Citizens of all races bought there firearms in a legal manner.Now with a stroke of a pen possibly made illegal..Oppressing and infringement laws are a racist act..The legislators are infringing on rights of different ethnicities, color,culture.The majority of the authors who wrote the bills are white..Some have come from other countries where there rights were oppressed. Now in turn they are the oppressors of American citizens..Citizens are brothers and sisters..And you decide Are the legislators racist in writing these bills..? Sad to see..This will be in record for future generations to see..Let's hope they learn from history and not repeat it .

With respect to HB 1459, I am in favor of this bill. Cooperation with federal authorities shouldn't need to be legislated, but we live in strange times where some people seem to have forgotten we share a country and should be on the same team rather than adversarial to one another.

With respect to HB 1453, I am in favor of this bill. I think it would also be beneficial to expand it to include firefighters and police officers.

With respect to HB 1333, while I think it is commendable to seek to limit the hours a firefighter HAS to work, as someone who works an hourly job overtime hours are very much beneficial. I think it should be taken into account that some firefighters might WANT to work more hours. And I think that option should remain available to the ones that want to pull the extra shifts.

Why are you discriminating against people of different races and ethnicity. ,? And for a person who is poor? Imposing the bills will make it expensive ,less affordable for someone to purchase a firearm for self defense..

Why discriminate against the constituency whom voted you into office? Vote against the bills..

Firearms were used to free slaves, And self defense..This mantra of self defense carries on ..A hundred years later..You would attempt to limit a constituents right to self defense.. Illegal discrimination ..Do the right thing Vote against the bills..

This critique is true. Will one of you legislators have the courtesy to step out of the groupthink and vote against the gun bills ..? The challenge is to have the guts to do it..Firearms are used for self defense..Freeing citizens from slavery. Sport shooting creates tax revenue and jobs.

The authors of the bills know they cannot ban guns outright..Create hardship bills so a constituent will not want to carry..Delegate, because you possibly do like firearms ..Is it your role ,to treat constituents in a discriminating way..? Against a class of citizens..? Liberals own gun too Not just conservatives..Vote against the bills.

The second amendment is a right not a privilege that can be taken away or will be taken away. Our right or sovereign under the constitution second amendment shall not be in French. Why don’t y’all work on making punishments more harsh for the criminals that rape people moles, children murder, and so on. Instead of trying to make hard-working, taxpaying citizens criminals

Good morning, As a lifelong Virginia resident I can’t believe what bills are even being considered. My name is Chandler Cobb and I currently reside in Isle of Wight County in Smithfield, VA. I’m a Christian, a disabled Veteran, a husband, and I am against any bills that take away our God-given, govt protected, Second Amendment rights. I’ve been a concealed weapons licensee for over 20 years and have never had to fire my weapon in defense of myself or another. That is the story with 99% of Virginian concealed weapons license holders. We also prevent harm without having to fire a single round. The recent Supreme Court precedent set in Bruen and Heller, makes every anti-second amendment bill written UNCONSTITUTIONAL and will eventually be overturned by SCOTUS. Please do not support any bills that take away our rights. These bills will do absolutely nothing nothing to make VA safer and will actually make us less safe. Legal gun owners in this country and this state follow the laws, but criminals don’t care what laws you write banning firearms as they don’t follow laws. These bills only hurt us law abiding concealed weapons license holders and gun owners in VA. Furthermore, there are millions of standard capacity magazines and AR15 sporting rifles and handguns that carry standard capacity magazines. You all are making instant criminals out of not only every Virginian, but anyone driving through our great state. I ask you all to vote NO on EVERY gun bill that infringes on our rights and that’s any bill adding regulations and restrictions on the firearms millions of us own. Thank you and God bless, Chandler Cobb Soli Deo Gloria~ Sic Semper Tyranis~

I stand with the VCDL's position on the firearms related bills. I oppose all Gun Control.

As fire chief I ask you to please support HB1333, The work schedule for the American fire service is no longer sustainable. Cancer, injuries, substance abuse, mental health challenges, are all increased due to our current work cycle over average 56 hours a week. Fire fighters are not receiving enough recovery time between shifts and this bill would help start conversations across the fire service to address the negative health implications of the current norm. Firefighters on average work 800+ additional hours over the rest of the worlds workforce.

