Public Comments for 01/19/2024 Public Safety
HB11 - Knives; carrying as concealed weapons.
I am opposed to all of these unconstitutional and anit-american gun laws and regulations. There is no room for more gun laws and regulations in this state.
Contrary to how certain government officials treat it, the second amendment is written using plain, easy to understand language, and insists that government has no right to take away the right for ordinary people like us to defend ourselves, as the constitution and bill of rights do not simply give people rights, but protects them from government manipulation and control. It’s incredibly disappointing and a tragedy that people choose to commit acts of violence with these rights, but restricting those who wish to exercise their rights peaceably due to those who wouldn’t follow these rules in the first place is incredibly naive. I, as well as every other person in the United States, deserve to protect my family with the best technology available. While some people look at certain defense weapon setups as a “why do you need that” situation, 1) I have the right to defend myself with the best tool available, and so I will choose that every time, 2) why do you “need” anything other than basic necessities (fast car, Gucci clothes, etc)? The government has no place in deciding what I “need”, 3) people with the intent to harm will not care what laws govern peaceful people, so what would limiting the victim’s access to proper tools do? You may think that by “banning” or otherwise restricting access to a certain thing would mean that all of the “bad” things would magically go away, but they will not. Evil has always and will always exist, and I have every right to defend myself from it using the best tool available wherever I, or my family, choose to go. Restricting access on certain properties (the government isn’t actively protecting me everywhere), requiring certain training (who is paying for this?), limiting certain types of firearms (go ahead and define “assault weapon” in plain language please), and restricting ammo purchasing (I thought you wanted us to train; how does this help then?) are all means that end up hurting the average person and helping those who wish to hurt others, as the rest of us will be left in a position to insufficiently defend ourselves. I urge you to understand that while, yes, it is awful that evil people commit horrific acts, this right ultimately allows me to protect myself and my family from these evil people as well and as evil will always exist (we certainly like to delusion ourselves into believing that we live in a utopia, but we do not), I will protect my family accordingly. The government has no right to restrict this. Leave the peaceful citizens alone, more firmly punish those who hurt others, and help communities where this is an issue to prevent the upbringing of more evil people.
I oppose these bills that are attacking the rights of law-abiding gun owners.
I SUPPORT LAW ABIDING CITIZENS WHO ARE ALLOWED TO CARRY A KNIFE AS A CONCEALED WEAPON THE PERSON HAS THE RIGHT TO DEFEND THEMSELVES IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION
Please stop trying to make criminals of law abiding citizens who just want to protect themselves. Me and my partner have recently become firearm owners because of situations that have arisen in our day to day lives, such as harassment of my wife almost to the point of altercation, sketchy characters waiting in front of our door/ducking in and out of our bushes at all times of the night, people breaking into cars in the neighborhood etc (many times the police/security were called only to arrive 45mins to an hour later). with many of these nonsensical bills you condemn us to allowing any possible violence to happen to us without a chance of defending our selves. Instead of helping fix the problem, you seek to make criminals out of any Virginian who has followed the law and legal purchased a firearm. Shame on you. I am Virginian native and since I was 18 I voted leaning blue in local and state elections you all are making me think this was a mistake. I am not proud of Virginia “progressives” who would rather strip my wife of her chance and right to defend her self rather than try to address the root of crime. Don’t make law abiding people criminals. Do some actual work and address the criminals! 2 of the proposed bills would make in illegal to bring your concealed firearm into a restaurant and another makes it a crime to have the firearm in your vehicle…. Like really? This is literally just to fill jails and strip people of their rights.
Leave law abiding citizens alone.
The number of bills that the Virginia legislature is attempting to pass that will infringe on the constitutional rights of its citizenry is appalling. We as law abiding citizens are afforded the right to defend ourselves and families. None of these laws will reduce crime as it is purported to do. Crimes are committed by individuals not the firearm. Start placing the blame where it should be which is the person committing the crime. Instead these laws will only punish and limit the rights of law abiding citizens.
These bills infringe on the rights of the United States citizens given to us by the second amendment. The only thing these bills will accomplish will take the firearms out of the hands of law abiding citizens, while criminals will still have access.
I do not support any bill that removes any right from law abiding citizens to protect themselves from those who WILL NOT abide by these laws. These laws ONLY give CRIMINALS the upper hand.
A lot of these laws contradict one another. I can’t support them. Both of our parties have failed us.
Stop trying to strip 2nd Amendment rights from law abiding citizens with a constitutional right to own and carry firearms. Not a single one of these laws/bills you’re trying to enact would have stopped any of the mass shootings we’ve seen.
I oppose all of these blatantly unconstitutional bills and wish our elected officials would actually get to work on fixing things that matter to Virginians.
It is obvious these elected officials want you to die at the behest of an anarcho tyrannical state where violent perpetual offenders are off with a slap on the wrist, while YOU tax payer are criminalized for not wanting to be a victim to these perpetual perpetrators. The elected officials funded by big Pro-Death lobby of Giffords and Bloomberg sit in their cushy NOVA HOAd mansions behind security while you plebs go to work everyday to pay their salary. These same officials effectively bribe the police state by giving them a way to pay off a mortgage and boat in exchange for your oppression. YOU citizen must morally oppose these pro-Death bills. Democracy has fallen and its only driven by money hungry Babylonians who swim in excess and delicacy while YOU PLEBS cant even afford milk, eggs or pampers. Remember these people do not hold dominion over you. Call your congressman/woman and CHRIST IS KING!
Time and time again it has been proven that criminals do not care about or follow restrictive firearm laws. Virginia already has some of the most restrictive firearms laws in the country ("B+" rating from Giffords), more unconstitutional infringements upon law abiding citizens is not the answer. We need to address the root causes (access to mental health resources for example) and not throw bandaids at it by punishing responsible, law abiding, gun owners. I oppose these bills and urge you to do the same.
I oppose the proposed firearms legislation put forward by this legislature and any legislation that violates the 1st, 2nd, and 4th, amendment rights of any Virginian. The desire for safer communities, a more united nation, and healing for our public health is something that we all can share in but these bills do not achieve that. Rather, they regulate and penalize. They unconstitutionally restrict the rights of the many in the name of safety and serve only to harm our rights. I would be doing a disservice to our state and my fellow citizens if I did not also provide potential solutions or remedies to the violence we face. First, we as communities need to promote voluntary storage facilities for those who are experiencing hardship and are concerned about suicide. Ideally making it easier to put firearms safely out of reach when suicide risks are greater. To do this it would need to be a system at the lowest level with minimum government involvement besides funding and partnership with local ranges. We would also need to reach out to those in our lives who are in a bad place and encourage the use of these facilities. Second, we should promote a culture of safe handling and respect for firearms through school courses and community organizations because assault weapons or not suicide, or accidents only take one bullet from a single action firearm. Lastly and more broadly we should focus on the issues surrounding the violence. Whether it is drugs and organized criminal activity or the mental health crisis as it has become known we should be working to fix these issues first. I.e. legalize weed, adapt police training, and push to root out organized crime, promote common social values and family cohesion, increase freedom, physical activity, and discipline in the school system.
These firearms bill are either redundant or unless in any meaningful way. If you care about reducing violence, please focus on criminals. Please stop trying to disarm families and law abiding citizen from protecting themselves.
I am a liberal through and through, I believe in individual rights and the opportunity for prosperity for all. I vote democrat because I care about my community, the rights of minorities, and women’s rights. The proposed legislation limiting the ability of free, law abiding citizens to purchase firearms, carry, and general use should not be limited further. I have witnessed violence at the hands of criminals, some later caught and it was shown that they did not legally acquire these firearms. The proposed legislation will effectively stop those who abide by the laws of Virginia from being able to properly protect themselves. It is known that police will not protect you, and they have no legal obligation to do so. This puts us at a dilemma, it’s either blindly trust the police to protect us and our families or have the ability to protect ourselves. I am not advocated for looser gun laws by any means, but I am advocating for more common sense gun laws. What do I mean by this you may ask? Well I mean background checks are a must and proper certification to conceal carry. I am a former Marine, I was a firefighter, and am a current student at a great university in our nations capital. I like to think I am reasonable in my thinking, but after looking and reading the propositions I checked above, I can’t help but feel betrayed by my own party. There is more than 5 guns for every American in this country. Gun control must target the people who do not follow the law and try to prevent violence from occurring, and the proposed legislation above does not help in that manner. I am hopeful that you will read this and reconsider the language in the legislation and I am even more hopeful that I can protect my family as necessary. I will always vote for progress but that’s not to say that I will always vote against my interests. Locally, crime has been on the rise and I have had to deal with it directly with little to no help from the police. I will (to the fullest extent of the law) protect myself as necessary from anyone who wishes to inflict harm on myself or family, and I hope you see that the average citizen in Virginia can not afford a security detail or rely on our police for protection. Thank you and have a great day.
Please stop infringing on our god given right, protected by the constitution of the United States (which you all have sworn to uphold and protect), to keep and bear arms. Responsible gun owners are not the problem in America’s gun violence epidemic. We follow the law. Criminals don’t. We use our firearms to protect ourselves, loved ones, and community. Chipping away at this right we have makes us more vulnerable to becoming victims of gun violence, not protect us from it. These laws only serve to empower those with evil intentions. Rather, might I suggest harsher penalties for those who commit senseless acts of violence with firearms instead of going after the good men and women of the commonwealth who wish only to use their firearms for lawful purposes.
Dear House of Delegates, I'm writing to you today as a concerned citizen. The introduction of bills aimed at heavily regulating firearms, is not warranted or wanted by the people of Virginia. Our nation stands at a crossroads, where the desire to address gun violence intersects with the constitutional rights affirmed by the Supreme Court. The Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms is not just a legal directive but a reflection of our commitment to individual freedom. In this context, the proposed regulations, while motivated by a commendable desire to reduce violence, raise significant concerns about their effectiveness and the potential consequences for law-abiding citizens. Research, including findings published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, suggests that the relationship between strict gun laws and the reduction of gun violence is not as straightforward as one might hope. Cities with stringent gun regulations continue to face challenges with gun-related crimes, indicating that those intent on violence often find ways to circumvent the law. This reality prompts us to question whether new restrictions will achieve their intended goal or merely place additional burdens on those who seek firearms for legitimate purposes, including self-defense. Moreover, the abundance of firearms in the United States presents a logistical challenge to the enforcement of such regulations. With more guns than people in the country, the task of significantly reducing the availability of firearms to criminals, without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens, is daunting. It is within this complex landscape that I urge you to consider the broader implications of the proposed gun control measures. The parallels drawn with other contentious issues, such as the regulation of women's healthcare, highlight the potential for policy decisions to inadvertently infringe upon individual freedoms and deepen societal divisions. Such outcomes not only detract from the intended goals of enhancing public safety but also risk alienating segments of the population whose support is essential for the advancement of our collective well-being. I respectfully ask that you consider the potential consequences of the proposed gun control measures, not just for the immediate future but for the legacy we leave for generations to come. It is my hope that, together, we can find a way to address the challenges of gun violence in a manner that honors our values, respects our freedoms, and genuinely enhances the safety and well-being of our communities.
Please stop attempting to infringe on my 2nd amendment rights. Responsible gun owners are not behind any gun violence. Maybe focus on bills that will actually keep guns out of the hands of those that should not have them rather than stripping the rights away of law-abiding citizens. Not a single one of those bills will stop criminals from breaking the law, all they will do is prevent me from being able to effectively defend myself and my family against said criminal.
The second amendment is very clear in its intent that these rights “shall not be infringed”. Removing/ restricting law abiding citizens right to self defense and protection against unwitting organizations and persons is not only more harmful, but a clear violation of the rights this country was founded on.
As a left leaning voter and citizen of Virginia, these new restrictions on our right to bear arms are sickening. Stop proposing so many bans and limits, and maybe a realistic bill, like the safe credit, won’t be universally protested. If you actually want to quell gun violence, keep focused on affordable mental and physical healthcare, improving the education system, and reducing income inequality. While the right may not support these real improvements, I cannot in good faith support or vote for any politician who supports banning or restricting the rights of law abiding citizens in our beautiful commonwealth. Thank you.
The 2nd amendment states "shall not be infringed". All of these bills are infringement and are therefore unconstitutional. Should we pass laws that people must pass a test before they can have freedom of speech? What about pass a test before you can vote? What about if someone does not have training they will be slaves again? Name one other right outlined in the constitution where a citizen has to jump through hoops before they can use that right? I oppose all of these bills as they will do more harm than good. I can understand wanting to keep people safe but gun control does the opposite. These bills will only make it harder for law abiding citizens to exercise their rights while criminals will still ignore the law. Criminals will still get illegal guns or weapons and will commit more crimes since they know the public is unable to defend themselves. Benjamin Franklin once said: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." You writing bills saying "give up your rights and guns and we will protect you". Well ask the Native Americans how that worked out for them. Ask a Jewish person who was under Nazi control how that worked out for them. Well Hitler's first step was to take away the guns from the public so they could not protect themselves and over 6 million people lost their lives. Since you do not know history you are writing bills which will doom us to repeat it. You know 75 years ago when you could just buy a gun in a catalog and it was shipped to your house we did not have this issue. In the 60s and 70s when people would have a gun in their truck at school or take one in for show and tell we did not have a gun issue. This is a mental health issue. Deal with mental health and you will fix the public safety issue. Zero of my guns have killed people because guns do not kill people. People kill people. Look at Ukraine and Israel for just one form of example why we need LESS gun control. All of these gun laws are unconstitutional and should be thrown out. Do the right thing and let us law abiding citizens have their rights as outlined in the constitution. Do not pass laws which infringe on our rights. If the 2nd amendment falls, the 1st will follow . When the 1st and 2nd fall the 13th will fall and our country will be lost and we will be back in chains.
I am very opposed to the vast majority of these bills. I am a legal gun owner with my CHP. Many of these bills heavily restrict my right to bear arms in a legal capacity. I don’t understand why I should be punished for doing everything legally and correctly only to become a felon in the coming months through these legislations
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Whether or not a person chooses to exercise this right is up to them. Otherwise, it shall not be infringed.
I do not support more legislation infringing on my 2nd Ammendment rights. Please fund more enforcement for the proactive enforcement of existing laws and regulations pertaining to firearms.
I oppose this legislation.
First off, knives are a basic tool with myriad uses and have been around since ancient history. Any limitation on them is so insulting, and insane. We are not children. It is infuriating that money was spent to even write that down. The fact that I would need a right to carry a knife spelled out is not something our forefathers could have possibly anticipated, since it’s a simple tool. A screwdriver is exactly as deadly as any knife. I would know, I’ve been an ICU nurse for nearly a decade and I have seen people stabbed with both. Matter of fact, a hammer would be a superior concealed weapon with more lethality than either. Second, many of these new gun laws make sense. Many of them do not. I do not want stalkers, domestic abusers, or drug dealers buying guns. A waiting period and proficiency training is fine, although I believe it to be unconstitutional I would comply. However it appears we are going to make it illegal to purchase specific parts for guns, to build your own serialized and registered firearm, and to concealed carry in many public spaces. I also see a poorly defined and overly restrictive “assault weapons” ban. The most insane is the ban on parents having firearms in the home at all. That is unacceptable. The latter group of laws are an infringement based on the opinions of the woefully uninformed. I should not lose my right to responsible ownership, maintenance and concealed carry with a permit due to the lobbying of a group that has failed to due the due diligence to learn about the rights they wish to throw away for all of us. I have a concealed carry permit. It has saved my life of nearly saved my life multiple times. The police can be great, but they are minutes away when seconds count. For instance, as I was leaving a restaurant in the city I was targeted by 2 men with illegal guns. I did not know them, we had never interacted, but suddenly there was a gun pointing at me from a car circling around me in the parking lot. Without escape available, I drew my pistol in response. The car stopped circling and left, giving me time to alert law enforcement before there were any holes in me. If I come face to face with a mass shooter, as so many do, I prefer to be armed. The organization of mothers pushing for these laws can define the law of their household. But not mine. Learn from the past for gods sake. We do not need and will eventually not accept increasing restrictions and price hikes allowing only the wealthy and connected to be armed. Governor, I ask that you veto these laws which only restrict law abiding citizens. You are the person elected in part because you are the option on the ballot who would not let this stand. So don’t. To those in support of these laws: every right you surrender is one you can never recover without 10 times the struggle it took to get to the place where you were able to throw it away. Learning from your mistakes is not viable when you codify them into law. You are making several mistakes. You can’t restrict and underfund the police department and make personal defense harder at the same time. That is advantageous to no one. It is not how things work in this world where evil people exist, no matter how deep in the sand your head is. And the next time you’re grunting and sweating, tearing a box open like a fucking caveman you might want to try a knife before adding more legislation An armed society is a polite society, let’s keep it that way.
The litany of gun control measures under consideration will do nothing to effectively reduce crime and violence, and will only further restrict the rights of law abiding firearms owners. Not to mention the countless examples from other locales across the country where these same measure have been put into place and the result is more violent crime as criminals can now feel safe that the general population is not armed. Strongly oppose all proposed bills.
The ridiculous litany of gun control measures under consideration will do nothing to effectively reduce crime and violence, and will only further restrict the rights of law abiding firearms owners.
I am writing to express my great concern, to the legislatures that continue to ignore their oath of swearing to protect and uphold the rights of the citizens as protected by the United States Constitution and the Virginian Constitution. "The Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms, SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED". You beaurcrats do not grant that right to he people, it is God given. While you grandstand and ateemlt to make laws to hurt the everydayaw abiding American citizen, you turn a way and do nothing in these bills to punish criminals committing crimes. It is already illegal to murder people. To grandstand and think that any of these bills would stop someone from murdering or harming another person is laughable. Quite literally. You pander screaming about these firearm safety bills while you walk around with security and people with "guns" to keep you safe. Start enforcing the existing laws against criminals who commit crimes vs trying to turn law abiding people, who take training, are serious about protection of family, themselves and others, and trying to disarm them and make them criminals. Or we will vote you out! Uphold your Oath or be prepared for the consequences your actions lead to by the American people. Regards Mr. Harris
I know most modern politicians aren’t historians but the Bill of Rights is really simple. If you read that, you’ll also read the 2nd Amendment which is really simple as well. In the same docket you’re trying to give more benefits to police and take away more rights from citizens. You ought to be ashamed. What a farce freedom is anymore.
I am opposed to additional new laws or further regulations placed on firearms or other means of self defense, or which limit the ability to conduct commerce or carry such items. Not only does the constitution make it clear this is a violation of my rights, it does nothing to address or reduce the actions of criminals.
All infringements on the second amendment are acts of treason and should be treated as such. Acting in favor of such infringements makes you a traitor to this nation and th commonwealth.
All Virginians want our families to be safe from gun violence. However, passing such broad restrictions on firearms commonly used for self defense is not the answer. The updated definition of assault weapons and the associated prohibitions do little to nothing to stop criminals who are willing to illegally buy or steal firearms. There are plenty of firearms out there for criminals to access, with well over 400 million guns in civilian ownership in the United States. It is too late to round them all up. These bills will disproportionately affect those citizens who go out of their way to follow our commonwealth's laws; the people who are unlikely to commit a violent crime in the first place. The solutions to gun violence that stand a chance at working are community-oriented interventions that decrease poverty, drug use, gang activity, combat mental illness, and advocate for the safe storage of firearms. Sociologists know these factors correlate strongly with ALL types of violence. On average, two-thirds of firearms deaths are suicides, an assault weapons ban won't do a thing about those. Of the remaining 1/3 of firearms homicides, more than half are drug, gang, or domestic violence related. Let's pass bipartisan legislation that addresses these underlying problems, instead of preventing average Virginians from protecting themselves with firearms that are already ubiquitous.
I am Opposed to any limitations on the Second Amendment and any restrictive firearm laws. We have adequate, if not already overbearing, laws on the books now and should not be creating more laws restricting all the aspects of firearm use, sales, and any other aspects of the right to bear arms.
These firearm laws are mostly reactionary to the media response on firearms. This is a major infringement on the 2nd amendment and needs to be stopped.
Any law that infringes on my Gods-given right to own and bear arms is UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Any law passed that infringes this right will be answered with a lawsuit.
I'm going to preface this by saying all of the below as a middle aged Black military veteran. I'm not involved in a militia and I didn't vote for Trump. I vote for the candidates that best supports me. Both parties have failed me. You ALL are horrible. Regarding both HB11 and HB113, I'd rather not give up any inalienable right, especially if I've been a law-abiding citizen, which I have. I should not have to give up rights, or even jump through hoops to prove I'm qualified because others broke laws. If a person shoots someone (as an example), that person should be held accountable, not folks who were not involved in the crime. Adding layer upon layer of bills to circumvent inalienable rights is wrong. These two bills are needless layers that hurt law-abiding citizens but do nothing to folks that willing violate written law. What other right has so many qualifiers as the 2nd Amendment? The 2nd does not grant citizens the right to bear arms. The 2nd affirms that the right to keep/bear arms is natural and that the government shall not infringe upon that right. If anything, it's telling the people and the government that the right shall not be violated. You all are attempting to further violate that right by adding yet another layer of needless bills. Is there an argument that current laws aren't working? Does the committee discuss why the current laws aren't working and attempt to shore up the gaps by tweaking existing laws (not creating new bills)? As well, in reference to HB11, a knife is an arm, which is covered under the 2nd (right to bear ARMS). Carrying a knife is a protection for most folks (a secondary defense tool, or even a utility tool). If the concern is that someone will use those tools to murder or assault, murder and assault are already against the law. Possession of those tools do not and should not qualify a person to be unlawful, unless that person already has a criminal record or are using the tools in commission of a crime. Intent should always be the driving factor in determining if a person is unlawfully using or possessing the tool. Legislating laws that involve of a tool that is guaranteed as a right by the 2nd is a poor law. Please do better than approving these bills that are in committee. If they are not sound bills, please do not approve them. Voting along party lines does not make bills satisfactory. The context of the bills make bills satisfactory, AFTER determining if the bills don't violate the rights of the citizens. The committee should be striving to protect and defend the Constitutions of the United States and the state of Virgina. Do the right things in doing your job...don't do what is easiest or most popular based on party lines. Do what is proper. I already know the above will fall on deaf ears but thank you for your time.
