
Great deal for Virginia, its times like these that our outcry needs to be heard. When unconstitutional gun laws are introduced it’s our job to fight them as much as we can. If we don’t fight our rights will be taken right out from underneath us.