Chair and Members of the Committee, Thank you for the opportunity to send comments to support of House Bill 1333. I offer these comments from the perspective of a fire chief responsible for maintaining public safety while managing limited resources and a demanding workforce. The typical fire department schedule is killing our employees, it is reducing interest in the profession, and lack of recovery time is leading to mental health challenges. Reducing the number of hours worked by firefighters directly improves safety—both for the public and for the firefighters themselves. Firefighting is physically and mentally demanding work. Extended shifts and excessive hours contribute to fatigue, slower reaction times, increased injury rates, and long-term health issues. By reducing hours, HB 1333 helps ensure that firefighters are rested, alert, and able to perform at the highest level when responding to emergencies. A healthier workforce also reduces burnout and turnover, which strengthens continuity, experience, and service quality across our departments. While schedule adjustments require careful planning, reducing excessive hours can generate meaningful cost savings. Lower overtime expenditures, fewer workers’ compensation claims, reduced injury-related leave, and improved retention all translate into long-term financial benefits. These savings can be redirected to help fund the transition to more sustainable schedules, invest in training, and support recruitment efforts. HB 1333 promotes a model that is fiscally responsible while protecting the local government & the Commonwealth’s investment in its first responders. Over the length of a 25 year career firefighters will work the equivalent of nine additional years of service for the same pension benefits. Firefighters often earn a reduced hourly rate because they work more hours per pay period. Most of Virginia’s workforce operates on an average 40-hour workweek. Firefighters routinely work far beyond that standard, often exceeding 56 hours per week as a baseline. HB 1333 addresses this disparity and moves fire service scheduling closer to the norms applied to other public employees. Providing greater parity is not only a matter of fairness, but also one of workforce competitiveness. To continue attracting and retaining qualified firefighters, we must offer working conditions that reflect modern employment standards. HB 1333 supports safer operations, smarter use of public funds, and fair treatment of firefighters who serve their communities every day. I respectfully urge the committee to advance this legislation and recognize the long-term benefits it provides to public safety, fiscal stewardship, and workforce equity across the Commonwealth. Thank you for your consideration. Respectfully, Fire Chief Kenneth Pravetz

Comments Document

I am writing in strong support of HB 1333. I have served for over 23 years as a firefighter and paramedic in Arlington County, and I currently reside in Springfield, Virginia. I am also a member of IAFF Local 2800 and am submitting this testimony in my personal capacity. I currently work a 24-hour shift schedule (24 on, 24 off, 24 on, 24 off, 24 on, followed by four days off, with a Kelly day approximately every ten days). While this schedule is common in the fire service, it is also common for firefighters to be held over beyond scheduled shifts due to call volume, delayed relief, or staffing shortages. These additional hours are often unpredictable and occur at the end of already demanding shifts. Fatigue is not just uncomfortable — it directly affects public safety. In my experience, fatigue contributes to reduced reaction time, impaired judgment, and diminished situational awareness. These factors affect critical tasks such as emergency driving, patient care, and on-scene decision-making. Even when no single dramatic incident occurs, the cognitive and physical effects of fatigue accumulate and increase the risk of errors and injuries. Fatigue also increases the likelihood of physical injury. Firefighters routinely lift patients, operate in hazardous environments, and work on roadways under stressful conditions. When combined with extended hours and insufficient recovery time, fatigue raises the risk of strains, falls, and other preventable injuries that remove experienced responders from the workforce. HB 1333 takes an appropriate and balanced approach by directing the Department of Fire Programs to encourage schedules that reduce excessive hours and fatigue, while preserving flexibility for overtime calculations and operational needs. Many departments are already exploring improved schedules through collective bargaining or pilot programs, but statewide policy guidance would provide important support for safer, more sustainable staffing practices across the Commonwealth. Encouraging healthier schedules is not only about protecting firefighters — it is about ensuring that the public receives emergency response from professionals who are alert, capable, and able to perform at their highest level when lives are on the line. For additional context on this bill and related firefighter safety priorities, I have attached a one-page policy brief for your reference. I respectfully ask the committee to report HB 1333 favorably and allow it to advance.