Hello. There are a plethora of bills that were proposed, which would clearly violate the second amendment rights of many law abiding citizens. First of all, considering concealed carry should be permit-less carry, it is counterproductive to increase the requirements for concealed carry. Restrictions on where law abiding citizens can lawfully carry their now “permitted” firearms is asinine, as well as the proposition of a bill that would make it a penalty to leave a firearm in your car. You would essentially be disarming a large number of people who wish to follow these unlawful order in a day and age where the democratic agenda is to act like there are mass shootings on a daily basis. Effectively disarming the majority and increasing the requirements and legal loopholes to carry is such a vulnerable state to be in and I hope we’re smart enough to avoid that. Restrictions on “Plastic firearms and unfinished frames etc” is not only terrible literature that does nothing to explain, but it is a direct violation of the 2nd amendment considering you have a federal right to make firearms for personal use, which would include additively manufactured parts. Wait periods are also a horrifying thing to think of, considering how many times it has been proven to be a terrible idea, keeping guns out of the hands that need them most to protect themselves and their families. “Assault firearms” and anything to do with them is nonsense considering the blatant inability to define said “assault weapon”. People who don’t understand guns, shouldn’t be making laws on guns. A shorter barrel does not make it more lethal, in fact it lowers the muzzle velocity, causing less force on impact and penetration, in turn causing less collateral damage. Any sort of “assault weapons” bills are targeting law abiding citizens who have every right to use the modern advances in firearm technology just as police officers and military. The only people these bills are effecting are the already law abiding citizens. The criminals who got their hands on said weapons illegally aren’t going to be making sure that their ALREADY ILLEGAL WEAPONS are fully compliant with state laws and regulations before they go commit another crime. In no way shape or form should someone need to disadvantage themselves in a life or death situation because political members with an armed security detail don’t feel the need for a gun. Why would I want to limit myself to a firearm that is going to be inadequate in home defense, or one that does not have a high enough capacity to protect myself from the ever growing threat of home invasion and the increased trend of multiple home invaders breaking in armed. If it was you alone in your house with 6 armed intruders who most definitely must have checked their local laws and firearm regulations and made sure their firearms aren’t violating any rules before they break into your house, would you want to limit yourself to a low capacity firearm that is going to be extremely difficult to use effectively in a high stress situation, or are you taking a rifle which for reasons that don’t make sense, must have a 16 inch barrel, with a larger capacity magazine, and a stock that you can use to safely brace the firearm to prevent stray shots and provide more accurate fire. Personally I’m going to take anything and everything I can get in a situation that means life or death for me and my loved ones EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK. Focus on the mental health crisis.
Hello, The right to own and bear firearms is intrinsic in the very nature of the founding of the United States. We must remember the spirit of the 2nd Amendment and the right of all civilians to own and bear arms. Firearms are the great equalizer and can allow and individual to defend themselves when they previously could not. Gun violence and the mental health epidemic are closely interlinked and one cannot pass restrictive firearm laws and expect gun violence to go away. Gun bans and the use of restrictive purchasing requirements, magazine limits, waiting periods, and red flag laws have been shown not to be effective in stemming gun violence. I urge anybody reading this message to say "NO" to 2nd Amendment restrictions.
I oppose all of these selected bills since I firmly believe they are in conflict with the Second Amendment of the US Constitution. The Second Amendment clearly states that it shall not be infringed upon. Any and all proposed legislation that would place limits on how, where, and when responsible citizens arm themselves runs afoul of that. Our founding fathers correctly held the belief that all people have a natural born right to arm and protect themselves and that the government has no authority to interfere with that. While I agree with the sentiment of reducing violence among our society, gun laws only harm the law abiding citizen and leave criminals who already have a disregard for the law to still be armed. If our elected officials who proposed these bills actually cared about addressing our violence problem, they would focus more on addressing the root causes of violence and crime. More worthwhile pursuits in my opinion would be focused on addressing socio-economic problems that plague disadvantaged communities, creating a more robust and well-equipped mental healthcare system, and overhauling our educational systems to setup our children for better success in life. Thank you all for your time.
I'm against any unconstitutional law, and any law that strips Americans of their rights. These laws are an attack on the 2nd ammendment and hold NO facts in stopping crime. They are a punishment on law abiding people and in no way will make virginia a safer place.
I oppose all these unconstitutional, dangerous, and pointless laws.
I oppose all useless firearm changes. Criminals will not obey
IF this bill seeks only to clarify the types of knives able to be lawfully carried, I am in support of it.
I am in opposition to these bills as a long time concealed carry permit holder who has lived in Virginia for. 30 years and has voted in Virginian elections since I was 18. These bills make it harder for someone to keep themselves safe while are primarily solutions in search of problems to fix. Virginia has one of the lowest crime rates in the country and even less gun related crimes being committed year over year. This is not a success of the gun control lobby but they would certainly have you believe it is. They are often unconstitutional limits on a persons 2nd amendment rights and do not serve to make Virginians safer. The ban on assault firearms is written in such a way that it would ban most modern defensive handguns carried by men and women across the commonwealth. These are law abiding concealed carry holders or regular citizens who have purchased regular firearms with regular features. Much akin to wanting a car with leather seats or GPS. These are not features only found on “scary” guns they are features that assist those with hearing or sight issues to use a handgun safely. We already have laws preventing firearms usage in crimes but these would simply disempower lawful citizens from having features on their guns that are normal and regular modern features. These bills would do nothing to prevent actual criminals from obtaining or using prohibited firearms in crime but would disenfranchise law abiding citizens from enjoying a Virginian hobby that has a history older than the state itself.
I OPPOSE HB2 as it is an affront to everything the second amendment stands for. The arbitrary restriction of certain types of firearms and accessories has no merit and only serves to impede the ability of the people to exercise their natural rights.
HB11 is continuing Criminal Justice Reform. With STRONG bipartisan support, the past two sessions have seen Virginia repeal bans on automatically opening knives (switchblades), including concealed carry, enacted. It is time to finish this effort by removing the last remaining bans on concealed carry of knives. The remaining bans relating to carrying concealed knives must be repealed because it lists knives that are undefined and make the law open to abuse by authorities. Such abuse most often ensnares minority constituents who are otherwise law abiding folks carrying a knife every day for work in a restaurant, on a farm, in a factory, and for recreating like hunting, fishing, camping, or for many other legitimate reasons. Many carry a knife of some kind every single day. It is fundamentally unjust to expect your constituents to try to figure out if the knife they carry everyday meets some undefined prohibition in the Virginia statute. In addition, we know anecdotally from law enforcement that kitchen knives are more likely to be used in crime than any other knife. In the 26 states where similar reforms to knife laws have been enacted, for many years people were arrested for carrying these undefined knives. Unfortunately, it is a reality that most often it is black or Hispanic citizens who are arrested for these victimless crimes and are forced into the criminal justice system for no good reason. Too often they are then subject to plea bargains that adversely impact them later in life or are saddled with fines that are an extreme financial burden. It is time for Virginia to join the majority of states that resolved this issue by removing bans from their statutes, or who never had them in the first place. As proposed in HB 11 by Delegate Lee Ware, removing the following undefined knives from the statute would solve these issues: “dirk, dagger, bowie knife, stiletto knife”. It is time for Virginia to clarify that simple possession on one’s person of a tool used every day is not a crime. I urge a YES vote on HB11 to protect your constituents from unnecessary police contact, arrest, and possible costly prosecution.
The end of solitary confinement must be done My son was murdered in solitary confinement at Red Onion Prison in Pound Va on 1/3/22.
I OPPOSE these bills as there is little to no data that this will make our communities safer; in fact, states with permitless carry have been show to have more gun-related deaths. Please keep VA safe.
Most people carry a knife of some kind every single day. It is fundamentally unjust to expect citizens to try to figure out if the knife they carry everyday meets some nebulous prohibition in Virginia law. It is mostly minorities who are arrested for this victimless crime. With strong bipartisan support, the past two sessions have seen repeal of bans on automatically opening knives (switchblades) enacted. It is time to finish this effort by removing the last remaining bans on concealed carry of knives.
I, Karen Higa, a resident of Falls Church, VA, and advocate for safer communities and Brady United Against Gun Violence, am providing virtual testimony AGAINST the following three bills before the House Public Safety Committee: HB 11, HB16, HB 389 Many of the perpetrators of our nation’s crimes were given gun permits, so we must put a stop to this carnage and work toward providing a safer community for our citizens and especially our children.
I OPPOSE these bills. Permitless states have shown an increase in gun-related deaths.
HB11 is continuing Criminal Justice Reform. With STRONG bipartisan support, the past two sessions have seen Virginia repeal bans on automatically opening knives (switchblades), including concealed carry, enacted. It is time to finish this effort by removing the last remaining bans on concealed carry of knives. The remaining bans relating to carrying concealed knives must be repealed because it lists knives that are undefined and make the law open to abuse by authorities. Such abuse most often ensnares minority constituents who are otherwise law abiding folks carrying a knife every day for work in a restaurant, on a farm, in a factory, and for recreating like hunting, fishing, camping, or for many other legitimate reasons. Many carry a knife of some kind every single day. It is fundamentally unjust to expect your constituents to try to figure out if the knife they carry everyday meets some undefined prohibition in the Virginia statute. In addition, we know anecdotally from law enforcement that kitchen knives are more likely to be used in crime than any other knife. In the 26 states where similar reforms to knife laws have been enacted, for many years people were arrested for carrying these undefined knives. Unfortunately, it is a reality that most often it is black or Hispanic citizens who are arrested for these victimless crimes and are forced into the criminal justice system for no good reason. Too often they are then subject to plea bargains that adversely impact them later in life or are saddled with fines that are an extreme financial burden. It is time for Virginia to join the majority of states that resolved this issue by removing bans from their statutes, or who never had them in the first place. As proposed in HB 11 by Delegate Lee Ware, removing the following undefined knives from the statute would solve these issues: “dirk, dagger, bowie knife, stiletto knife”. It is time for Virginia to clarify that simple possession on one’s person of a tool used every day is not a crime. I urge a YES vote on HB11 to protect your constituents from unnecessary police contact, arrest, and possible costly prosecution.
OPPOSE
Our Constitution does not provide citizens with privileges. It establishes a government with checks and balances and specifically limits the governments ability to remove the rights of its people. In regards to the matter at hand, it specifically says the the government cannot place limitations on the right of a citizen to keep and bear arms. Before I get the typical response, I know you are already aware that the phrase "well regulated" specifically refers to an being trained and ready to bear said arms. The language at the time did not use the term "regulated" as we do with modern regulations. It has been proven in the courts repeatedly that the laws you are currently considering are unconstitutional. Of this I am sure you are already aware. By spending time and tax dollars discussing laws that you know to be unconstitutional, you are in fact wasting time and tax dollars that could be spent on productive issues. I can only assume your intent is to intentionally waste time, and force members of the firearms industry to waste money on legal fees defending the constitution you have sworn to uphold. Please consider actual data and actual facts when considering gun legislation. No data supports the claim the "assault weapon" bans actually reduce gun related crime. More guns are being purchased now than ever before, yet now that the latest FBI data has been released, we can see that gun related crimes have not increased. Also, like every year that the FBI has released data, so called "assault weapons" make up a very small portion of all gun crimes. For your general knowledge the term "assault weapon" was first coined by Adolf Hitler. He renamed one of their new automatic firearms, the Sturmgewehr, because he felt that the name "assault weapon" would strike fear in allied forces. This is also the exact reason the gun control community uses this term as well. The fact is that these firearms are not fully automatic and cannot be made so without a high degree of machining skills and mechanical knowhow. Plus doing so is already illegal. The fact is the Biden's latest gun control act has not been equally enforced. It was supposed to provide additional support for school security and mental health services. It was supposed to provide stronger punishments for those cought breaking existing gun laws. It was supposed to allow FFL's to use the NICS system to check employees. It was supposed to allow FFL's to be able to instantly check inventory or potential purchase/trades by their serial number to determine if the firearm has been stolen or used in any crimes. None of these provisions have been acted upon or enforced. Please drop these latest gun control bills. They are unconstitutional and will never pass. Please do not waste your time and our tax dollars on these wasted efforts. Regards, Jonathan Goodman
I am John Calhoun Co-Director of Lewinsville Faith in Action (LFA) , an organization, "in partnership with others, works for political, social, economic and environmental policies that are based on justice and compassion." LFA stands in vehement opposition to HB 11, HB 16 and HB 316, bills that will not protect, but further endanger the lives of the Commonweath's citizens. More guns, more explosives in protected areas means only more deaths, more shattered families.
I am John Calhoun Co-Director of Lewinsville Faith in Action (LFA) , an organization, "in partnership with others, works for political, social, economic and environmental policies that are based on justice and compassion." LFA stands in vehement opposition to HB 11, HB 16 and HB 316, bills that will not protect, but further endanger the lives of the Commonweath's citizens. More guns, more explosives in protected areas means only more deaths, more shattered families.
I strongly oppose the above marked bills because they are potentially DETRIMENTAL to PUBLIC SAFETY.
I OPPOSE these bills and implore you to focus on actions that actually reduce gun violence in our community. Permitless carry has been shown to result in MORE gun related deaths.
I oppose these bills. There is not data to suggest permit-less carry makes communities safer, in fact, this is associated with more gun violence.
I oppose these bills.
Oppose these bills greatly. Just want common-sense gun safety legislation passed.
We need to be making gun control legislation stronger to keep our kids safe! The statistics show more guns do not make us safer! Look at the rest of the developed world! I’m opposed to this legislation.
I OPPOSE these bills as there is little to no data that they make our communities safer- in fact, states with permitless carry have been shown to have more gun-related deaths.
I oppose Bills HB11, HB16 and HB389 because I want to keep our children and our communities safe. Data has proven time and time again that more guns to not mean safer communities.
Virginia Moms for Change opposes HB11, HB16, & HB389. We do not support loosening the weapons restrictions currently in place.
HB16 - Firearm or explosive material; carrying within Capitol Square and the surrounding area, etc.
I am opposed to all of these unconstitutional and anit-american gun laws and regulations. There is no room for more gun laws and regulations in this state.
Contrary to how certain government officials treat it, the second amendment is written using plain, easy to understand language, and insists that government has no right to take away the right for ordinary people like us to defend ourselves, as the constitution and bill of rights do not simply give people rights, but protects them from government manipulation and control. It’s incredibly disappointing and a tragedy that people choose to commit acts of violence with these rights, but restricting those who wish to exercise their rights peaceably due to those who wouldn’t follow these rules in the first place is incredibly naive. I, as well as every other person in the United States, deserve to protect my family with the best technology available. While some people look at certain defense weapon setups as a “why do you need that” situation, 1) I have the right to defend myself with the best tool available, and so I will choose that every time, 2) why do you “need” anything other than basic necessities (fast car, Gucci clothes, etc)? The government has no place in deciding what I “need”, 3) people with the intent to harm will not care what laws govern peaceful people, so what would limiting the victim’s access to proper tools do? You may think that by “banning” or otherwise restricting access to a certain thing would mean that all of the “bad” things would magically go away, but they will not. Evil has always and will always exist, and I have every right to defend myself from it using the best tool available wherever I, or my family, choose to go. Restricting access on certain properties (the government isn’t actively protecting me everywhere), requiring certain training (who is paying for this?), limiting certain types of firearms (go ahead and define “assault weapon” in plain language please), and restricting ammo purchasing (I thought you wanted us to train; how does this help then?) are all means that end up hurting the average person and helping those who wish to hurt others, as the rest of us will be left in a position to insufficiently defend ourselves. I urge you to understand that while, yes, it is awful that evil people commit horrific acts, this right ultimately allows me to protect myself and my family from these evil people as well and as evil will always exist (we certainly like to delusion ourselves into believing that we live in a utopia, but we do not), I will protect my family accordingly. The government has no right to restrict this. Leave the peaceful citizens alone, more firmly punish those who hurt others, and help communities where this is an issue to prevent the upbringing of more evil people.
Please stop trying to make criminals of law abiding citizens who just want to protect themselves. Me and my partner have recently become firearm owners because of situations that have arisen in our day to day lives, such as harassment of my wife almost to the point of altercation, sketchy characters waiting in front of our door/ducking in and out of our bushes at all times of the night, people breaking into cars in the neighborhood etc (many times the police/security were called only to arrive 45mins to an hour later). with many of these nonsensical bills you condemn us to allowing any possible violence to happen to us without a chance of defending our selves. Instead of helping fix the problem, you seek to make criminals out of any Virginian who has followed the law and legal purchased a firearm. Shame on you. I am Virginian native and since I was 18 I voted leaning blue in local and state elections you all are making me think this was a mistake. I am not proud of Virginia “progressives” who would rather strip my wife of her chance and right to defend her self rather than try to address the root of crime. Don’t make law abiding people criminals. Do some actual work and address the criminals! 2 of the proposed bills would make in illegal to bring your concealed firearm into a restaurant and another makes it a crime to have the firearm in your vehicle…. Like really? This is literally just to fill jails and strip people of their rights.
Leave law abiding citizens alone.
State Legislature members, A right delayed is a right denied. Quoting the 2022 NYSRPA v. Bruen Supreme Court Case: 'The constitutional right to bear arms in public for self-defense is not “a second-class right, subject to an entirely different body of rules than the other Bill of Rights guarantees.” McDonald, 561 U. S., at 780 (plurality opinion). The exercise of other constitutional rights does not require individuals to demonstrate to government officers some special need. The Second Amendment right to carry arms in public for self defense is no different.' The recent NYSRPA v. Bruen case highlighted the significance of individual self-defense, and it's crucial to consider the rights of law-abiding citizens in crafting firearm legislation. While the goal of enhancing public safety is commendable, an outright ban on certain firearms and magazines will disproportionately impact responsible gun owners who use these tools for legitimate purposes, such as self-defense and sport. It is essential to strike a balance between public safety and the preservation of individual rights. Instead of blanket bans, and bureaucratic obstacles that only harass lawful firearm owners, we should focus on comprehensive measures that address the root causes of gun violence. This approach respects the constitutional rights of citizens while fostering a safer society. Criminals are not deterred by restrictions on lawful purchase at federally-licensed FFL Dealers. They do not bother going through the process of applying for a concealed carry permit, because they do not intend to carry lawfully. People who want to use weapons to hurt innocent citizens of Virginia will not be impeded by these House and Senate Bills. Instead, the only individuals who will have their behavior modified are lawful men and women who are unable to defend themselves against those who will commit crimes regardless of what is written into law this Legislative Session. If you pass the above laws, it will only serve to waste hard-working Taxpayers' money fighting them in Federal Court. California and New York have lost their cases seeking to uphold unconstitutional gun laws, and the sponsors of these bills will lose too. Do the right thing - the hard thing - enforce the laws we already have, get the small minority of violent criminals off the streets of Virginia, and uphold the constitutional rights of your polity.
These bills infringe on the rights of the United States citizens given to us by the second amendment. The only thing these bills will accomplish will take the firearms out of the hands of law abiding citizens, while criminals will still have access.
I do not support any bill that removes any right from law abiding citizens to protect themselves from those who WILL NOT abide by these laws. These laws ONLY give CRIMINALS the upper hand.
There are approximately 47 bills regarding gun control between the House and Senate. Rather than fix issues that actually protect and enhance the lives of Virginians, many of these bills seek to disenfranchise and reduce the safety of the citizens in this great Commonwealth. Firearms are so fundamental to the founding and continued existence of our free society that they are listed just second to the freedom of speech in amendments to the constitution. It is plainly clear to all that countries and states who have banned or severely restricted firearms that violence does not end with their banning. Unjust deaths are not prevented. It simply ensures that law abiding citizens are left defenseless from those that wish to harm them, whether that be individuals or an organization. I write this knowing that it will be completely disregarded by the bills authors, but in hopes that others feel galvanized to speak up against unjust actions made in the name of progress. To those who wish to protect themselves with firearms while simultaneously stripping them from the common man, may you take heed of the Virginia state motto.
A lot of these laws contradict one another. I can’t support them. Both of our parties have failed us.
Stop trying to strip 2nd Amendment rights from law abiding citizens with a constitutional right to own and carry firearms. Not a single one of these laws/bills you’re trying to enact would have stopped any of the mass shootings we’ve seen.
I oppose all of these blatantly unconstitutional bills and wish our elected officials would actually get to work on fixing things that matter to Virginians.
It is obvious these elected officials want you to die at the behest of an anarcho tyrannical state where violent perpetual offenders are off with a slap on the wrist, while YOU tax payer are criminalized for not wanting to be a victim to these perpetual perpetrators. The elected officials funded by big Pro-Death lobby of Giffords and Bloomberg sit in their cushy NOVA HOAd mansions behind security while you plebs go to work everyday to pay their salary. These same officials effectively bribe the police state by giving them a way to pay off a mortgage and boat in exchange for your oppression. YOU citizen must morally oppose these pro-Death bills. Democracy has fallen and its only driven by money hungry Babylonians who swim in excess and delicacy while YOU PLEBS cant even afford milk, eggs or pampers. Remember these people do not hold dominion over you. Call your congressman/woman and CHRIST IS KING!
There is no acceptable reason to infringe upon the Constitutionally-protected (both US and Virginia's Constitutions) rights of Americans and Virginians. None of these bills purported to reduce gun-related violence actually seem to prioritize the reduction of causal effects of overall violence. Many of these are merely attempts to curb the rights of the People to keep and bear arms, because our legislative bodies are full of corrupt, weak, and contemptible individuals. Show us the bills for addressing the root causes of violence: mental health, income inequality, social instability, lack of education and educational opportunities, drug & human trafficking, or employment & wages (this list is not all-inclusive).
Time and time again it has been proven that criminals do not care about or follow restrictive firearm laws. Virginia already has some of the most restrictive firearms laws in the country ("B+" rating from Giffords), more unconstitutional infringements upon law abiding citizens is not the answer. We need to address the root causes (access to mental health resources for example) and not throw bandaids at it by punishing responsible, law abiding, gun owners. I oppose these bills and urge you to do the same.
As a fellow Democrat, it’s important to acknowledge the complexities surrounding gun ownership and the Second Amendment. 1. Self-Defense: Firearms can be a crucial tool for individuals to protect themselves, especially in high-crime areas or situations where law enforcement response times are slow. 2. Sport and Recreation: Many Americans enjoy shooting sports like hunting, skeet shooting, and target practice as a recreational activity, fostering a sense of community and skill-building. 3. Cultural Tradition: Gun ownership is deeply ingrained in American culture, with a rich history of hunting and marksmanship passed down through generations. 4. Economic Impact: The firearms industry contributes significantly to the economy, generating jobs and revenue through manufacturing, sales, and related services. 5. Civil Liberties: Upholding the right to bear arms is fundamental to preserving individual freedoms and safeguarding against government overreach. 6. Empowerment of Marginalized Communities: For historically marginalized groups, owning firearms can serve as a means of empowerment and protection against hate crimes or discriminatory violence. 7. Emergency Preparedness: In times of natural disasters or civil unrest, responsible gun owners can help maintain order and protect their families and communities. 8. Deterrence of Crime: Research suggests that the presence of armed civilians can deter potential criminals and reduce overall crime rates in certain contexts. 9. Veterans and Law Enforcement: Many veterans and law enforcement officers transition to civilian life with a continued appreciation for firearms, utilizing their expertise for civilian defense and security. 10. Balanced Approach: Instead of blanket gun control measures, we can advocate for comprehensive solutions that address root causes of violence, such as mental health support, poverty reduction, and community intervention programs.
I oppose the proposed firearms legislation put forward by this legislature and any legislation that violates the 1st, 2nd, and 4th, amendment rights of any Virginian. The desire for safer communities, a more united nation, and healing for our public health is something that we all can share in but these bills do not achieve that. Rather, they regulate and penalize. They unconstitutionally restrict the rights of the many in the name of safety and serve only to harm our rights. I would be doing a disservice to our state and my fellow citizens if I did not also provide potential solutions or remedies to the violence we face. First, we as communities need to promote voluntary storage facilities for those who are experiencing hardship and are concerned about suicide. Ideally making it easier to put firearms safely out of reach when suicide risks are greater. To do this it would need to be a system at the lowest level with minimum government involvement besides funding and partnership with local ranges. We would also need to reach out to those in our lives who are in a bad place and encourage the use of these facilities. Second, we should promote a culture of safe handling and respect for firearms through school courses and community organizations because assault weapons or not suicide, or accidents only take one bullet from a single action firearm. Lastly and more broadly we should focus on the issues surrounding the violence. Whether it is drugs and organized criminal activity or the mental health crisis as it has become known we should be working to fix these issues first. I.e. legalize weed, adapt police training, and push to root out organized crime, promote common social values and family cohesion, increase freedom, physical activity, and discipline in the school system.
These firearms bill are either redundant or unless in any meaningful way. If you care about reducing violence, please focus on criminals. Please stop trying to disarm families and law abiding citizen from protecting themselves.
I am a liberal through and through, I believe in individual rights and the opportunity for prosperity for all. I vote democrat because I care about my community, the rights of minorities, and women’s rights. The proposed legislation limiting the ability of free, law abiding citizens to purchase firearms, carry, and general use should not be limited further. I have witnessed violence at the hands of criminals, some later caught and it was shown that they did not legally acquire these firearms. The proposed legislation will effectively stop those who abide by the laws of Virginia from being able to properly protect themselves. It is known that police will not protect you, and they have no legal obligation to do so. This puts us at a dilemma, it’s either blindly trust the police to protect us and our families or have the ability to protect ourselves. I am not advocated for looser gun laws by any means, but I am advocating for more common sense gun laws. What do I mean by this you may ask? Well I mean background checks are a must and proper certification to conceal carry. I am a former Marine, I was a firefighter, and am a current student at a great university in our nations capital. I like to think I am reasonable in my thinking, but after looking and reading the propositions I checked above, I can’t help but feel betrayed by my own party. There is more than 5 guns for every American in this country. Gun control must target the people who do not follow the law and try to prevent violence from occurring, and the proposed legislation above does not help in that manner. I am hopeful that you will read this and reconsider the language in the legislation and I am even more hopeful that I can protect my family as necessary. I will always vote for progress but that’s not to say that I will always vote against my interests. Locally, crime has been on the rise and I have had to deal with it directly with little to no help from the police. I will (to the fullest extent of the law) protect myself as necessary from anyone who wishes to inflict harm on myself or family, and I hope you see that the average citizen in Virginia can not afford a security detail or rely on our police for protection. Thank you and have a great day.
Please stop infringing on our god given right, protected by the constitution of the United States (which you all have sworn to uphold and protect), to keep and bear arms. Responsible gun owners are not the problem in America’s gun violence epidemic. We follow the law. Criminals don’t. We use our firearms to protect ourselves, loved ones, and community. Chipping away at this right we have makes us more vulnerable to becoming victims of gun violence, not protect us from it. These laws only serve to empower those with evil intentions. Rather, might I suggest harsher penalties for those who commit senseless acts of violence with firearms instead of going after the good men and women of the commonwealth who wish only to use their firearms for lawful purposes.
Dear House of Delegates, I'm writing to you today as a concerned citizen. The introduction of bills aimed at heavily regulating firearms, is not warranted or wanted by the people of Virginia. Our nation stands at a crossroads, where the desire to address gun violence intersects with the constitutional rights affirmed by the Supreme Court. The Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms is not just a legal directive but a reflection of our commitment to individual freedom. In this context, the proposed regulations, while motivated by a commendable desire to reduce violence, raise significant concerns about their effectiveness and the potential consequences for law-abiding citizens. Research, including findings published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, suggests that the relationship between strict gun laws and the reduction of gun violence is not as straightforward as one might hope. Cities with stringent gun regulations continue to face challenges with gun-related crimes, indicating that those intent on violence often find ways to circumvent the law. This reality prompts us to question whether new restrictions will achieve their intended goal or merely place additional burdens on those who seek firearms for legitimate purposes, including self-defense. Moreover, the abundance of firearms in the United States presents a logistical challenge to the enforcement of such regulations. With more guns than people in the country, the task of significantly reducing the availability of firearms to criminals, without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens, is daunting. It is within this complex landscape that I urge you to consider the broader implications of the proposed gun control measures. The parallels drawn with other contentious issues, such as the regulation of women's healthcare, highlight the potential for policy decisions to inadvertently infringe upon individual freedoms and deepen societal divisions. Such outcomes not only detract from the intended goals of enhancing public safety but also risk alienating segments of the population whose support is essential for the advancement of our collective well-being. I respectfully ask that you consider the potential consequences of the proposed gun control measures, not just for the immediate future but for the legacy we leave for generations to come. It is my hope that, together, we can find a way to address the challenges of gun violence in a manner that honors our values, respects our freedoms, and genuinely enhances the safety and well-being of our communities.
Virginia already has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation. We can all agree violence is an issue but making more unconstitutional, on a national and state level, gun laws will not help with the rates of violent crimes and property crimes as we see from states with stricter gun laws. We need to increase access to mental health and community resources to address the root causes of issues rather than criminalizing responsible gun owners. I am opposed to this attack on the second amendment which is the fundamental backbone that protects the other freedoms guranteed in the constitution.
The second amendment is very clear in its intent that these rights “shall not be infringed”. Removing/ restricting law abiding citizens right to self defense and protection against unwitting organizations and persons is not only more harmful, but a clear violation of the rights this country was founded on.
Dear Honorable Members of the House of Delegates, I write to you today as a concerned citizen, deeply invested in the well-being and safety of our communities, and as someone who values the principles upon which our nation was founded. The issue at hand, the introduction of bills aimed at heavily regulating firearms, is one that I believe warrants a thoughtful reconsideration in light of its broader implications. Our nation stands at a crossroads, where the desire to address gun violence intersects with the constitutional rights affirmed by the Supreme Court. The Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms is not just a legal directive but a reflection of our commitment to individual freedom. In this context, the proposed regulations, while motivated by a commendable desire to reduce violence, raise significant concerns about their effectiveness and the potential consequences for law-abiding citizens. Research, including findings published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, suggests that the relationship between strict gun laws and the reduction of gun violence is not as straightforward as one might hope. Cities with stringent gun regulations continue to face challenges with gun-related crimes, indicating that those intent on violence often find ways to circumvent the law. This reality prompts us to question whether new restrictions will achieve their intended goal or merely place additional burdens on those who seek firearms for legitimate purposes, including self-defense. Moreover, the abundance of firearms in the United States presents a logistical challenge to the enforcement of such regulations. With more guns than people in the country, the task of significantly reducing the availability of firearms to criminals, without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens, is daunting. It is within this complex landscape that I urge you to consider the broader implications of the proposed gun control measures. The parallels drawn with other contentious issues, such as the regulation of women's healthcare, highlight the potential for policy decisions to inadvertently infringe upon individual freedoms and deepen societal divisions. Such outcomes not only detract from the intended goals of enhancing public safety but also ***risk alienating segments of the population whose support is essential for the advancement of our collective well-being.*** Constituents see this robust effort to "see what sticks" as a weakness within our party. Comparatively imbalanced with the diverse range of issues and concerns that we face everyday. A waste. As we move forward, I encourage you to approach this issue with a balanced perspective, one that recognizes the need for effective strategies to combat gun violence while also safeguarding the constitutional rights and freedoms that define our nation. The path to meaningful change is complex, requiring a nuanced understanding of the issues at hand and a commitment to policies that truly serve the best interests of all our citizens. In closing, I respectfully ask that you consider the potential consequences of the proposed gun control measures, not just for the immediate future but for the legacy we leave for generations to come. It is my hope that, together, we can find a way to address the challenges of gun violence in a manner that honors our values, respects our freedoms, and genuinely enhances the safety and well-being of our communities.
You guys need to stop attacking our 2nd amendment and get help for these kids growing up with identity crisis’s . You coming after law abiding citizens is appalling and the fact that your leaning towards becoming the despicable state of California is saddening. If the president can have security which uses firearms that even the normal civilian can’t have this raises the issue of how can a civilian defend against a tyrannical government with a featureless 10 round ar-15 ? Keep this up and we know exactly what your end goal is.
As a left leaning voter and citizen of Virginia, these new restrictions on our right to bear arms are sickening. Stop proposing so many bans and limits, and maybe a realistic bill, like the safe credit, won’t be universally protested. If you actually want to quell gun violence, keep focused on affordable mental and physical healthcare, improving the education system, and reducing income inequality. While the right may not support these real improvements, I cannot in good faith support or vote for any politician who supports banning or restricting the rights of law abiding citizens in our beautiful commonwealth. Thank you.
The 2nd amendment states "shall not be infringed". All of these bills are infringement and are therefore unconstitutional. Should we pass laws that people must pass a test before they can have freedom of speech? What about pass a test before you can vote? What about if someone does not have training they will be slaves again? Name one other right outlined in the constitution where a citizen has to jump through hoops before they can use that right? I oppose all of these bills as they will do more harm than good. I can understand wanting to keep people safe but gun control does the opposite. These bills will only make it harder for law abiding citizens to exercise their rights while criminals will still ignore the law. Criminals will still get illegal guns or weapons and will commit more crimes since they know the public is unable to defend themselves. Benjamin Franklin once said: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." You writing bills saying "give up your rights and guns and we will protect you". Well ask the Native Americans how that worked out for them. Ask a Jewish person who was under Nazi control how that worked out for them. Well Hitler's first step was to take away the guns from the public so they could not protect themselves and over 6 million people lost their lives. Since you do not know history you are writing bills which will doom us to repeat it. You know 75 years ago when you could just buy a gun in a catalog and it was shipped to your house we did not have this issue. In the 60s and 70s when people would have a gun in their truck at school or take one in for show and tell we did not have a gun issue. This is a mental health issue. Deal with mental health and you will fix the public safety issue. Zero of my guns have killed people because guns do not kill people. People kill people. Look at Ukraine and Israel for just one form of example why we need LESS gun control. All of these gun laws are unconstitutional and should be thrown out. Do the right thing and let us law abiding citizens have their rights as outlined in the constitution. Do not pass laws which infringe on our rights. If the 2nd amendment falls, the 1st will follow . When the 1st and 2nd fall the 13th will fall and our country will be lost and we will be back in chains.
I am very opposed to the vast majority of these bills. I am a legal gun owner with my CHP. Many of these bills heavily restrict my right to bear arms in a legal capacity. I don’t understand why I should be punished for doing everything legally and correctly only to become a felon in the coming months through these legislations
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Whether or not a person chooses to exercise this right is up to them. Otherwise, it shall not be infringed.
I can not, and nobody should, support these unconstitutional laws. THROW THEM ALL OUT.
You guys make it harder and harder to vote Democrat every single cycle. Complete ban on Semi Automatics more or less making the state even stricter towards guns then states like Maryland? I oppose all these even the "herp common sense derp" ones because the states party has made it clear they don't give a crap about anything but putting hollow wins for politicians because hhheeeyyy punishing law abiding gun owners is a whole lot easier then creating jobs or reducing crime. If these bills die before getting to the governors desk, especially the bans, then I will gladly continue to vote DNC. But if Youngkin has to veto these and you make me say something I never thought I would "Thank god Youngkin won" then I look forward to blindly going down the ticket in 2024 and checking "R" on everyone. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
I do not support more legislation infringing on my 2nd Ammendment rights. Please fund more enforcement for the proactive enforcement of existing laws and regulations pertaining to firearms.
I oppose this legislation.
The litany of gun control measures under consideration will do nothing to effectively reduce crime and violence, and will only further restrict the rights of law abiding firearms owners. Not to mention the countless examples from other locales across the country where these same measure have been put into place and the result is more violent crime as criminals can now feel safe that the general population is not armed. Strongly oppose all proposed bills.
The ridiculous litany of gun control measures under consideration will do nothing to effectively reduce crime and violence, and will only further restrict the rights of law abiding firearms owners.
We dont need MORE laws regarding firearms, we need to enforce the laws that are already on the books. If enforcement is done then these laws are redundant and not necessary. Don't pass more laws just for the sake of passing laws. They do nothing but make law abiding citizens confused and they dont do anything to stop problems.
I am writing to express my great concern, to the legislatures that continue to ignore their oath of swearing to protect and uphold the rights of the citizens as protected by the United States Constitution and the Virginian Constitution. "The Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms, SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED". You beaurcrats do not grant that right to he people, it is God given. While you grandstand and ateemlt to make laws to hurt the everydayaw abiding American citizen, you turn a way and do nothing in these bills to punish criminals committing crimes. It is already illegal to murder people. To grandstand and think that any of these bills would stop someone from murdering or harming another person is laughable. Quite literally. You pander screaming about these firearm safety bills while you walk around with security and people with "guns" to keep you safe. Start enforcing the existing laws against criminals who commit crimes vs trying to turn law abiding people, who take training, are serious about protection of family, themselves and others, and trying to disarm them and make them criminals. Or we will vote you out! Uphold your Oath or be prepared for the consequences your actions lead to by the American people. Regards Mr. Harris
These anti gun laws are an infringement on all Virginian's 2A rights.
I am opposed to additional new laws or further regulations placed on firearms or other means of self defense, or which limit the ability to conduct commerce or carry such items. Not only does the constitution make it clear this is a violation of my rights, it does nothing to address or reduce the actions of criminals.
I am against all of these blatantly unconstitutional firearms restrictions. I'm strongly against: SB2| Deeds | Assault firearms certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, possession, sale, transfer, etc., prohibited. This tries to ban things that are in common use, which has never worked well for the government, remember Prohibition? Remember the war on drugs? Just like the last assault weapons ban, this will literally just make AR-15s more popular and easier to get illegally. And I am against: HB585 | Mundon King | Home-based firearms dealers; prohibited near schools, penalties. That specifically targets home-based FFLs whose house is somewhere near a school. This would put hundreds of Virginia residents out of business just because of where they live.
I strongly oppose any bill, law or ordinance that infringes on the undeniable constitutional right to keep and bear arms. These include any ban, any further age restrictions, if a person (18) is old enough to join the military and use real "assault weapons" then they should be fully capable to purchase a semi automatic firearm of their choice. I oppose any law or ordinance that restricts my ability to defend my family and myself as I see fit, this includes bans on where I can carry my lawful firearm, what type of firearm and the magazine size of my choice. How about we make laws that are tougher on criminals and stop punishing law abiding people who actually care and follow the law.
All infringements on the second amendment are acts of treason and should be treated as such. Acting in favor of such infringements makes you a traitor to this nation and th commonwealth.
All Virginians want our families to be safe from gun violence. However, passing such broad restrictions on firearms commonly used for self defense is not the answer. The updated definition of assault weapons and the associated prohibitions do little to nothing to stop criminals who are willing to illegally buy or steal firearms. There are plenty of firearms out there for criminals to access, with well over 400 million guns in civilian ownership in the United States. It is too late to round them all up. These bills will disproportionately affect those citizens who go out of their way to follow our commonwealth's laws; the people who are unlikely to commit a violent crime in the first place. The solutions to gun violence that stand a chance at working are community-oriented interventions that decrease poverty, drug use, gang activity, combat mental illness, and advocate for the safe storage of firearms. Sociologists know these factors correlate strongly with ALL types of violence. On average, two-thirds of firearms deaths are suicides, an assault weapons ban won't do a thing about those. Of the remaining 1/3 of firearms homicides, more than half are drug, gang, or domestic violence related. Let's pass bipartisan legislation that addresses these underlying problems, instead of preventing average Virginians from protecting themselves with firearms that are already ubiquitous.
I am Opposed to any limitations on the Second Amendment and any restrictive firearm laws. We have adequate, if not already overbearing, laws on the books now and should not be creating more laws restricting all the aspects of firearm use, sales, and any other aspects of the right to bear arms.
These firearm laws are mostly reactionary to the media response on firearms. This is a major infringement on the 2nd amendment and needs to be stopped.
An inordinate focus on the control of firearms only serves to infringe the rights of the law-abiding citizen in defense of his life and property. The State should instead focus on the apprehension and incarceration of individuals engaging in criminal behavior and associated misuse of firearms.
Any law that infringes on my Gods-given right to own and bear arms is UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Any law passed that infringes this right will be answered with a lawsuit.
I'm against any unconstitutional law and any law that strips Americans of their rights. These laws are an attack on the 2nd amendment and hold NO facts in stopping crime. They are a punishment for law-abiding people and will not make Virginia safer.
Hello. There are a plethora of bills that were proposed, which would clearly violate the second amendment rights of many law abiding citizens. First of all, considering concealed carry should be permit-less carry, it is counterproductive to increase the requirements for concealed carry. Restrictions on where law abiding citizens can lawfully carry their now “permitted” firearms is asinine, as well as the proposition of a bill that would make it a penalty to leave a firearm in your car. You would essentially be disarming a large number of people who wish to follow these unlawful order in a day and age where the democratic agenda is to act like there are mass shootings on a daily basis. Effectively disarming the majority and increasing the requirements and legal loopholes to carry is such a vulnerable state to be in and I hope we’re smart enough to avoid that. Restrictions on “Plastic firearms and unfinished frames etc” is not only terrible literature that does nothing to explain, but it is a direct violation of the 2nd amendment considering you have a federal right to make firearms for personal use, which would include additively manufactured parts. Wait periods are also a horrifying thing to think of, considering how many times it has been proven to be a terrible idea, keeping guns out of the hands that need them most to protect themselves and their families. “Assault firearms” and anything to do with them is nonsense considering the blatant inability to define said “assault weapon”. People who don’t understand guns, shouldn’t be making laws on guns. A shorter barrel does not make it more lethal, in fact it lowers the muzzle velocity, causing less force on impact and penetration, in turn causing less collateral damage. Any sort of “assault weapons” bills are targeting law abiding citizens who have every right to use the modern advances in firearm technology just as police officers and military. The only people these bills are effecting are the already law abiding citizens. The criminals who got their hands on said weapons illegally aren’t going to be making sure that their ALREADY ILLEGAL WEAPONS are fully compliant with state laws and regulations before they go commit another crime. In no way shape or form should someone need to disadvantage themselves in a life or death situation because political members with an armed security detail don’t feel the need for a gun. Why would I want to limit myself to a firearm that is going to be inadequate in home defense, or one that does not have a high enough capacity to protect myself from the ever growing threat of home invasion and the increased trend of multiple home invaders breaking in armed. If it was you alone in your house with 6 armed intruders who most definitely must have checked their local laws and firearm regulations and made sure their firearms aren’t violating any rules before they break into your house, would you want to limit yourself to a low capacity firearm that is going to be extremely difficult to use effectively in a high stress situation, or are you taking a rifle which for reasons that don’t make sense, must have a 16 inch barrel, with a larger capacity magazine, and a stock that you can use to safely brace the firearm to prevent stray shots and provide more accurate fire. Personally I’m going to take anything and everything I can get in a situation that means life or death for me and my loved ones EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK. Focus on the mental health crisis.
These laws are mostly going to effect law abiding citizens like myself and all the people I know. WHEN HAVE CRIMINALS FOLLOWED LAWS??? The only thing these criminals that commit gun related offenses is some kind of force of action. Why are you going to try to take our 2nd Amendment Rights away from people who follow the laws and love our great country? We should be focusing on increasing penalties against those who commit the crimes. Stop focusing on the law abiding citizens and focus on the criminals that are terrorizing all of our towns. Our government is letting millions and millions of unknown people in our country without having a clue what kind of person they are. I'm sure most are good people like you and me but not all of them are. We need our guns to be able to protect ourselves, our families, our neighbors, and our country if needed. Our founding fathers have it right and put a lot of thoughts into our constitution and bill of rights. I thought Democrats were about equality and the working man/woman. If you all want good for us law abiding citizens, work together, make compromises, and start doing your duty. We do not need more "big government" taking more rights. What we need is a closed border so we can fight this drug crisis. Slow the flow of drugs and these gangs fall apart. Once they fall apart maybe these shootings would slow down. Please do the right thing and do not sign these gun bills. All this woke crap is ruining our country. Y'all need to please make changes and focus on what's going to help all of us not just the minority.
Gun laws do not prevent firearm homicides, based upon gun control organization's own data (Giffords) •No correlation between strict gun laws and firearm homicide incidents •.07 coefficient of determination (AKA R2) where .90 is a strong association •There likely would be a weak association showing gun laws driving the firearm homicide rate higher if Washington, DC was given a score and ranked by Giffords.
Hello, The right to own and bear firearms is intrinsic in the very nature of the founding of the United States. We must remember the spirit of the 2nd Amendment and the right of all civilians to own and bear arms. Firearms are the great equalizer and can allow and individual to defend themselves when they previously could not. Gun violence and the mental health epidemic are closely interlinked and one cannot pass restrictive firearm laws and expect gun violence to go away. Gun bans and the use of restrictive purchasing requirements, magazine limits, waiting periods, and red flag laws have been shown not to be effective in stemming gun violence. I urge anybody reading this message to say "NO" to 2nd Amendment restrictions.
I strongly, along with many fellow Virginians oppose any villainous disarmament bills disguised as "public safety". The second amendment clearly states "SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED" and out of touch elitist politicians who enjoy the luxury of armed security are choosing to ignore the constitution and force us to rely on sub-par police protection. The same people who want to defund the police want to disarm us. Embracing the second amendment is what is keeping our crime rates low compared to New York and California. We have seen the blatant disregard that criminals have for these so-called laws; emboldened criminals who are not afraid of the consequences and innocent law-abiding people who are forced to live in fear because a bunch of tyrants are letting power corrupt them. I do not want to live in fear and neither do the rest of us. In addition; a lot of counties and cities have declared themselves as second amendment sanctuaries to protect the rights of free individuals from the overreach of tyrannical politicians. These bills are a Trojan horse that will lead to more crime. You anti-gun politicians should be ashamed of yourselves; give up your private security and train yourselves. Then you will change your minds; because in the end, nobody is coming to save you. I would rather have a fighting chance against armed assailants than die waiting for help to arrive. These bills are pure evil
I'm against any unconstitutional law, and any law that strips Americans of their rights. These laws are an attack on the 2nd ammendment and hold NO facts in stopping crime. They are a punishment on law abiding people and in no way will make virginia a safer place.
I oppose all these unconstitutional, dangerous, and pointless laws.
I oppose all useless firearm changes. Criminals will not obey
HB113 | Sullivan | Handguns; possession, purchase, or transportation by persons convicted of certain drug offenses. HB1174 | Sickles | Assault firearms; age requirement for purchase, penalty. HB1195 | Hayes | Firearms; waiting period for purchases, penalty. HB12 | Jones | Handguns; firearm locking device required for sale or transfer, child safety warning required. HB1235 | Zehr | Concealed handguns; protective orders. HB1424 | Hope | Firearms; valid permit to purchase, penalties. HB1462 | Laufer | Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; civil penalty. HB158 | McClure | Firearm locking device; required for sale or transfer of firearm. HB16 | Garrett | Firearm or explosive material; carrying within Capitol Square and the surrounding area, etc. HB173 | Simon | Plastic firearms and unfinished frames, etc.; manufacture, import, etc. prohibited, penalties. HB175 | Simon | Assault firearms; carrying in public areas prohibited, penalty. HB183 | Simon | Firearms; storage in residence where minor or person prohibited from possessing is present, penalty. HB2 | Helmer | Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, sales, transfers, etc., prohibited. HB22 | Jones | Auto sears; definition, prohibition on manufacture, importation, sale, etc., penalty. HB270 | Reid | Commonwealth Comprehensive Gun Safety Program; established, etc. HB319 | Helmer | Firearms instructors & safety prog.; removes reference to NRA & U.S. Concealed Carry Assoc. in Code. HB35 | Clark | Firearm safety device; expands definition of device. HB351 | Clark | Firearm; locking device required for purchase, households where minor resides, penalty. HB362 | McClure | Firearms; purchase, etc., following an assault and battery against an intimate or dating partner. HB454 | Callsen | Firearm/explosive material; carrying w/in Capitol Square or bldg. owned or leased by Commonwealth. HB46 | Bennett-Parker | Firearm; transfers to another person from a prohibited person. HB466 | Helmer | Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states. HB791 | Henson | Pneumatic guns; Class 6 felony to possess. HB797 | Hope | Concealed handguns; demonstrated competence for a permit, firearms instructors and safety programs. HB798 | Hope | Firearms; purchase, possession, etc., following an assault and battery or stalking violation. HB799 | Hope | Concealed handgun permit applications; fingerprints required by local governments. HB861 | Hernandez | Weapons; carrying into hospital that provides mental health services. HB945 | Lopez | Firearm safety device; expands definition of device. SB100 | Ebbin | Plastic firearms and unfinished frames, etc.; manufacture, import, etc. prohibited, penalties. SB2 | Deeds | Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, possession, sale, transfer, etc., prohibited. SB210 | Perry | Auto sears; prohibition on manufacture, importation, sale, etc., penalty. SB273 | Subramanyam | Firearms; waiting period for purchases, penalty. I oppose all these bills.
I oppose this bill as it seeks to infringe on the Consitutionally proctected rights of lawabiding citizens to protect themselves from criminals, criminals who do not follow the law. This bill makes it harder for someone to keep themselves safe and is primarily a solution in search of problems to fix. Virginia has one of the lowest crime rates in the country and even less gun related crimes being committed year over year. This is not due to gun control laws, in fact as gun control laws increase, s o does the rate of violent crimes. Criminals are not afraid of police, they are afraid of armed citizens. The subject of this bill has already been defeated in courts, passing this into law will only subject the Commonwealth to more lawsuits to have it repealed costing us more in taxes. Enough of our taxpayers money has been wasted in politicians attempting to pass "feel good" bills to try and prove they are doing their job. I urge the legistature to focus on enforcing and imposing stricter penalties for those that break our exsiting laws over creating new laws that only serve to pe nalize the law abiding citizens.
Support this bill. The ones who are opposing are not reading the bill. This is adding an exemption for concealed handgun permit holders. The restrictions stay in place but add an exemption for those who have passed another background check in order to receive the permit and are thus allowed to carry. Permitholders have been shown to be law-abiding citizens. They should not be treated as criminals.
Remember Delegates...you took an Oath to 'Support and Defend the Constitution of the Unites States of America' which includes the 2nd Amendment!
The end of solitary confinement must be done My son was murdered in solitary confinement at Red Onion Prison in Pound Va on 1/3/22.
I strongly oppose HB16 and HB389.
I OPPOSE these bills as there is little to no data that this will make our communities safer; in fact, states with permitless carry have been show to have more gun-related deaths. Please keep VA safe.
I, Karen Higa, a resident of Falls Church, VA, and advocate for safer communities and Brady United Against Gun Violence, am providing virtual testimony AGAINST the following three bills before the House Public Safety Committee: HB 11, HB16, HB 389 Many of the perpetrators of our nation’s crimes were given gun permits, so we must put a stop to this carnage and work toward providing a safer community for our citizens and especially our children.
I am a Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, mother of 3, and former social worker. I oppose this bill.
Part of what laws do are to allow their citizens to thrive either through advocating for a growth potential or through safety. This bill does neither. It is not helpful but only hurtful. No way does this help public speech or support community. Do not allow this bill to go through.
I OPPOSE these bills. Permitless states have shown an increase in gun-related deaths.
I believe this wouldn't be the safest or smartest decision that we could make. I believe there would be an alternative suggestion we could make. If approved I believe we are being reckless with the authority our community has given us.
Our Constitution does not provide citizens with privileges. It establishes a government with checks and balances and specifically limits the governments ability to remove the rights of its people. In regards to the matter at hand, it specifically says the the government cannot place limitations on the right of a citizen to keep and bear arms. Before I get the typical response, I know you are already aware that the phrase "well regulated" specifically refers to an being trained and ready to bear said arms. The language at the time did not use the term "regulated" as we do with modern regulations. It has been proven in the courts repeatedly that the laws you are currently considering are unconstitutional. Of this I am sure you are already aware. By spending time and tax dollars discussing laws that you know to be unconstitutional, you are in fact wasting time and tax dollars that could be spent on productive issues. I can only assume your intent is to intentionally waste time, and force members of the firearms industry to waste money on legal fees defending the constitution you have sworn to uphold. Please consider actual data and actual facts when considering gun legislation. No data supports the claim the "assault weapon" bans actually reduce gun related crime. More guns are being purchased now than ever before, yet now that the latest FBI data has been released, we can see that gun related crimes have not increased. Also, like every year that the FBI has released data, so called "assault weapons" make up a very small portion of all gun crimes. For your general knowledge the term "assault weapon" was first coined by Adolf Hitler. He renamed one of their new automatic firearms, the Sturmgewehr, because he felt that the name "assault weapon" would strike fear in allied forces. This is also the exact reason the gun control community uses this term as well. The fact is that these firearms are not fully automatic and cannot be made so without a high degree of machining skills and mechanical knowhow. Plus doing so is already illegal. The fact is the Biden's latest gun control act has not been equally enforced. It was supposed to provide additional support for school security and mental health services. It was supposed to provide stronger punishments for those cought breaking existing gun laws. It was supposed to allow FFL's to use the NICS system to check employees. It was supposed to allow FFL's to be able to instantly check inventory or potential purchase/trades by their serial number to determine if the firearm has been stolen or used in any crimes. None of these provisions have been acted upon or enforced. Please drop these latest gun control bills. They are unconstitutional and will never pass. Please do not waste your time and our tax dollars on these wasted efforts. Regards, Jonathan Goodman
I am John Calhoun Co-Director of Lewinsville Faith in Action (LFA) , an organization, "in partnership with others, works for political, social, economic and environmental policies that are based on justice and compassion." LFA stands in vehement opposition to HB 11, HB 16 and HB 316, bills that will not protect, but further endanger the lives of the Commonweath's citizens. More guns, more explosives in protected areas means only more deaths, more shattered families.
I am John Calhoun Co-Director of Lewinsville Faith in Action (LFA) , an organization, "in partnership with others, works for political, social, economic and environmental policies that are based on justice and compassion." LFA stands in vehement opposition to HB 11, HB 16 and HB 316, bills that will not protect, but further endanger the lives of the Commonweath's citizens. More guns, more explosives in protected areas means only more deaths, more shattered families.
I strongly oppose the above marked bills because they are potentially DETRIMENTAL to PUBLIC SAFETY.
I OPPOSE these bills and implore you to focus on actions that actually reduce gun violence in our community. Permitless carry has been shown to result in MORE gun related deaths.
I oppose these bills. There is not data to suggest permit-less carry makes communities safer, in fact, this is associated with more gun violence.
I oppose these bills.
Oppose these bills greatly. Just want common-sense gun safety legislation passed.
We need to be making gun control legislation stronger to keep our kids safe! The statistics show more guns do not make us safer! Look at the rest of the developed world! I’m opposed to this legislation.
I OPPOSE these bills as there is little to no data that they make our communities safer- in fact, states with permitless carry have been shown to have more gun-related deaths.
I oppose Bills HB11, HB16 and HB389 because I want to keep our children and our communities safe. Data has proven time and time again that more guns to not mean safer communities.
Virginia Moms for Change opposes HB11, HB16, & HB389. We do not support loosening the weapons restrictions currently in place.
I'm a volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and I oppose this bill.
HB22 - Auto sears and trigger activators; prohibition on manufacture, importation, sale, etc., penalty.
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I am opposed to all of these unconstitutional and anit-american gun laws and regulations. There is no room for more gun laws and regulations in this state.
Contrary to how certain government officials treat it, the second amendment is written using plain, easy to understand language, and insists that government has no right to take away the right for ordinary people like us to defend ourselves, as the constitution and bill of rights do not simply give people rights, but protects them from government manipulation and control. It’s incredibly disappointing and a tragedy that people choose to commit acts of violence with these rights, but restricting those who wish to exercise their rights peaceably due to those who wouldn’t follow these rules in the first place is incredibly naive. I, as well as every other person in the United States, deserve to protect my family with the best technology available. While some people look at certain defense weapon setups as a “why do you need that” situation, 1) I have the right to defend myself with the best tool available, and so I will choose that every time, 2) why do you “need” anything other than basic necessities (fast car, Gucci clothes, etc)? The government has no place in deciding what I “need”, 3) people with the intent to harm will not care what laws govern peaceful people, so what would limiting the victim’s access to proper tools do? You may think that by “banning” or otherwise restricting access to a certain thing would mean that all of the “bad” things would magically go away, but they will not. Evil has always and will always exist, and I have every right to defend myself from it using the best tool available wherever I, or my family, choose to go. Restricting access on certain properties (the government isn’t actively protecting me everywhere), requiring certain training (who is paying for this?), limiting certain types of firearms (go ahead and define “assault weapon” in plain language please), and restricting ammo purchasing (I thought you wanted us to train; how does this help then?) are all means that end up hurting the average person and helping those who wish to hurt others, as the rest of us will be left in a position to insufficiently defend ourselves. I urge you to understand that while, yes, it is awful that evil people commit horrific acts, this right ultimately allows me to protect myself and my family from these evil people as well and as evil will always exist (we certainly like to delusion ourselves into believing that we live in a utopia, but we do not), I will protect my family accordingly. The government has no right to restrict this. Leave the peaceful citizens alone, more firmly punish those who hurt others, and help communities where this is an issue to prevent the upbringing of more evil people.
Please stop trying to make criminals of law abiding citizens who just want to protect themselves. Me and my partner have recently become firearm owners because of situations that have arisen in our day to day lives, such as harassment of my wife almost to the point of altercation, sketchy characters waiting in front of our door/ducking in and out of our bushes at all times of the night, people breaking into cars in the neighborhood etc (many times the police/security were called only to arrive 45mins to an hour later). with many of these nonsensical bills you condemn us to allowing any possible violence to happen to us without a chance of defending our selves. Instead of helping fix the problem, you seek to make criminals out of any Virginian who has followed the law and legal purchased a firearm. Shame on you. I am Virginian native and since I was 18 I voted leaning blue in local and state elections you all are making me think this was a mistake. I am not proud of Virginia “progressives” who would rather strip my wife of her chance and right to defend her self rather than try to address the root of crime. Don’t make law abiding people criminals. Do some actual work and address the criminals! 2 of the proposed bills would make in illegal to bring your concealed firearm into a restaurant and another makes it a crime to have the firearm in your vehicle…. Like really? This is literally just to fill jails and strip people of their rights.
Many of these gun laws are unfair to law abiding citizens and do not affect criminals. These gun laws should be vetoed.
Leave law abiding citizens alone.
State Legislature members, A right delayed is a right denied. Quoting the 2022 NYSRPA v. Bruen Supreme Court Case: 'The constitutional right to bear arms in public for self-defense is not “a second-class right, subject to an entirely different body of rules than the other Bill of Rights guarantees.” McDonald, 561 U. S., at 780 (plurality opinion). The exercise of other constitutional rights does not require individuals to demonstrate to government officers some special need. The Second Amendment right to carry arms in public for self defense is no different.' The recent NYSRPA v. Bruen case highlighted the significance of individual self-defense, and it's crucial to consider the rights of law-abiding citizens in crafting firearm legislation. While the goal of enhancing public safety is commendable, an outright ban on certain firearms and magazines will disproportionately impact responsible gun owners who use these tools for legitimate purposes, such as self-defense and sport. It is essential to strike a balance between public safety and the preservation of individual rights. Instead of blanket bans, and bureaucratic obstacles that only harass lawful firearm owners, we should focus on comprehensive measures that address the root causes of gun violence. This approach respects the constitutional rights of citizens while fostering a safer society. Criminals are not deterred by restrictions on lawful purchase at federally-licensed FFL Dealers. They do not bother going through the process of applying for a concealed carry permit, because they do not intend to carry lawfully. People who want to use weapons to hurt innocent citizens of Virginia will not be impeded by these House and Senate Bills. Instead, the only individuals who will have their behavior modified are lawful men and women who are unable to defend themselves against those who will commit crimes regardless of what is written into law this Legislative Session. If you pass the above laws, it will only serve to waste hard-working Taxpayers' money fighting them in Federal Court. California and New York have lost their cases seeking to uphold unconstitutional gun laws, and the sponsors of these bills will lose too. Do the right thing - the hard thing - enforce the laws we already have, get the small minority of violent criminals off the streets of Virginia, and uphold the constitutional rights of your polity.
These bills infringe on the rights of the United States citizens given to us by the second amendment. The only thing these bills will accomplish will take the firearms out of the hands of law abiding citizens, while criminals will still have access.
I do not support any bill that removes any right from law abiding citizens to protect themselves from those who WILL NOT abide by these laws. These laws ONLY give CRIMINALS the upper hand.
There are approximately 47 bills regarding gun control between the House and Senate. Rather than fix issues that actually protect and enhance the lives of Virginians, many of these bills seek to disenfranchise and reduce the safety of the citizens in this great Commonwealth. Firearms are so fundamental to the founding and continued existence of our free society that they are listed just second to the freedom of speech in amendments to the constitution. It is plainly clear to all that countries and states who have banned or severely restricted firearms that violence does not end with their banning. Unjust deaths are not prevented. It simply ensures that law abiding citizens are left defenseless from those that wish to harm them, whether that be individuals or an organization. I write this knowing that it will be completely disregarded by the bills authors, but in hopes that others feel galvanized to speak up against unjust actions made in the name of progress. To those who wish to protect themselves with firearms while simultaneously stripping them from the common man, may you take heed of the Virginia state motto.
A lot of these laws contradict one another. I can’t support them. Both of our parties have failed us.
Stop trying to strip 2nd Amendment rights from law abiding citizens with a constitutional right to own and carry firearms. Not a single one of these laws/bills you’re trying to enact would have stopped any of the mass shootings we’ve seen.
I oppose all of these blatantly unconstitutional bills and wish our elected officials would actually get to work on fixing things that matter to Virginians.
It is obvious these elected officials want you to die at the behest of an anarcho tyrannical state where violent perpetual offenders are off with a slap on the wrist, while YOU tax payer are criminalized for not wanting to be a victim to these perpetual perpetrators. The elected officials funded by big Pro-Death lobby of Giffords and Bloomberg sit in their cushy NOVA HOAd mansions behind security while you plebs go to work everyday to pay their salary. These same officials effectively bribe the police state by giving them a way to pay off a mortgage and boat in exchange for your oppression. YOU citizen must morally oppose these pro-Death bills. Democracy has fallen and its only driven by money hungry Babylonians who swim in excess and delicacy while YOU PLEBS cant even afford milk, eggs or pampers. Remember these people do not hold dominion over you. Call your congressman/woman and CHRIST IS KING!
There is no acceptable reason to infringe upon the Constitutionally-protected (both US and Virginia's Constitutions) rights of Americans and Virginians. None of these bills purported to reduce gun-related violence actually seem to prioritize the reduction of causal effects of overall violence. Many of these are merely attempts to curb the rights of the People to keep and bear arms, because our legislative bodies are full of corrupt, weak, and contemptible individuals. Show us the bills for addressing the root causes of violence: mental health, income inequality, social instability, lack of education and educational opportunities, drug & human trafficking, or employment & wages (this list is not all-inclusive).
Time and time again it has been proven that criminals do not care about or follow restrictive firearm laws. Virginia already has some of the most restrictive firearms laws in the country ("B+" rating from Giffords), more unconstitutional infringements upon law abiding citizens is not the answer. We need to address the root causes (access to mental health resources for example) and not throw bandaids at it by punishing responsible, law abiding, gun owners. I oppose these bills and urge you to do the same.
As a fellow Democrat, it’s important to acknowledge the complexities surrounding gun ownership and the Second Amendment. 1. Self-Defense: Firearms can be a crucial tool for individuals to protect themselves, especially in high-crime areas or situations where law enforcement response times are slow. 2. Sport and Recreation: Many Americans enjoy shooting sports like hunting, skeet shooting, and target practice as a recreational activity, fostering a sense of community and skill-building. 3. Cultural Tradition: Gun ownership is deeply ingrained in American culture, with a rich history of hunting and marksmanship passed down through generations. 4. Economic Impact: The firearms industry contributes significantly to the economy, generating jobs and revenue through manufacturing, sales, and related services. 5. Civil Liberties: Upholding the right to bear arms is fundamental to preserving individual freedoms and safeguarding against government overreach. 6. Empowerment of Marginalized Communities: For historically marginalized groups, owning firearms can serve as a means of empowerment and protection against hate crimes or discriminatory violence. 7. Emergency Preparedness: In times of natural disasters or civil unrest, responsible gun owners can help maintain order and protect their families and communities. 8. Deterrence of Crime: Research suggests that the presence of armed civilians can deter potential criminals and reduce overall crime rates in certain contexts. 9. Veterans and Law Enforcement: Many veterans and law enforcement officers transition to civilian life with a continued appreciation for firearms, utilizing their expertise for civilian defense and security. 10. Balanced Approach: Instead of blanket gun control measures, we can advocate for comprehensive solutions that address root causes of violence, such as mental health support, poverty reduction, and community intervention programs.
I oppose the proposed firearms legislation put forward by this legislature and any legislation that violates the 1st, 2nd, and 4th, amendment rights of any Virginian. The desire for safer communities, a more united nation, and healing for our public health is something that we all can share in but these bills do not achieve that. Rather, they regulate and penalize. They unconstitutionally restrict the rights of the many in the name of safety and serve only to harm our rights. I would be doing a disservice to our state and my fellow citizens if I did not also provide potential solutions or remedies to the violence we face. First, we as communities need to promote voluntary storage facilities for those who are experiencing hardship and are concerned about suicide. Ideally making it easier to put firearms safely out of reach when suicide risks are greater. To do this it would need to be a system at the lowest level with minimum government involvement besides funding and partnership with local ranges. We would also need to reach out to those in our lives who are in a bad place and encourage the use of these facilities. Second, we should promote a culture of safe handling and respect for firearms through school courses and community organizations because assault weapons or not suicide, or accidents only take one bullet from a single action firearm. Lastly and more broadly we should focus on the issues surrounding the violence. Whether it is drugs and organized criminal activity or the mental health crisis as it has become known we should be working to fix these issues first. I.e. legalize weed, adapt police training, and push to root out organized crime, promote common social values and family cohesion, increase freedom, physical activity, and discipline in the school system.
Please stop infringing on our god given right, protected by the constitution of the United States (which you all have sworn to uphold and protect), to keep and bear arms. Responsible gun owners are not the problem in America’s gun violence epidemic. We follow the law. Criminals don’t. We use our firearms to protect ourselves, loved ones, and community. Chipping away at this right we have makes us more vulnerable to becoming victims of gun violence, not protect us from it. These laws only serve to empower those with evil intentions. Rather, might I suggest harsher penalties for those who commit senseless acts of violence with firearms instead of going after the good men and women of the commonwealth who wish only to use their firearms for lawful purposes.
STOP INFRINGING OUR RIGHTS. Get rid of every single gun control bill that is here and START ENFORCING THE LAWS WE ALREADY HAVE. Stop trying to turn law abiding citizens into criminals. I am disgusted that all of these nonsense bills have even made it this far. You can have these laws in Northern Virginia where everyone hates guns but don’t force this garbage into the rest of the state. GET RID OF ALL OF THIS GARBAGE and keep your noses out of everyone’s business. More government is not the answer.
Please stop attempting to infringe on my 2nd amendment rights. Responsible gun owners are not behind any gun violence. Maybe focus on bills that will actually keep guns out of the hands of those that should not have them rather than stripping the rights away of law-abiding citizens. Not a single one of those bills will stop criminals from breaking the law, all they will do is prevent me from being able to effectively defend myself and my family against said criminal.
Virginia already has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation. We can all agree violence is an issue but making more unconstitutional, on a national and state level, gun laws will not help with the rates of violent crimes and property crimes as we see from states with stricter gun laws. We need to increase access to mental health and community resources to address the root causes of issues rather than criminalizing responsible gun owners. I am opposed to this attack on the second amendment which is the fundamental backbone that protects the other freedoms guranteed in the constitution.
The second amendment is very clear in its intent that these rights “shall not be infringed”. Removing/ restricting law abiding citizens right to self defense and protection against unwitting organizations and persons is not only more harmful, but a clear violation of the rights this country was founded on.
Dear Honorable Members of the House of Delegates, I write to you today as a concerned citizen, deeply invested in the well-being and safety of our communities, and as someone who values the principles upon which our nation was founded. The issue at hand, the introduction of bills aimed at heavily regulating firearms, is one that I believe warrants a thoughtful reconsideration in light of its broader implications. Our nation stands at a crossroads, where the desire to address gun violence intersects with the constitutional rights affirmed by the Supreme Court. The Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms is not just a legal directive but a reflection of our commitment to individual freedom. In this context, the proposed regulations, while motivated by a commendable desire to reduce violence, raise significant concerns about their effectiveness and the potential consequences for law-abiding citizens. Research, including findings published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, suggests that the relationship between strict gun laws and the reduction of gun violence is not as straightforward as one might hope. Cities with stringent gun regulations continue to face challenges with gun-related crimes, indicating that those intent on violence often find ways to circumvent the law. This reality prompts us to question whether new restrictions will achieve their intended goal or merely place additional burdens on those who seek firearms for legitimate purposes, including self-defense. Moreover, the abundance of firearms in the United States presents a logistical challenge to the enforcement of such regulations. With more guns than people in the country, the task of significantly reducing the availability of firearms to criminals, without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens, is daunting. It is within this complex landscape that I urge you to consider the broader implications of the proposed gun control measures. The parallels drawn with other contentious issues, such as the regulation of women's healthcare, highlight the potential for policy decisions to inadvertently infringe upon individual freedoms and deepen societal divisions. Such outcomes not only detract from the intended goals of enhancing public safety but also ***risk alienating segments of the population whose support is essential for the advancement of our collective well-being.*** Constituents see this robust effort to "see what sticks" as a weakness within our party. Comparatively imbalanced with the diverse range of issues and concerns that we face everyday. A waste. As we move forward, I encourage you to approach this issue with a balanced perspective, one that recognizes the need for effective strategies to combat gun violence while also safeguarding the constitutional rights and freedoms that define our nation. The path to meaningful change is complex, requiring a nuanced understanding of the issues at hand and a commitment to policies that truly serve the best interests of all our citizens. In closing, I respectfully ask that you consider the potential consequences of the proposed gun control measures, not just for the immediate future but for the legacy we leave for generations to come. It is my hope that, together, we can find a way to address the challenges of gun violence in a manner that honors our values, respects our freedoms, and genuinely enhances the safety and well-being of our communities.
You guys need to stop attacking our 2nd amendment and get help for these kids growing up with identity crisis’s . You coming after law abiding citizens is appalling and the fact that your leaning towards becoming the despicable state of California is saddening. If the president can have security which uses firearms that even the normal civilian can’t have this raises the issue of how can a civilian defend against a tyrannical government with a featureless 10 round ar-15 ? Keep this up and we know exactly what your end goal is.
As a left leaning voter and citizen of Virginia, these new restrictions on our right to bear arms are sickening. Stop proposing so many bans and limits, and maybe a realistic bill, like the safe credit, won’t be universally protested. If you actually want to quell gun violence, keep focused on affordable mental and physical healthcare, improving the education system, and reducing income inequality. While the right may not support these real improvements, I cannot in good faith support or vote for any politician who supports banning or restricting the rights of law abiding citizens in our beautiful commonwealth. Thank you.
The 2nd amendment states "shall not be infringed". All of these bills are infringement and are therefore unconstitutional. Should we pass laws that people must pass a test before they can have freedom of speech? What about pass a test before you can vote? What about if someone does not have training they will be slaves again? Name one other right outlined in the constitution where a citizen has to jump through hoops before they can use that right? I oppose all of these bills as they will do more harm than good. I can understand wanting to keep people safe but gun control does the opposite. These bills will only make it harder for law abiding citizens to exercise their rights while criminals will still ignore the law. Criminals will still get illegal guns or weapons and will commit more crimes since they know the public is unable to defend themselves. Benjamin Franklin once said: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." You writing bills saying "give up your rights and guns and we will protect you". Well ask the Native Americans how that worked out for them. Ask a Jewish person who was under Nazi control how that worked out for them. Well Hitler's first step was to take away the guns from the public so they could not protect themselves and over 6 million people lost their lives. Since you do not know history you are writing bills which will doom us to repeat it. You know 75 years ago when you could just buy a gun in a catalog and it was shipped to your house we did not have this issue. In the 60s and 70s when people would have a gun in their truck at school or take one in for show and tell we did not have a gun issue. This is a mental health issue. Deal with mental health and you will fix the public safety issue. Zero of my guns have killed people because guns do not kill people. People kill people. Look at Ukraine and Israel for just one form of example why we need LESS gun control. All of these gun laws are unconstitutional and should be thrown out. Do the right thing and let us law abiding citizens have their rights as outlined in the constitution. Do not pass laws which infringe on our rights. If the 2nd amendment falls, the 1st will follow . When the 1st and 2nd fall the 13th will fall and our country will be lost and we will be back in chains.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Whether or not a person chooses to exercise this right is up to them. Otherwise, it shall not be infringed.
I can not, and nobody should, support these unconstitutional laws. THROW THEM ALL OUT.
You guys make it harder and harder to vote Democrat every single cycle. Complete ban on Semi Automatics more or less making the state even stricter towards guns then states like Maryland? I oppose all these even the "herp common sense derp" ones because the states party has made it clear they don't give a crap about anything but putting hollow wins for politicians because hhheeeyyy punishing law abiding gun owners is a whole lot easier then creating jobs or reducing crime. If these bills die before getting to the governors desk, especially the bans, then I will gladly continue to vote DNC. But if Youngkin has to veto these and you make me say something I never thought I would "Thank god Youngkin won" then I look forward to blindly going down the ticket in 2024 and checking "R" on everyone. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
I do not support more legislation infringing on my 2nd Ammendment rights. Please fund more enforcement for the proactive enforcement of existing laws and regulations pertaining to firearms.
I oppose this legislation.
The litany of gun control measures under consideration will do nothing to effectively reduce crime and violence, and will only further restrict the rights of law abiding firearms owners. Not to mention the countless examples from other locales across the country where these same measure have been put into place and the result is more violent crime as criminals can now feel safe that the general population is not armed. Strongly oppose all proposed bills.
The ridiculous litany of gun control measures under consideration will do nothing to effectively reduce crime and violence, and will only further restrict the rights of law abiding firearms owners.
We dont need MORE laws regarding firearms, we need to enforce the laws that are already on the books. If enforcement is done then these laws are redundant and not necessary. Don't pass more laws just for the sake of passing laws. They do nothing but make law abiding citizens confused and they dont do anything to stop problems.
I am writing to express my great concern, to the legislatures that continue to ignore their oath of swearing to protect and uphold the rights of the citizens as protected by the United States Constitution and the Virginian Constitution. "The Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms, SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED". You beaurcrats do not grant that right to he people, it is God given. While you grandstand and ateemlt to make laws to hurt the everydayaw abiding American citizen, you turn a way and do nothing in these bills to punish criminals committing crimes. It is already illegal to murder people. To grandstand and think that any of these bills would stop someone from murdering or harming another person is laughable. Quite literally. You pander screaming about these firearm safety bills while you walk around with security and people with "guns" to keep you safe. Start enforcing the existing laws against criminals who commit crimes vs trying to turn law abiding people, who take training, are serious about protection of family, themselves and others, and trying to disarm them and make them criminals. Or we will vote you out! Uphold your Oath or be prepared for the consequences your actions lead to by the American people. Regards Mr. Harris
These anti gun laws are an infringement on all Virginian's 2A rights.
I am opposed to additional new laws or further regulations placed on firearms or other means of self defense, or which limit the ability to conduct commerce or carry such items. Not only does the constitution make it clear this is a violation of my rights, it does nothing to address or reduce the actions of criminals.
All infringements on the second amendment are acts of treason and should be treated as such. Acting in favor of such infringements makes you a traitor to this nation and th commonwealth.
All Virginians want our families to be safe from gun violence. However, passing such broad restrictions on firearms commonly used for self defense is not the answer. The updated definition of assault weapons and the associated prohibitions do little to nothing to stop criminals who are willing to illegally buy or steal firearms. There are plenty of firearms out there for criminals to access, with well over 400 million guns in civilian ownership in the United States. It is too late to round them all up. These bills will disproportionately affect those citizens who go out of their way to follow our commonwealth's laws; the people who are unlikely to commit a violent crime in the first place. The solutions to gun violence that stand a chance at working are community-oriented interventions that decrease poverty, drug use, gang activity, combat mental illness, and advocate for the safe storage of firearms. Sociologists know these factors correlate strongly with ALL types of violence. On average, two-thirds of firearms deaths are suicides, an assault weapons ban won't do a thing about those. Of the remaining 1/3 of firearms homicides, more than half are drug, gang, or domestic violence related. Let's pass bipartisan legislation that addresses these underlying problems, instead of preventing average Virginians from protecting themselves with firearms that are already ubiquitous.
I am Opposed to any limitations on the Second Amendment and any restrictive firearm laws. We have adequate, if not already overbearing, laws on the books now and should not be creating more laws restricting all the aspects of firearm use, sales, and any other aspects of the right to bear arms.
These firearm laws are mostly reactionary to the media response on firearms. This is a major infringement on the 2nd amendment and needs to be stopped.
An inordinate focus on the control of firearms only serves to infringe the rights of the law-abiding citizen in defense of his life and property. The State should instead focus on the apprehension and incarceration of individuals engaging in criminal behavior and associated misuse of firearms.
Any law that infringes on my Gods-given right to own and bear arms is UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Any law passed that infringes this right will be answered with a lawsuit.
Hello. There are a plethora of bills that were proposed, which would clearly violate the second amendment rights of many law abiding citizens. First of all, considering concealed carry should be permit-less carry, it is counterproductive to increase the requirements for concealed carry. Restrictions on where law abiding citizens can lawfully carry their now “permitted” firearms is asinine, as well as the proposition of a bill that would make it a penalty to leave a firearm in your car. You would essentially be disarming a large number of people who wish to follow these unlawful order in a day and age where the democratic agenda is to act like there are mass shootings on a daily basis. Effectively disarming the majority and increasing the requirements and legal loopholes to carry is such a vulnerable state to be in and I hope we’re smart enough to avoid that. Restrictions on “Plastic firearms and unfinished frames etc” is not only terrible literature that does nothing to explain, but it is a direct violation of the 2nd amendment considering you have a federal right to make firearms for personal use, which would include additively manufactured parts. Wait periods are also a horrifying thing to think of, considering how many times it has been proven to be a terrible idea, keeping guns out of the hands that need them most to protect themselves and their families. “Assault firearms” and anything to do with them is nonsense considering the blatant inability to define said “assault weapon”. People who don’t understand guns, shouldn’t be making laws on guns. A shorter barrel does not make it more lethal, in fact it lowers the muzzle velocity, causing less force on impact and penetration, in turn causing less collateral damage. Any sort of “assault weapons” bills are targeting law abiding citizens who have every right to use the modern advances in firearm technology just as police officers and military. The only people these bills are effecting are the already law abiding citizens. The criminals who got their hands on said weapons illegally aren’t going to be making sure that their ALREADY ILLEGAL WEAPONS are fully compliant with state laws and regulations before they go commit another crime. In no way shape or form should someone need to disadvantage themselves in a life or death situation because political members with an armed security detail don’t feel the need for a gun. Why would I want to limit myself to a firearm that is going to be inadequate in home defense, or one that does not have a high enough capacity to protect myself from the ever growing threat of home invasion and the increased trend of multiple home invaders breaking in armed. If it was you alone in your house with 6 armed intruders who most definitely must have checked their local laws and firearm regulations and made sure their firearms aren’t violating any rules before they break into your house, would you want to limit yourself to a low capacity firearm that is going to be extremely difficult to use effectively in a high stress situation, or are you taking a rifle which for reasons that don’t make sense, must have a 16 inch barrel, with a larger capacity magazine, and a stock that you can use to safely brace the firearm to prevent stray shots and provide more accurate fire. Personally I’m going to take anything and everything I can get in a situation that means life or death for me and my loved ones EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK. Focus on the mental health crisis.
These laws are mostly going to effect law abiding citizens like myself and all the people I know. WHEN HAVE CRIMINALS FOLLOWED LAWS??? The only thing these criminals that commit gun related offenses is some kind of force of action. Why are you going to try to take our 2nd Amendment Rights away from people who follow the laws and love our great country? We should be focusing on increasing penalties against those who commit the crimes. Stop focusing on the law abiding citizens and focus on the criminals that are terrorizing all of our towns. Our government is letting millions and millions of unknown people in our country without having a clue what kind of person they are. I'm sure most are good people like you and me but not all of them are. We need our guns to be able to protect ourselves, our families, our neighbors, and our country if needed. Our founding fathers have it right and put a lot of thoughts into our constitution and bill of rights. I thought Democrats were about equality and the working man/woman. If you all want good for us law abiding citizens, work together, make compromises, and start doing your duty. We do not need more "big government" taking more rights. What we need is a closed border so we can fight this drug crisis. Slow the flow of drugs and these gangs fall apart. Once they fall apart maybe these shootings would slow down. Please do the right thing and do not sign these gun bills. All this woke crap is ruining our country. Y'all need to please make changes and focus on what's going to help all of us not just the minority.
Gun laws do not prevent firearm homicides, based upon gun control organization's own data (Giffords) •No correlation between strict gun laws and firearm homicide incidents •.07 coefficient of determination (AKA R2) where .90 is a strong association •There likely would be a weak association showing gun laws driving the firearm homicide rate higher if Washington, DC was given a score and ranked by Giffords.
Hello, The right to own and bear firearms is intrinsic in the very nature of the founding of the United States. We must remember the spirit of the 2nd Amendment and the right of all civilians to own and bear arms. Firearms are the great equalizer and can allow and individual to defend themselves when they previously could not. Gun violence and the mental health epidemic are closely interlinked and one cannot pass restrictive firearm laws and expect gun violence to go away. Gun bans and the use of restrictive purchasing requirements, magazine limits, waiting periods, and red flag laws have been shown not to be effective in stemming gun violence. I urge anybody reading this message to say "NO" to 2nd Amendment restrictions.
I strongly, along with many fellow Virginians oppose any villainous disarmament bills disguised as "public safety". The second amendment clearly states "SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED" and out of touch elitist politicians who enjoy the luxury of armed security are choosing to ignore the constitution and force us to rely on sub-par police protection. The same people who want to defund the police want to disarm us. Embracing the second amendment is what is keeping our crime rates low compared to New York and California. We have seen the blatant disregard that criminals have for these so-called laws; emboldened criminals who are not afraid of the consequences and innocent law-abiding people who are forced to live in fear because a bunch of tyrants are letting power corrupt them. I do not want to live in fear and neither do the rest of us. In addition; a lot of counties and cities have declared themselves as second amendment sanctuaries to protect the rights of free individuals from the overreach of tyrannical politicians. These bills are a Trojan horse that will lead to more crime. You anti-gun politicians should be ashamed of yourselves; give up your private security and train yourselves. Then you will change your minds; because in the end, nobody is coming to save you. I would rather have a fighting chance against armed assailants than die waiting for help to arrive. These bills are pure evil
These all seem like infringements that will do nothing to curb any crime. Further they will only create criminals out of everyday law abiding folk. These are laws that seem to be targeting victimless crimes.
I oppose all of these selected bills since I firmly believe they are in conflict with the Second Amendment of the US Constitution. The Second Amendment clearly states that it shall not be infringed upon. Any and all proposed legislation that would place limits on how, where, and when responsible citizens arm themselves runs afoul of that. Our founding fathers correctly held the belief that all people have a natural born right to arm and protect themselves and that the government has no authority to interfere with that. While I agree with the sentiment of reducing violence among our society, gun laws only harm the law abiding citizen and leave criminals who already have a disregard for the law to still be armed. If our elected officials who proposed these bills actually cared about addressing our violence problem, they would focus more on addressing the root causes of violence and crime. More worthwhile pursuits in my opinion would be focused on addressing socio-economic problems that plague disadvantaged communities, creating a more robust and well-equipped mental healthcare system, and overhauling our educational systems to setup our children for better success in life. Thank you all for your time.
I oppose all these unconstitutional, dangerous, and pointless laws.
I oppose all useless firearm changes. Criminals will not obey
HB113 | Sullivan | Handguns; possession, purchase, or transportation by persons convicted of certain drug offenses. HB1174 | Sickles | Assault firearms; age requirement for purchase, penalty. HB1195 | Hayes | Firearms; waiting period for purchases, penalty. HB12 | Jones | Handguns; firearm locking device required for sale or transfer, child safety warning required. HB1235 | Zehr | Concealed handguns; protective orders. HB1424 | Hope | Firearms; valid permit to purchase, penalties. HB1462 | Laufer | Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; civil penalty. HB158 | McClure | Firearm locking device; required for sale or transfer of firearm. HB16 | Garrett | Firearm or explosive material; carrying within Capitol Square and the surrounding area, etc. HB173 | Simon | Plastic firearms and unfinished frames, etc.; manufacture, import, etc. prohibited, penalties. HB175 | Simon | Assault firearms; carrying in public areas prohibited, penalty. HB183 | Simon | Firearms; storage in residence where minor or person prohibited from possessing is present, penalty. HB2 | Helmer | Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, sales, transfers, etc., prohibited. HB22 | Jones | Auto sears; definition, prohibition on manufacture, importation, sale, etc., penalty. HB270 | Reid | Commonwealth Comprehensive Gun Safety Program; established, etc. HB319 | Helmer | Firearms instructors & safety prog.; removes reference to NRA & U.S. Concealed Carry Assoc. in Code. HB35 | Clark | Firearm safety device; expands definition of device. HB351 | Clark | Firearm; locking device required for purchase, households where minor resides, penalty. HB362 | McClure | Firearms; purchase, etc., following an assault and battery against an intimate or dating partner. HB454 | Callsen | Firearm/explosive material; carrying w/in Capitol Square or bldg. owned or leased by Commonwealth. HB46 | Bennett-Parker | Firearm; transfers to another person from a prohibited person. HB466 | Helmer | Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states. HB791 | Henson | Pneumatic guns; Class 6 felony to possess. HB797 | Hope | Concealed handguns; demonstrated competence for a permit, firearms instructors and safety programs. HB798 | Hope | Firearms; purchase, possession, etc., following an assault and battery or stalking violation. HB799 | Hope | Concealed handgun permit applications; fingerprints required by local governments. HB861 | Hernandez | Weapons; carrying into hospital that provides mental health services. HB945 | Lopez | Firearm safety device; expands definition of device. SB100 | Ebbin | Plastic firearms and unfinished frames, etc.; manufacture, import, etc. prohibited, penalties. SB2 | Deeds | Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, possession, sale, transfer, etc., prohibited. SB210 | Perry | Auto sears; prohibition on manufacture, importation, sale, etc., penalty. SB273 | Subramanyam | Firearms; waiting period for purchases, penalty. I oppose all these bills.
I oppose this bill as it seeks to infringe on the Consitutionally proctected rights of lawabiding citizens to protect themselves from criminals, criminals who do not follow the law. This bill makes it harder for someone to keep themselves safe and is primarily a solution in search of problems to fix. Virginia has one of the lowest crime rates in the country and even less gun related crimes being committed year over year. This is not due to gun control laws, in fact as gun control laws increase, s o does the rate of violent crimes. Criminals are not afraid of police, they are afraid of armed citizens. The subject of this bill has already been defeated in courts, passing this into law will only subject the Commonwealth to more lawsuits to have it repealed costing us more in taxes. Enough of our taxpayers money has been wasted in politicians attempting to pass "feel good" bills to try and prove they are doing their job. I urge the legistature to focus on enforcing and imposing stricter penalties for those that break our exsiting laws over creating new laws that only serve to pe nalize the law abiding citizens.
I am in opposition to these bills as a long time concealed carry permit holder who has lived in Virginia for. 30 years and has voted in Virginian elections since I was 18. These bills make it harder for someone to keep themselves safe while are primarily solutions in search of problems to fix. Virginia has one of the lowest crime rates in the country and even less gun related crimes being committed year over year. This is not a success of the gun control lobby but they would certainly have you believe it is. They are often unconstitutional limits on a persons 2nd amendment rights and do not serve to make Virginians safer. The ban on assault firearms is written in such a way that it would ban most modern defensive handguns carried by men and women across the commonwealth. These are law abiding concealed carry holders or regular citizens who have purchased regular firearms with regular features. Much akin to wanting a car with leather seats or GPS. These are not features only found on “scary” guns they are features that assist those with hearing or sight issues to use a handgun safely. We already have laws preventing firearms usage in crimes but these would simply disempower lawful citizens from having features on their guns that are normal and regular modern features. These bills would do nothing to prevent actual criminals from obtaining or using prohibited firearms in crime but would disenfranchise law abiding citizens from enjoying a Virginian hobby that has a history older than the state itself.
Oppose this bill. Auto sears made after 1986 are already illegal by federal law. Making federally legal sears illegal only seeks to solve a problem that does not exist. Fully automatic weapons are extremely expensive already. Regular people like me could not own one without taking a loan.
I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I support the following bills: HB1174, HB1181, HB1195, HB12, HB1424, HB1462, HB158, HB175, HB183, HB23, HB270, HB318, HB319, HB351, HB362, HB585, HB602, HB637, HB791, HB797, HB798, HB799, HB861, HB916, & HB945 I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I oppose these bills: HB1030, HB1141, HB1198, HB1230, HB1235, HB1321, HB1325, HB1386, HB289, HB389, HB756, & HB872 Innocent children are dying on our watch. Please do something.
Remember Delegates...you took an Oath to 'Support and Defend the Constitution of the Unites States of America' which includes the 2nd Amendment!
I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change and I support the selected bills. I believe they will make our communities safer and that gun violence is a critical issue we must address with such legislation and more.
Blatantly unconstitutional proposals.
It is in my opinion that a ban on so called “assault weapons” would be intrinsically unconstitutional and a huge mistake. The grounds for what determines a weapon an “assault weapon” would include such a broad variety of common use firearms that it wouldn’t, and couldn’t be enforced. The ability for a gun to hold more bullets due to a larger magazine, has absolutely no effect of the lethality of said firearm. Banning things like pistol grips on rifles would be extraordinarily affective to disabled Virginians who rely on comfort to safely and comfortably enjoy shooting sports. Much of this bill will undoubtedly effect persons of color much more thoughtly than more privileged groups of Virginians while doing absolutely nothing to prevent career criminals from obtaining and possessing these items. Responsible and comprehensive gun ownership is the backbone of this nation, and as a life king and proud Virginian, I would appalled at the infringements of rights that our founding fathers ensured, for us to remain a free and accountable nation. It would drive crime up simply by turning common use features into felonies overnight, while stripping responsible owners of constitutionally protected tools of protection out of their grasp. Surely the Virginia House understands that the few people who consistently break the law, will continue to do so regardless of this bills passage. But it is the disabled, the responsible, the lifelong law abiding residents of this commonwealth who will suffer, while doing absolutely nothing to reduce crime in our state. Furthermore, the banning of any component of a firearm will drastically reduce the innovation and research abilities of Virginia gun manufacturers to improve and make firearms safer. It is already a federal offense to manufacture a machine gun, those who do, know they are breaking the law, and will continue to do so no matter what. The job providers and GDP of the state will be forever tarnished by the inclusion of HB22 into our states law books. For an auto seat to be installed into a fire control group, it requires a level of precision and accuracy that the person doing it could surly simply manufacture one with simple tools. The ones who do so legally will have to either rely on unsafe, untested, and home made sears to further the development of safety ensuring mechanics in a fire arm. The passing of either of these bills would be a huge blow on the image of Virginia and the rights that we as Americans are god given. Please consider the nations in the world who had their gun rights stripped from them, only to me invaded and subsequently unprepared for the defense of their nation, foreign or domestic. Their governments then rushed to get them the appropriate measures to defend their homeland, while simultaneously lacking any level of previous training, experience or knowledge of the weapons they then had to rely on to ensure their pursuit of freedom and happiness.
The Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
The end of solitary confinement must be done My son was murdered in solitary confinement at Red Onion Prison in Pound Va on 1/3/22.
The Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
I SUPPORT this common sense legislation to make our communities safer. This is my number one issue.
In support of the bills checked above for safer communities .
Our Constitution does not provide citizens with privileges. It establishes a government with checks and balances and specifically limits the governments ability to remove the rights of its people. In regards to the matter at hand, it specifically says the the government cannot place limitations on the right of a citizen to keep and bear arms. Before I get the typical response, I know you are already aware that the phrase "well regulated" specifically refers to an being trained and ready to bear said arms. The language at the time did not use the term "regulated" as we do with modern regulations. It has been proven in the courts repeatedly that the laws you are currently considering are unconstitutional. Of this I am sure you are already aware. By spending time and tax dollars discussing laws that you know to be unconstitutional, you are in fact wasting time and tax dollars that could be spent on productive issues. I can only assume your intent is to intentionally waste time, and force members of the firearms industry to waste money on legal fees defending the constitution you have sworn to uphold. Please consider actual data and actual facts when considering gun legislation. No data supports the claim the "assault weapon" bans actually reduce gun related crime. More guns are being purchased now than ever before, yet now that the latest FBI data has been released, we can see that gun related crimes have not increased. Also, like every year that the FBI has released data, so called "assault weapons" make up a very small portion of all gun crimes. For your general knowledge the term "assault weapon" was first coined by Adolf Hitler. He renamed one of their new automatic firearms, the Sturmgewehr, because he felt that the name "assault weapon" would strike fear in allied forces. This is also the exact reason the gun control community uses this term as well. The fact is that these firearms are not fully automatic and cannot be made so without a high degree of machining skills and mechanical knowhow. Plus doing so is already illegal. The fact is the Biden's latest gun control act has not been equally enforced. It was supposed to provide additional support for school security and mental health services. It was supposed to provide stronger punishments for those cought breaking existing gun laws. It was supposed to allow FFL's to use the NICS system to check employees. It was supposed to allow FFL's to be able to instantly check inventory or potential purchase/trades by their serial number to determine if the firearm has been stolen or used in any crimes. None of these provisions have been acted upon or enforced. Please drop these latest gun control bills. They are unconstitutional and will never pass. Please do not waste your time and our tax dollars on these wasted efforts. Regards, Jonathan Goodman
I have a hard time believing in this day and age, after SCOTUS has made MULTIPLE opinions and decisions in FAVOR of law abiding fire arms owners, that the talk of banning & restriciton IN VIRGINIA, no less, is still a topic for debate. Law abiding gun owners ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. Check the flag! Sic Semper Tyrannis is our motto, and you people are doing everything you can to ensure ALL of VA is NOT adequately represented, tyranny; that we the people go disarmed & at the mercy of criminals WHO DO NOT OBEY LAWS, tyranny; that we the people will be disarmed & dependant upon a government that clearly has forgotten who the governing authority truly is, tyranny; and thats the problem! If we the people, are disarmed, then that means all of you should be as well. No bodygaurds, no police escorts, no firearms of your own. On top of this, all police officers should be disarmed. If we the people can't have protection under our God given, Constitutionally protected RIGHT to keep and bear arms, per James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and many MANY other patriots - then neither should ANY of you!
I support these bills as I believe they take positive steps toward reducing gun violence in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I cannot stomach that my daughters (ages 2 and 4) are growing up in a nation where the top cause of death for the 1-19 age group is gun violence. It must change!
In the interests of public SAFETY, I strongly support the above marked bills.
THe Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
I support these bills.
My name is Jeanne Hanewich and I am submitting comment on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Virginia in support of this bill. Converting a firearm to shoot automatically without requiring manual reload results in a much more dangerous weapon. With this modification one pull of the trigger could shoot 16 rounds. Auto sears are inexpensive to purchase or make on a 3-D printer and should be illegal.
I support this legislation. Please help to protect our children!! My family is from the UK and their kids don’t need to practice active shooter drills. There is no reason our children should be put in danger on a daily basis in this country!!!
I support the above bills checked and hope to see them pass out of committee, as they will help improve public safety. Support: - HB2 - Helmer - HB22 - Jones - HB46 - Bennett-Parker - HB113 - Sullivan - HB173 - Simon - HB362 - McClure - HB454 - Callsen - HB466 - Helmer I Oppose: - HB390 - Griffin - HB395 - Griffin
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. Gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. We believe that gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
My name is Rev. Rachel Sutphin and I live in Earlysville, Virginia. As a pastor, I look forward to the day when swords are turned into plowshares (Isaiah 2:4). For the protection of all life, especially the most vulnerable, including children, I urge you to vote in support of all bills that aim to reduce gun violence. I support HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB 454, and HB466.
The Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
THe Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
THe Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
All these bills violate The Bill of Rights. If you violate The Second Amendment, you violate the Bill of Rights.
Every gun law is an infringement. In addition, I also oppose HB22 because it oversteps by making legally owned and extremely expensive auto sears illegal. The bill needs to clearly exempt such lawfully owned auto sears. The wording implies it does, but the federal code sections quoted are incorrect.
The Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
I'm a volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and I support this bill.
HB46 - Firearm; transfers to another person from a prohibited person.
Law abiding citizens should not be punished for exercising their constitutional rights. Bill HB2 causes half of the state to become felons, just for exercising their rights to own firearms. HB1424 is unconstitutional because nothing in the second amendment says anything about having to have a license to own a gun. SB522 , similarly to HB1424 , is unconstitutional. The second amendment states that the right to bear arms shall not be infringed. People shouldn’t have to take a training course to own a gun. It’s your right to bear arms without government approval, or having to take a training course. It forces you to give up your ability to exercise your own rights. SB57 causes law abiding people to be in danger of criminals coming into a restaurant with a gun and not being able to defend themselves. SB327 once again is unconstitutional. The second amendment says nothing about an age restriction on any type of firearm. SB273 is unconstitutional because nothing states that you have to wait a certain amount of time to own a firearm. SB2 , just like HB2, shouldn’t cause law abiding people to not be able to own an “Assault weapon” or ammunition for an “Assault weapon”; because the second amendment doesn’t prohibit any style of firearm or ammunition from being sold or possessed.
I am opposed to all of these unconstitutional and anit-american gun laws and regulations. There is no room for more gun laws and regulations in this state.
Contrary to how certain government officials treat it, the second amendment is written using plain, easy to understand language, and insists that government has no right to take away the right for ordinary people like us to defend ourselves, as the constitution and bill of rights do not simply give people rights, but protects them from government manipulation and control. It’s incredibly disappointing and a tragedy that people choose to commit acts of violence with these rights, but restricting those who wish to exercise their rights peaceably due to those who wouldn’t follow these rules in the first place is incredibly naive. I, as well as every other person in the United States, deserve to protect my family with the best technology available. While some people look at certain defense weapon setups as a “why do you need that” situation, 1) I have the right to defend myself with the best tool available, and so I will choose that every time, 2) why do you “need” anything other than basic necessities (fast car, Gucci clothes, etc)? The government has no place in deciding what I “need”, 3) people with the intent to harm will not care what laws govern peaceful people, so what would limiting the victim’s access to proper tools do? You may think that by “banning” or otherwise restricting access to a certain thing would mean that all of the “bad” things would magically go away, but they will not. Evil has always and will always exist, and I have every right to defend myself from it using the best tool available wherever I, or my family, choose to go. Restricting access on certain properties (the government isn’t actively protecting me everywhere), requiring certain training (who is paying for this?), limiting certain types of firearms (go ahead and define “assault weapon” in plain language please), and restricting ammo purchasing (I thought you wanted us to train; how does this help then?) are all means that end up hurting the average person and helping those who wish to hurt others, as the rest of us will be left in a position to insufficiently defend ourselves. I urge you to understand that while, yes, it is awful that evil people commit horrific acts, this right ultimately allows me to protect myself and my family from these evil people as well and as evil will always exist (we certainly like to delusion ourselves into believing that we live in a utopia, but we do not), I will protect my family accordingly. The government has no right to restrict this. Leave the peaceful citizens alone, more firmly punish those who hurt others, and help communities where this is an issue to prevent the upbringing of more evil people.
I oppose these bills that are attacking the rights of law-abiding gun owners.
Please stop trying to make criminals of law abiding citizens who just want to protect themselves. Me and my partner have recently become firearm owners because of situations that have arisen in our day to day lives, such as harassment of my wife almost to the point of altercation, sketchy characters waiting in front of our door/ducking in and out of our bushes at all times of the night, people breaking into cars in the neighborhood etc (many times the police/security were called only to arrive 45mins to an hour later). with many of these nonsensical bills you condemn us to allowing any possible violence to happen to us without a chance of defending our selves. Instead of helping fix the problem, you seek to make criminals out of any Virginian who has followed the law and legal purchased a firearm. Shame on you. I am Virginian native and since I was 18 I voted leaning blue in local and state elections you all are making me think this was a mistake. I am not proud of Virginia “progressives” who would rather strip my wife of her chance and right to defend her self rather than try to address the root of crime. Don’t make law abiding people criminals. Do some actual work and address the criminals! 2 of the proposed bills would make in illegal to bring your concealed firearm into a restaurant and another makes it a crime to have the firearm in your vehicle…. Like really? This is literally just to fill jails and strip people of their rights.
These bills infringe on the rights of the United States citizens given to us by the second amendment. The only thing these bills will accomplish will take the firearms out of the hands of law abiding citizens, while criminals will still have access.
I do not support any bill that removes any right from law abiding citizens to protect themselves from those who WILL NOT abide by these laws. These laws ONLY give CRIMINALS the upper hand.
There are approximately 47 bills regarding gun control between the House and Senate. Rather than fix issues that actually protect and enhance the lives of Virginians, many of these bills seek to disenfranchise and reduce the safety of the citizens in this great Commonwealth. Firearms are so fundamental to the founding and continued existence of our free society that they are listed just second to the freedom of speech in amendments to the constitution. It is plainly clear to all that countries and states who have banned or severely restricted firearms that violence does not end with their banning. Unjust deaths are not prevented. It simply ensures that law abiding citizens are left defenseless from those that wish to harm them, whether that be individuals or an organization. I write this knowing that it will be completely disregarded by the bills authors, but in hopes that others feel galvanized to speak up against unjust actions made in the name of progress. To those who wish to protect themselves with firearms while simultaneously stripping them from the common man, may you take heed of the Virginia state motto.
A lot of these laws contradict one another. I can’t support them. Both of our parties have failed us.
Stop trying to strip 2nd Amendment rights from law abiding citizens with a constitutional right to own and carry firearms. Not a single one of these laws/bills you’re trying to enact would have stopped any of the mass shootings we’ve seen.
I oppose all of these blatantly unconstitutional bills and wish our elected officials would actually get to work on fixing things that matter to Virginians.
There is no acceptable reason to infringe upon the Constitutionally-protected (both US and Virginia's Constitutions) rights of Americans and Virginians. None of these bills purported to reduce gun-related violence actually seem to prioritize the reduction of causal effects of overall violence. Many of these are merely attempts to curb the rights of the People to keep and bear arms, because our legislative bodies are full of corrupt, weak, and contemptible individuals. Show us the bills for addressing the root causes of violence: mental health, income inequality, social instability, lack of education and educational opportunities, drug & human trafficking, or employment & wages (this list is not all-inclusive).
Time and time again it has been proven that criminals do not care about or follow restrictive firearm laws. Virginia already has some of the most restrictive firearms laws in the country ("B+" rating from Giffords), more unconstitutional infringements upon law abiding citizens is not the answer. We need to address the root causes (access to mental health resources for example) and not throw bandaids at it by punishing responsible, law abiding, gun owners. I oppose these bills and urge you to do the same.
As a fellow Democrat, it’s important to acknowledge the complexities surrounding gun ownership and the Second Amendment. 1. Self-Defense: Firearms can be a crucial tool for individuals to protect themselves, especially in high-crime areas or situations where law enforcement response times are slow. 2. Sport and Recreation: Many Americans enjoy shooting sports like hunting, skeet shooting, and target practice as a recreational activity, fostering a sense of community and skill-building. 3. Cultural Tradition: Gun ownership is deeply ingrained in American culture, with a rich history of hunting and marksmanship passed down through generations. 4. Economic Impact: The firearms industry contributes significantly to the economy, generating jobs and revenue through manufacturing, sales, and related services. 5. Civil Liberties: Upholding the right to bear arms is fundamental to preserving individual freedoms and safeguarding against government overreach. 6. Empowerment of Marginalized Communities: For historically marginalized groups, owning firearms can serve as a means of empowerment and protection against hate crimes or discriminatory violence. 7. Emergency Preparedness: In times of natural disasters or civil unrest, responsible gun owners can help maintain order and protect their families and communities. 8. Deterrence of Crime: Research suggests that the presence of armed civilians can deter potential criminals and reduce overall crime rates in certain contexts. 9. Veterans and Law Enforcement: Many veterans and law enforcement officers transition to civilian life with a continued appreciation for firearms, utilizing their expertise for civilian defense and security. 10. Balanced Approach: Instead of blanket gun control measures, we can advocate for comprehensive solutions that address root causes of violence, such as mental health support, poverty reduction, and community intervention programs.
I oppose the proposed firearms legislation put forward by this legislature and any legislation that violates the 1st, 2nd, and 4th, amendment rights of any Virginian. The desire for safer communities, a more united nation, and healing for our public health is something that we all can share in but these bills do not achieve that. Rather, they regulate and penalize. They unconstitutionally restrict the rights of the many in the name of safety and serve only to harm our rights. I would be doing a disservice to our state and my fellow citizens if I did not also provide potential solutions or remedies to the violence we face. First, we as communities need to promote voluntary storage facilities for those who are experiencing hardship and are concerned about suicide. Ideally making it easier to put firearms safely out of reach when suicide risks are greater. To do this it would need to be a system at the lowest level with minimum government involvement besides funding and partnership with local ranges. We would also need to reach out to those in our lives who are in a bad place and encourage the use of these facilities. Second, we should promote a culture of safe handling and respect for firearms through school courses and community organizations because assault weapons or not suicide, or accidents only take one bullet from a single action firearm. Lastly and more broadly we should focus on the issues surrounding the violence. Whether it is drugs and organized criminal activity or the mental health crisis as it has become known we should be working to fix these issues first. I.e. legalize weed, adapt police training, and push to root out organized crime, promote common social values and family cohesion, increase freedom, physical activity, and discipline in the school system.
These firearms bill are either redundant or unless in any meaningful way. If you care about reducing violence, please focus on criminals. Please stop trying to disarm families and law abiding citizen from protecting themselves.
I am a liberal through and through, I believe in individual rights and the opportunity for prosperity for all. I vote democrat because I care about my community, the rights of minorities, and women’s rights. The proposed legislation limiting the ability of free, law abiding citizens to purchase firearms, carry, and general use should not be limited further. I have witnessed violence at the hands of criminals, some later caught and it was shown that they did not legally acquire these firearms. The proposed legislation will effectively stop those who abide by the laws of Virginia from being able to properly protect themselves. It is known that police will not protect you, and they have no legal obligation to do so. This puts us at a dilemma, it’s either blindly trust the police to protect us and our families or have the ability to protect ourselves. I am not advocated for looser gun laws by any means, but I am advocating for more common sense gun laws. What do I mean by this you may ask? Well I mean background checks are a must and proper certification to conceal carry. I am a former Marine, I was a firefighter, and am a current student at a great university in our nations capital. I like to think I am reasonable in my thinking, but after looking and reading the propositions I checked above, I can’t help but feel betrayed by my own party. There is more than 5 guns for every American in this country. Gun control must target the people who do not follow the law and try to prevent violence from occurring, and the proposed legislation above does not help in that manner. I am hopeful that you will read this and reconsider the language in the legislation and I am even more hopeful that I can protect my family as necessary. I will always vote for progress but that’s not to say that I will always vote against my interests. Locally, crime has been on the rise and I have had to deal with it directly with little to no help from the police. I will (to the fullest extent of the law) protect myself as necessary from anyone who wishes to inflict harm on myself or family, and I hope you see that the average citizen in Virginia can not afford a security detail or rely on our police for protection. Thank you and have a great day.
Please stop infringing on our god given right, protected by the constitution of the United States (which you all have sworn to uphold and protect), to keep and bear arms. Responsible gun owners are not the problem in America’s gun violence epidemic. We follow the law. Criminals don’t. We use our firearms to protect ourselves, loved ones, and community. Chipping away at this right we have makes us more vulnerable to becoming victims of gun violence, not protect us from it. These laws only serve to empower those with evil intentions. Rather, might I suggest harsher penalties for those who commit senseless acts of violence with firearms instead of going after the good men and women of the commonwealth who wish only to use their firearms for lawful purposes.
Dear House of Delegates, I'm writing to you today as a concerned citizen. The introduction of bills aimed at heavily regulating firearms, is not warranted or wanted by the people of Virginia. Our nation stands at a crossroads, where the desire to address gun violence intersects with the constitutional rights affirmed by the Supreme Court. The Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms is not just a legal directive but a reflection of our commitment to individual freedom. In this context, the proposed regulations, while motivated by a commendable desire to reduce violence, raise significant concerns about their effectiveness and the potential consequences for law-abiding citizens. Research, including findings published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, suggests that the relationship between strict gun laws and the reduction of gun violence is not as straightforward as one might hope. Cities with stringent gun regulations continue to face challenges with gun-related crimes, indicating that those intent on violence often find ways to circumvent the law. This reality prompts us to question whether new restrictions will achieve their intended goal or merely place additional burdens on those who seek firearms for legitimate purposes, including self-defense. Moreover, the abundance of firearms in the United States presents a logistical challenge to the enforcement of such regulations. With more guns than people in the country, the task of significantly reducing the availability of firearms to criminals, without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens, is daunting. It is within this complex landscape that I urge you to consider the broader implications of the proposed gun control measures. The parallels drawn with other contentious issues, such as the regulation of women's healthcare, highlight the potential for policy decisions to inadvertently infringe upon individual freedoms and deepen societal divisions. Such outcomes not only detract from the intended goals of enhancing public safety but also risk alienating segments of the population whose support is essential for the advancement of our collective well-being. I respectfully ask that you consider the potential consequences of the proposed gun control measures, not just for the immediate future but for the legacy we leave for generations to come. It is my hope that, together, we can find a way to address the challenges of gun violence in a manner that honors our values, respects our freedoms, and genuinely enhances the safety and well-being of our communities.
STOP INFRINGING OUR RIGHTS. Get rid of every single gun control bill that is here and START ENFORCING THE LAWS WE ALREADY HAVE. Stop trying to turn law abiding citizens into criminals. I am disgusted that all of these nonsense bills have even made it this far. You can have these laws in Northern Virginia where everyone hates guns but don’t force this garbage into the rest of the state. GET RID OF ALL OF THIS GARBAGE and keep your noses out of everyone’s business. More government is not the answer.
Virginia already has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation. We can all agree violence is an issue but making more unconstitutional, on a national and state level, gun laws will not help with the rates of violent crimes and property crimes as we see from states with stricter gun laws. We need to increase access to mental health and community resources to address the root causes of issues rather than criminalizing responsible gun owners. I am opposed to this attack on the second amendment which is the fundamental backbone that protects the other freedoms guranteed in the constitution.
The second amendment is very clear in its intent that these rights “shall not be infringed”. Removing/ restricting law abiding citizens right to self defense and protection against unwitting organizations and persons is not only more harmful, but a clear violation of the rights this country was founded on.
Dear Honorable Members of the House of Delegates, I write to you today as a concerned citizen, deeply invested in the well-being and safety of our communities, and as someone who values the principles upon which our nation was founded. The issue at hand, the introduction of bills aimed at heavily regulating firearms, is one that I believe warrants a thoughtful reconsideration in light of its broader implications. Our nation stands at a crossroads, where the desire to address gun violence intersects with the constitutional rights affirmed by the Supreme Court. The Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms is not just a legal directive but a reflection of our commitment to individual freedom. In this context, the proposed regulations, while motivated by a commendable desire to reduce violence, raise significant concerns about their effectiveness and the potential consequences for law-abiding citizens. Research, including findings published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, suggests that the relationship between strict gun laws and the reduction of gun violence is not as straightforward as one might hope. Cities with stringent gun regulations continue to face challenges with gun-related crimes, indicating that those intent on violence often find ways to circumvent the law. This reality prompts us to question whether new restrictions will achieve their intended goal or merely place additional burdens on those who seek firearms for legitimate purposes, including self-defense. Moreover, the abundance of firearms in the United States presents a logistical challenge to the enforcement of such regulations. With more guns than people in the country, the task of significantly reducing the availability of firearms to criminals, without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens, is daunting. It is within this complex landscape that I urge you to consider the broader implications of the proposed gun control measures. The parallels drawn with other contentious issues, such as the regulation of women's healthcare, highlight the potential for policy decisions to inadvertently infringe upon individual freedoms and deepen societal divisions. Such outcomes not only detract from the intended goals of enhancing public safety but also ***risk alienating segments of the population whose support is essential for the advancement of our collective well-being.*** Constituents see this robust effort to "see what sticks" as a weakness within our party. Comparatively imbalanced with the diverse range of issues and concerns that we face everyday. A waste. As we move forward, I encourage you to approach this issue with a balanced perspective, one that recognizes the need for effective strategies to combat gun violence while also safeguarding the constitutional rights and freedoms that define our nation. The path to meaningful change is complex, requiring a nuanced understanding of the issues at hand and a commitment to policies that truly serve the best interests of all our citizens. In closing, I respectfully ask that you consider the potential consequences of the proposed gun control measures, not just for the immediate future but for the legacy we leave for generations to come. It is my hope that, together, we can find a way to address the challenges of gun violence in a manner that honors our values, respects our freedoms, and genuinely enhances the safety and well-being of our communities.
You guys need to stop attacking our 2nd amendment and get help for these kids growing up with identity crisis’s . You coming after law abiding citizens is appalling and the fact that your leaning towards becoming the despicable state of California is saddening. If the president can have security which uses firearms that even the normal civilian can’t have this raises the issue of how can a civilian defend against a tyrannical government with a featureless 10 round ar-15 ? Keep this up and we know exactly what your end goal is.
As a left leaning voter and citizen of Virginia, these new restrictions on our right to bear arms are sickening. Stop proposing so many bans and limits, and maybe a realistic bill, like the safe credit, won’t be universally protested. If you actually want to quell gun violence, keep focused on affordable mental and physical healthcare, improving the education system, and reducing income inequality. While the right may not support these real improvements, I cannot in good faith support or vote for any politician who supports banning or restricting the rights of law abiding citizens in our beautiful commonwealth. Thank you.
The 2nd amendment states "shall not be infringed". All of these bills are infringement and are therefore unconstitutional. Should we pass laws that people must pass a test before they can have freedom of speech? What about pass a test before you can vote? What about if someone does not have training they will be slaves again? Name one other right outlined in the constitution where a citizen has to jump through hoops before they can use that right? I oppose all of these bills as they will do more harm than good. I can understand wanting to keep people safe but gun control does the opposite. These bills will only make it harder for law abiding citizens to exercise their rights while criminals will still ignore the law. Criminals will still get illegal guns or weapons and will commit more crimes since they know the public is unable to defend themselves. Benjamin Franklin once said: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." You writing bills saying "give up your rights and guns and we will protect you". Well ask the Native Americans how that worked out for them. Ask a Jewish person who was under Nazi control how that worked out for them. Well Hitler's first step was to take away the guns from the public so they could not protect themselves and over 6 million people lost their lives. Since you do not know history you are writing bills which will doom us to repeat it. You know 75 years ago when you could just buy a gun in a catalog and it was shipped to your house we did not have this issue. In the 60s and 70s when people would have a gun in their truck at school or take one in for show and tell we did not have a gun issue. This is a mental health issue. Deal with mental health and you will fix the public safety issue. Zero of my guns have killed people because guns do not kill people. People kill people. Look at Ukraine and Israel for just one form of example why we need LESS gun control. All of these gun laws are unconstitutional and should be thrown out. Do the right thing and let us law abiding citizens have their rights as outlined in the constitution. Do not pass laws which infringe on our rights. If the 2nd amendment falls, the 1st will follow . When the 1st and 2nd fall the 13th will fall and our country will be lost and we will be back in chains.
I am very opposed to the vast majority of these bills. I am a legal gun owner with my CHP. Many of these bills heavily restrict my right to bear arms in a legal capacity. I don’t understand why I should be punished for doing everything legally and correctly only to become a felon in the coming months through these legislations
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Whether or not a person chooses to exercise this right is up to them. Otherwise, it shall not be infringed.
I can not, and nobody should, support these unconstitutional laws. THROW THEM ALL OUT.
You guys make it harder and harder to vote Democrat every single cycle. Complete ban on Semi Automatics more or less making the state even stricter towards guns then states like Maryland? I oppose all these even the "herp common sense derp" ones because the states party has made it clear they don't give a crap about anything but putting hollow wins for politicians because hhheeeyyy punishing law abiding gun owners is a whole lot easier then creating jobs or reducing crime. If these bills die before getting to the governors desk, especially the bans, then I will gladly continue to vote DNC. But if Youngkin has to veto these and you make me say something I never thought I would "Thank god Youngkin won" then I look forward to blindly going down the ticket in 2024 and checking "R" on everyone. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
I do not support more legislation infringing on my 2nd Ammendment rights. Please fund more enforcement for the proactive enforcement of existing laws and regulations pertaining to firearms.
I oppose this legislation.
The litany of gun control measures under consideration will do nothing to effectively reduce crime and violence, and will only further restrict the rights of law abiding firearms owners. Not to mention the countless examples from other locales across the country where these same measure have been put into place and the result is more violent crime as criminals can now feel safe that the general population is not armed. Strongly oppose all proposed bills.
The ridiculous litany of gun control measures under consideration will do nothing to effectively reduce crime and violence, and will only further restrict the rights of law abiding firearms owners.
We dont need MORE laws regarding firearms, we need to enforce the laws that are already on the books. If enforcement is done then these laws are redundant and not necessary. Don't pass more laws just for the sake of passing laws. They do nothing but make law abiding citizens confused and they dont do anything to stop problems.
I am writing to express my great concern, to the legislatures that continue to ignore their oath of swearing to protect and uphold the rights of the citizens as protected by the United States Constitution and the Virginian Constitution. "The Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms, SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED". You beaurcrats do not grant that right to he people, it is God given. While you grandstand and ateemlt to make laws to hurt the everydayaw abiding American citizen, you turn a way and do nothing in these bills to punish criminals committing crimes. It is already illegal to murder people. To grandstand and think that any of these bills would stop someone from murdering or harming another person is laughable. Quite literally. You pander screaming about these firearm safety bills while you walk around with security and people with "guns" to keep you safe. Start enforcing the existing laws against criminals who commit crimes vs trying to turn law abiding people, who take training, are serious about protection of family, themselves and others, and trying to disarm them and make them criminals. Or we will vote you out! Uphold your Oath or be prepared for the consequences your actions lead to by the American people. Regards Mr. Harris
I know most modern politicians aren’t historians but the Bill of Rights is really simple. If you read that, you’ll also read the 2nd Amendment which is really simple as well. In the same docket you’re trying to give more benefits to police and take away more rights from citizens. You ought to be ashamed. What a farce freedom is anymore.
These anti gun laws are an infringement on all Virginian's 2A rights.
I am opposed to additional new laws or further regulations placed on firearms or other means of self defense, or which limit the ability to conduct commerce or carry such items. Not only does the constitution make it clear this is a violation of my rights, it does nothing to address or reduce the actions of criminals.
I am against all of these blatantly unconstitutional firearms restrictions. I'm strongly against: SB2| Deeds | Assault firearms certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, possession, sale, transfer, etc., prohibited. This tries to ban things that are in common use, which has never worked well for the government, remember Prohibition? Remember the war on drugs? Just like the last assault weapons ban, this will literally just make AR-15s more popular and easier to get illegally. And I am against: HB585 | Mundon King | Home-based firearms dealers; prohibited near schools, penalties. That specifically targets home-based FFLs whose house is somewhere near a school. This would put hundreds of Virginia residents out of business just because of where they live.
All infringements on the second amendment are acts of treason and should be treated as such. Acting in favor of such infringements makes you a traitor to this nation and th commonwealth.
All Virginians want our families to be safe from gun violence. However, passing such broad restrictions on firearms commonly used for self defense is not the answer. The updated definition of assault weapons and the associated prohibitions do little to nothing to stop criminals who are willing to illegally buy or steal firearms. There are plenty of firearms out there for criminals to access, with well over 400 million guns in civilian ownership in the United States. It is too late to round them all up. These bills will disproportionately affect those citizens who go out of their way to follow our commonwealth's laws; the people who are unlikely to commit a violent crime in the first place. The solutions to gun violence that stand a chance at working are community-oriented interventions that decrease poverty, drug use, gang activity, combat mental illness, and advocate for the safe storage of firearms. Sociologists know these factors correlate strongly with ALL types of violence. On average, two-thirds of firearms deaths are suicides, an assault weapons ban won't do a thing about those. Of the remaining 1/3 of firearms homicides, more than half are drug, gang, or domestic violence related. Let's pass bipartisan legislation that addresses these underlying problems, instead of preventing average Virginians from protecting themselves with firearms that are already ubiquitous.
I am Opposed to any limitations on the Second Amendment and any restrictive firearm laws. We have adequate, if not already overbearing, laws on the books now and should not be creating more laws restricting all the aspects of firearm use, sales, and any other aspects of the right to bear arms.
These firearm laws are mostly reactionary to the media response on firearms. This is a major infringement on the 2nd amendment and needs to be stopped.
An inordinate focus on the control of firearms only serves to infringe the rights of the law-abiding citizen in defense of his life and property. The State should instead focus on the apprehension and incarceration of individuals engaging in criminal behavior and associated misuse of firearms.
Any law that infringes on my Gods-given right to own and bear arms is UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Any law passed that infringes this right will be answered with a lawsuit.
Hello. There are a plethora of bills that were proposed, which would clearly violate the second amendment rights of many law abiding citizens. First of all, considering concealed carry should be permit-less carry, it is counterproductive to increase the requirements for concealed carry. Restrictions on where law abiding citizens can lawfully carry their now “permitted” firearms is asinine, as well as the proposition of a bill that would make it a penalty to leave a firearm in your car. You would essentially be disarming a large number of people who wish to follow these unlawful order in a day and age where the democratic agenda is to act like there are mass shootings on a daily basis. Effectively disarming the majority and increasing the requirements and legal loopholes to carry is such a vulnerable state to be in and I hope we’re smart enough to avoid that. Restrictions on “Plastic firearms and unfinished frames etc” is not only terrible literature that does nothing to explain, but it is a direct violation of the 2nd amendment considering you have a federal right to make firearms for personal use, which would include additively manufactured parts. Wait periods are also a horrifying thing to think of, considering how many times it has been proven to be a terrible idea, keeping guns out of the hands that need them most to protect themselves and their families. “Assault firearms” and anything to do with them is nonsense considering the blatant inability to define said “assault weapon”. People who don’t understand guns, shouldn’t be making laws on guns. A shorter barrel does not make it more lethal, in fact it lowers the muzzle velocity, causing less force on impact and penetration, in turn causing less collateral damage. Any sort of “assault weapons” bills are targeting law abiding citizens who have every right to use the modern advances in firearm technology just as police officers and military. The only people these bills are effecting are the already law abiding citizens. The criminals who got their hands on said weapons illegally aren’t going to be making sure that their ALREADY ILLEGAL WEAPONS are fully compliant with state laws and regulations before they go commit another crime. In no way shape or form should someone need to disadvantage themselves in a life or death situation because political members with an armed security detail don’t feel the need for a gun. Why would I want to limit myself to a firearm that is going to be inadequate in home defense, or one that does not have a high enough capacity to protect myself from the ever growing threat of home invasion and the increased trend of multiple home invaders breaking in armed. If it was you alone in your house with 6 armed intruders who most definitely must have checked their local laws and firearm regulations and made sure their firearms aren’t violating any rules before they break into your house, would you want to limit yourself to a low capacity firearm that is going to be extremely difficult to use effectively in a high stress situation, or are you taking a rifle which for reasons that don’t make sense, must have a 16 inch barrel, with a larger capacity magazine, and a stock that you can use to safely brace the firearm to prevent stray shots and provide more accurate fire. Personally I’m going to take anything and everything I can get in a situation that means life or death for me and my loved ones EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK. Focus on the mental health crisis.
These laws are mostly going to effect law abiding citizens like myself and all the people I know. WHEN HAVE CRIMINALS FOLLOWED LAWS??? The only thing these criminals that commit gun related offenses is some kind of force of action. Why are you going to try to take our 2nd Amendment Rights away from people who follow the laws and love our great country? We should be focusing on increasing penalties against those who commit the crimes. Stop focusing on the law abiding citizens and focus on the criminals that are terrorizing all of our towns. Our government is letting millions and millions of unknown people in our country without having a clue what kind of person they are. I'm sure most are good people like you and me but not all of them are. We need our guns to be able to protect ourselves, our families, our neighbors, and our country if needed. Our founding fathers have it right and put a lot of thoughts into our constitution and bill of rights. I thought Democrats were about equality and the working man/woman. If you all want good for us law abiding citizens, work together, make compromises, and start doing your duty. We do not need more "big government" taking more rights. What we need is a closed border so we can fight this drug crisis. Slow the flow of drugs and these gangs fall apart. Once they fall apart maybe these shootings would slow down. Please do the right thing and do not sign these gun bills. All this woke crap is ruining our country. Y'all need to please make changes and focus on what's going to help all of us not just the minority.
Gun laws do not prevent firearm homicides, based upon gun control organization's own data (Giffords) •No correlation between strict gun laws and firearm homicide incidents •.07 coefficient of determination (AKA R2) where .90 is a strong association •There likely would be a weak association showing gun laws driving the firearm homicide rate higher if Washington, DC was given a score and ranked by Giffords.
Hello, The right to own and bear firearms is intrinsic in the very nature of the founding of the United States. We must remember the spirit of the 2nd Amendment and the right of all civilians to own and bear arms. Firearms are the great equalizer and can allow and individual to defend themselves when they previously could not. Gun violence and the mental health epidemic are closely interlinked and one cannot pass restrictive firearm laws and expect gun violence to go away. Gun bans and the use of restrictive purchasing requirements, magazine limits, waiting periods, and red flag laws have been shown not to be effective in stemming gun violence. I urge anybody reading this message to say "NO" to 2nd Amendment restrictions.
I strongly, along with many fellow Virginians oppose any villainous disarmament bills disguised as "public safety". The second amendment clearly states "SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED" and out of touch elitist politicians who enjoy the luxury of armed security are choosing to ignore the constitution and force us to rely on sub-par police protection. The same people who want to defund the police want to disarm us. Embracing the second amendment is what is keeping our crime rates low compared to New York and California. We have seen the blatant disregard that criminals have for these so-called laws; emboldened criminals who are not afraid of the consequences and innocent law-abiding people who are forced to live in fear because a bunch of tyrants are letting power corrupt them. I do not want to live in fear and neither do the rest of us. In addition; a lot of counties and cities have declared themselves as second amendment sanctuaries to protect the rights of free individuals from the overreach of tyrannical politicians. These bills are a Trojan horse that will lead to more crime. You anti-gun politicians should be ashamed of yourselves; give up your private security and train yourselves. Then you will change your minds; because in the end, nobody is coming to save you. I would rather have a fighting chance against armed assailants than die waiting for help to arrive. These bills are pure evil
I'm against any unconstitutional law, and any law that strips Americans of their rights. These laws are an attack on the 2nd ammendment and hold NO facts in stopping crime. They are a punishment on law abiding people and in no way will make virginia a safer place.
I oppose all these unconstitutional, dangerous, and pointless laws.
HB113 | Sullivan | Handguns; possession, purchase, or transportation by persons convicted of certain drug offenses. HB1174 | Sickles | Assault firearms; age requirement for purchase, penalty. HB1195 | Hayes | Firearms; waiting period for purchases, penalty. HB12 | Jones | Handguns; firearm locking device required for sale or transfer, child safety warning required. HB1235 | Zehr | Concealed handguns; protective orders. HB1424 | Hope | Firearms; valid permit to purchase, penalties. HB1462 | Laufer | Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; civil penalty. HB158 | McClure | Firearm locking device; required for sale or transfer of firearm. HB16 | Garrett | Firearm or explosive material; carrying within Capitol Square and the surrounding area, etc. HB173 | Simon | Plastic firearms and unfinished frames, etc.; manufacture, import, etc. prohibited, penalties. HB175 | Simon | Assault firearms; carrying in public areas prohibited, penalty. HB183 | Simon | Firearms; storage in residence where minor or person prohibited from possessing is present, penalty. HB2 | Helmer | Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, sales, transfers, etc., prohibited. HB22 | Jones | Auto sears; definition, prohibition on manufacture, importation, sale, etc., penalty. HB270 | Reid | Commonwealth Comprehensive Gun Safety Program; established, etc. HB319 | Helmer | Firearms instructors & safety prog.; removes reference to NRA & U.S. Concealed Carry Assoc. in Code. HB35 | Clark | Firearm safety device; expands definition of device. HB351 | Clark | Firearm; locking device required for purchase, households where minor resides, penalty. HB362 | McClure | Firearms; purchase, etc., following an assault and battery against an intimate or dating partner. HB454 | Callsen | Firearm/explosive material; carrying w/in Capitol Square or bldg. owned or leased by Commonwealth. HB46 | Bennett-Parker | Firearm; transfers to another person from a prohibited person. HB466 | Helmer | Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states. HB791 | Henson | Pneumatic guns; Class 6 felony to possess. HB797 | Hope | Concealed handguns; demonstrated competence for a permit, firearms instructors and safety programs. HB798 | Hope | Firearms; purchase, possession, etc., following an assault and battery or stalking violation. HB799 | Hope | Concealed handgun permit applications; fingerprints required by local governments. HB861 | Hernandez | Weapons; carrying into hospital that provides mental health services. HB945 | Lopez | Firearm safety device; expands definition of device. SB100 | Ebbin | Plastic firearms and unfinished frames, etc.; manufacture, import, etc. prohibited, penalties. SB2 | Deeds | Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, possession, sale, transfer, etc., prohibited. SB210 | Perry | Auto sears; prohibition on manufacture, importation, sale, etc., penalty. SB273 | Subramanyam | Firearms; waiting period for purchases, penalty. I oppose all these bills.
I oppose this bill as it seeks to infringe on the Consitutionally proctected rights of lawabiding citizens to protect themselves from criminals, criminals who do not follow the law. This bill makes it harder for someone to keep themselves safe and is primarily a solution in search of problems to fix. Virginia has one of the lowest crime rates in the country and even less gun related crimes being committed year over year. This is not due to gun control laws, in fact as gun control laws increase, s o does the rate of violent crimes. Criminals are not afraid of police, they are afraid of armed citizens. The subject of this bill has already been defeated in courts, passing this into law will only subject the Commonwealth to more lawsuits to have it repealed costing us more in taxes. Enough of our taxpayers money has been wasted in politicians attempting to pass "feel good" bills to try and prove they are doing their job. I urge the legistature to focus on enforcing and imposing stricter penalties for those that break our exsiting laws over creating new laws that only serve to pe nalize the law abiding citizens.
I oppose this bill as it is written. ---This section needs to be better defined in the bill: "It is unlawful for any person who is subject to (i) a protective order entered pursuant to § 16.1-253.1, 16.1-253.4, 16.1-278.2, 16.1-279.1, 19.2-152.8, 19.2-152.9, or 19.2-152.10; (ii) an order issued pursuant to subsection B of § 20-103; (iii) an order entered pursuant to subsection D of § 18.2-60.3; (iv) a preliminary protective order entered pursuant to subsection F of § 16.1-253 where a petition alleging abuse or neglect has been filed; or (v) an order issued by a tribunal of another state, the United States or any of its territories, possessions, or commonwealths, or the District of Columbia pursuant to a statute that is substantially similar to those cited in clauses (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) to purchase or transport any firearm while the order is in effect..." . ---What constitutes a "protective order" must be specified and examples provided in this bill, not referenced outside this bill. The legal specifications and particularities of "protective order" must be specified in this bill itself as this bill pertains to disarming a person of their firearms and forcing them to provide the aforementioned firearms to another person of a minimum age beyond simply being an adult. This bill is very particular in specifying the execution of its contents, so it is reasonable to expect the bill should also be particular in identifying what constitutes a "protective order" in circumstances pertinent to this bill. A person could be under "protective order" without any sort of trial by a jury of their peers and then their ability to own/carry firearms is taken from them. This could be used as a tool against innocent and law-abiding citizens wherein an elected official or person in position of power determines that an individual is a danger (whether for legitimate reasons or not) and then finds a way to issue a "protective order" against that individual without them knowing why or being provided a chance to defend themselves and plead their case in front of a jury of their peers. ---The individual who has to give up their firearms should be able to give it up to someone who is 18 years or older. If you can be drafted/enlist into the US military at 18 and be sent to different countries while utilizing a firearm to enforce the will of the US Government, then you are old enough to hold the firearms of a person under a protective order or convicted of assault and battery. As I write this comment, the US is likely to get involved in some sort of military conflict with Iran. The possibility of a military draft gets greater every day, as our military suffers from low recruiting and low retention rates *and* the US faces greater military threats abroad. If our Country trusts 18 year-olds enough to fight on behalf of our Country utilizing all sorts of firearms and military-grade weapons....then we can trust an 18 year-old to hold the firearms of a person in need. If we expect 18 year-olds to fight & die for our Country, surely we can trust them to hold the firearms of individuals under "protective orders".
I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I support the following bills: HB1174, HB1181, HB1195, HB12, HB1424, HB1462, HB158, HB175, HB183, HB23, HB270, HB318, HB319, HB351, HB362, HB585, HB602, HB637, HB791, HB797, HB798, HB799, HB861, HB916, & HB945 I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I oppose these bills: HB1030, HB1141, HB1198, HB1230, HB1235, HB1321, HB1325, HB1386, HB289, HB389, HB756, & HB872 Innocent children are dying on our watch. Please do something.
Remember Delegates...you took an Oath to 'Support and Defend the Constitution of the Unites States of America' which includes the 2nd Amendment!
The Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
The end of solitary confinement must be done My son was murdered in solitary confinement at Red Onion Prison in Pound Va on 1/3/22.
There are multiple problems with the bill as written. If a husband and wife co-own a shotgun for home defense, for example, and the husband gets a protective order issued against him, the wife would no longer have access to that co-owned shotgun. That punishes the wife and needlessly endangers her life. There is also the question of not allowing a person 18 to 20-years-old to retain the guns. A person in that age range can legally possess rifles, shotguns, and handguns. Why can’t young adults be used to hold the guns? Cannot Support.
I SUPPORT this common sense legislation to make our communities safer. This is my number one issue.
In support of the bills checked above for safer communities .
Our Constitution does not provide citizens with privileges. It establishes a government with checks and balances and specifically limits the governments ability to remove the rights of its people. In regards to the matter at hand, it specifically says the the government cannot place limitations on the right of a citizen to keep and bear arms. Before I get the typical response, I know you are already aware that the phrase "well regulated" specifically refers to an being trained and ready to bear said arms. The language at the time did not use the term "regulated" as we do with modern regulations. It has been proven in the courts repeatedly that the laws you are currently considering are unconstitutional. Of this I am sure you are already aware. By spending time and tax dollars discussing laws that you know to be unconstitutional, you are in fact wasting time and tax dollars that could be spent on productive issues. I can only assume your intent is to intentionally waste time, and force members of the firearms industry to waste money on legal fees defending the constitution you have sworn to uphold. Please consider actual data and actual facts when considering gun legislation. No data supports the claim the "assault weapon" bans actually reduce gun related crime. More guns are being purchased now than ever before, yet now that the latest FBI data has been released, we can see that gun related crimes have not increased. Also, like every year that the FBI has released data, so called "assault weapons" make up a very small portion of all gun crimes. For your general knowledge the term "assault weapon" was first coined by Adolf Hitler. He renamed one of their new automatic firearms, the Sturmgewehr, because he felt that the name "assault weapon" would strike fear in allied forces. This is also the exact reason the gun control community uses this term as well. The fact is that these firearms are not fully automatic and cannot be made so without a high degree of machining skills and mechanical knowhow. Plus doing so is already illegal. The fact is the Biden's latest gun control act has not been equally enforced. It was supposed to provide additional support for school security and mental health services. It was supposed to provide stronger punishments for those cought breaking existing gun laws. It was supposed to allow FFL's to use the NICS system to check employees. It was supposed to allow FFL's to be able to instantly check inventory or potential purchase/trades by their serial number to determine if the firearm has been stolen or used in any crimes. None of these provisions have been acted upon or enforced. Please drop these latest gun control bills. They are unconstitutional and will never pass. Please do not waste your time and our tax dollars on these wasted efforts. Regards, Jonathan Goodman
I have a hard time believing in this day and age, after SCOTUS has made MULTIPLE opinions and decisions in FAVOR of law abiding fire arms owners, that the talk of banning & restriciton IN VIRGINIA, no less, is still a topic for debate. Law abiding gun owners ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. Check the flag! Sic Semper Tyrannis is our motto, and you people are doing everything you can to ensure ALL of VA is NOT adequately represented, tyranny; that we the people go disarmed & at the mercy of criminals WHO DO NOT OBEY LAWS, tyranny; that we the people will be disarmed & dependant upon a government that clearly has forgotten who the governing authority truly is, tyranny; and thats the problem! If we the people, are disarmed, then that means all of you should be as well. No bodygaurds, no police escorts, no firearms of your own. On top of this, all police officers should be disarmed. If we the people can't have protection under our God given, Constitutionally protected RIGHT to keep and bear arms, per James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and many MANY other patriots - then neither should ANY of you!
I support these bills as I believe they take positive steps toward reducing gun violence in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I cannot stomach that my daughters (ages 2 and 4) are growing up in a nation where the top cause of death for the 1-19 age group is gun violence. It must change!
THe Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
I support these bills.
I support this legislation. Please help to protect our children!! My family is from the UK and their kids don’t need to practice active shooter drills. There is no reason our children should be put in danger on a daily basis in this country!!!
I support the above bills checked and hope to see them pass out of committee, as they will help improve public safety. Support: - HB2 - Helmer - HB22 - Jones - HB46 - Bennett-Parker - HB113 - Sullivan - HB173 - Simon - HB362 - McClure - HB454 - Callsen - HB466 - Helmer I Oppose: - HB390 - Griffin - HB395 - Griffin
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. Gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. We believe that gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
My name is Rev. Rachel Sutphin and I live in Earlysville, Virginia. As a pastor, I look forward to the day when swords are turned into plowshares (Isaiah 2:4). For the protection of all life, especially the most vulnerable, including children, I urge you to vote in support of all bills that aim to reduce gun violence. I support HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB 454, and HB466.
THe Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
THe Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
All these bills violate The Bill of Rights. If you violate The Second Amendment, you violate the Bill of Rights.
Every gun law is an infringement. In addition, I also oppose HB46 because it would take away a firearm from the spouse of a person who is subject to a protective order if that firearm is co-owned. It also restricts the age of who can hold the firearm for the subject of a protection order.
The Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
I'm a volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and I support this bill.
HB103 - Local and Regional Jails, State Board of; powers and duties.
I'm going to preface this by saying all of the below as a middle aged Black military veteran. I'm not involved in a militia and I didn't vote for Trump. I vote for the candidates that best supports me. Both parties have failed me. You ALL are horrible. Regarding both HB11 and HB113, I'd rather not give up any inalienable right, especially if I've been a law-abiding citizen, which I have. I should not have to give up rights, or even jump through hoops to prove I'm qualified because others broke laws. If a person shoots someone (as an example), that person should be held accountable, not folks who were not involved in the crime. Adding layer upon layer of bills to circumvent inalienable rights is wrong. These two bills are needless layers that hurt law-abiding citizens but do nothing to folks that willing violate written law. What other right has so many qualifiers as the 2nd Amendment? The 2nd does not grant citizens the right to bear arms. The 2nd affirms that the right to keep/bear arms is natural and that the government shall not infringe upon that right. If anything, it's telling the people and the government that the right shall not be violated. You all are attempting to further violate that right by adding yet another layer of needless bills. Is there an argument that current laws aren't working? Does the committee discuss why the current laws aren't working and attempt to shore up the gaps by tweaking existing laws (not creating new bills)? As well, in reference to HB11, a knife is an arm, which is covered under the 2nd (right to bear ARMS). Carrying a knife is a protection for most folks (a secondary defense tool, or even a utility tool). If the concern is that someone will use those tools to murder or assault, murder and assault are already against the law. Possession of those tools do not and should not qualify a person to be unlawful, unless that person already has a criminal record or are using the tools in commission of a crime. Intent should always be the driving factor in determining if a person is unlawfully using or possessing the tool. Legislating laws that involve of a tool that is guaranteed as a right by the 2nd is a poor law. Please do better than approving these bills that are in committee. If they are not sound bills, please do not approve them. Voting along party lines does not make bills satisfactory. The context of the bills make bills satisfactory, AFTER determining if the bills don't violate the rights of the citizens. The committee should be striving to protect and defend the Constitutions of the United States and the state of Virgina. Do the right things in doing your job...don't do what is easiest or most popular based on party lines. Do what is proper. I already know the above will fall on deaf ears but thank you for your time.
I oppose all these unconstitutional, dangerous, and pointless laws.
The end of solitary confinement must be done My son was murdered in solitary confinement at Red Onion Prison in Pound Va on 1/3/22.
I support this bill! All the prisons and jails in this state need to be cleansed of corruption! We need more than transparency; we need the individuals paid by our tax dollars to run these facilities to be held accountable when they break the laws or neglect to follow their own SOPs. What's the use for rules if no one is following them? You might as well let the criminals loose because the staff is no better in most prisons and jails.
First we would like to thank Delegate Hope for caring this bill. The Virginia Association of Regional Jails (VARJ) fully supports this bill. As stated in the sub-committee yesterday we believe this bill ensures greater transparency by the Board of Local and Regional Jails. (BLRJ) In addition, this bill ensures that the Board of Local and Regional Jails (BLRJ) clarifies that jails must meet all regulations or jail standards related to having medical and mental health care available including qualified health care providers. The bill also clarifies that the Board of Local and Regional Jails (BLRJ) shall not find a facility's non-health care staff in violation due to the actions or inactions of licensed medical or mental health professionals. This bill is good government. We ask that you please support these important reforms. I will be pleased to answer any questions from the committee.
HB103 would hold the Board of Local and Regional Jails accountable to the same requirements of other agencies promulgating regulations, to use the administrative process and require transparancy and public input. This is even more important for jails because they are responsible for the health and lives of the men and women confined in their facilities. However, the second part of the bill appears to let those same facilities "off the hook" if something goes wrong with an inmate's health or medical care. If an inmate is harmed due to a failure by health care staff, of course the health care staff and their employer should be held responsible. But the jail may be their employer, and even if the jail contracts that service to an outside company, the jail is still responsible for monitoring the contract to ensure services are provided according to standards. Jails are government agencies, and legislating away government responsibility to provide security or health care is not the answer when those services fail.
HB113 - Handguns; possession, purchase, or transportation by persons convicted of certain drug offenses.
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I am opposed to all of these unconstitutional and anit-american gun laws and regulations. There is no room for more gun laws and regulations in this state.
Contrary to how certain government officials treat it, the second amendment is written using plain, easy to understand language, and insists that government has no right to take away the right for ordinary people like us to defend ourselves, as the constitution and bill of rights do not simply give people rights, but protects them from government manipulation and control. It’s incredibly disappointing and a tragedy that people choose to commit acts of violence with these rights, but restricting those who wish to exercise their rights peaceably due to those who wouldn’t follow these rules in the first place is incredibly naive. I, as well as every other person in the United States, deserve to protect my family with the best technology available. While some people look at certain defense weapon setups as a “why do you need that” situation, 1) I have the right to defend myself with the best tool available, and so I will choose that every time, 2) why do you “need” anything other than basic necessities (fast car, Gucci clothes, etc)? The government has no place in deciding what I “need”, 3) people with the intent to harm will not care what laws govern peaceful people, so what would limiting the victim’s access to proper tools do? You may think that by “banning” or otherwise restricting access to a certain thing would mean that all of the “bad” things would magically go away, but they will not. Evil has always and will always exist, and I have every right to defend myself from it using the best tool available wherever I, or my family, choose to go. Restricting access on certain properties (the government isn’t actively protecting me everywhere), requiring certain training (who is paying for this?), limiting certain types of firearms (go ahead and define “assault weapon” in plain language please), and restricting ammo purchasing (I thought you wanted us to train; how does this help then?) are all means that end up hurting the average person and helping those who wish to hurt others, as the rest of us will be left in a position to insufficiently defend ourselves. I urge you to understand that while, yes, it is awful that evil people commit horrific acts, this right ultimately allows me to protect myself and my family from these evil people as well and as evil will always exist (we certainly like to delusion ourselves into believing that we live in a utopia, but we do not), I will protect my family accordingly. The government has no right to restrict this. Leave the peaceful citizens alone, more firmly punish those who hurt others, and help communities where this is an issue to prevent the upbringing of more evil people.
Please stop trying to make criminals of law abiding citizens who just want to protect themselves. Me and my partner have recently become firearm owners because of situations that have arisen in our day to day lives, such as harassment of my wife almost to the point of altercation, sketchy characters waiting in front of our door/ducking in and out of our bushes at all times of the night, people breaking into cars in the neighborhood etc (many times the police/security were called only to arrive 45mins to an hour later). with many of these nonsensical bills you condemn us to allowing any possible violence to happen to us without a chance of defending our selves. Instead of helping fix the problem, you seek to make criminals out of any Virginian who has followed the law and legal purchased a firearm. Shame on you. I am Virginian native and since I was 18 I voted leaning blue in local and state elections you all are making me think this was a mistake. I am not proud of Virginia “progressives” who would rather strip my wife of her chance and right to defend her self rather than try to address the root of crime. Don’t make law abiding people criminals. Do some actual work and address the criminals! 2 of the proposed bills would make in illegal to bring your concealed firearm into a restaurant and another makes it a crime to have the firearm in your vehicle…. Like really? This is literally just to fill jails and strip people of their rights.
Many of these gun laws are unfair to law abiding citizens and do not affect criminals. These gun laws should be vetoed.
Leave law abiding citizens alone.
These bills infringe on the rights of the United States citizens given to us by the second amendment. The only thing these bills will accomplish will take the firearms out of the hands of law abiding citizens, while criminals will still have access.
There are approximately 47 bills regarding gun control between the House and Senate. Rather than fix issues that actually protect and enhance the lives of Virginians, many of these bills seek to disenfranchise and reduce the safety of the citizens in this great Commonwealth. Firearms are so fundamental to the founding and continued existence of our free society that they are listed just second to the freedom of speech in amendments to the constitution. It is plainly clear to all that countries and states who have banned or severely restricted firearms that violence does not end with their banning. Unjust deaths are not prevented. It simply ensures that law abiding citizens are left defenseless from those that wish to harm them, whether that be individuals or an organization. I write this knowing that it will be completely disregarded by the bills authors, but in hopes that others feel galvanized to speak up against unjust actions made in the name of progress. To those who wish to protect themselves with firearms while simultaneously stripping them from the common man, may you take heed of the Virginia state motto.
A lot of these laws contradict one another. I can’t support them. Both of our parties have failed us.
I oppose all of these blatantly unconstitutional bills and wish our elected officials would actually get to work on fixing things that matter to Virginians.
It is obvious these elected officials want you to die at the behest of an anarcho tyrannical state where violent perpetual offenders are off with a slap on the wrist, while YOU tax payer are criminalized for not wanting to be a victim to these perpetual perpetrators. The elected officials funded by big Pro-Death lobby of Giffords and Bloomberg sit in their cushy NOVA HOAd mansions behind security while you plebs go to work everyday to pay their salary. These same officials effectively bribe the police state by giving them a way to pay off a mortgage and boat in exchange for your oppression. YOU citizen must morally oppose these pro-Death bills. Democracy has fallen and its only driven by money hungry Babylonians who swim in excess and delicacy while YOU PLEBS cant even afford milk, eggs or pampers. Remember these people do not hold dominion over you. Call your congressman/woman and CHRIST IS KING!
Time and time again it has been proven that criminals do not care about or follow restrictive firearm laws. Virginia already has some of the most restrictive firearms laws in the country ("B+" rating from Giffords), more unconstitutional infringements upon law abiding citizens is not the answer. We need to address the root causes (access to mental health resources for example) and not throw bandaids at it by punishing responsible, law abiding, gun owners. I oppose these bills and urge you to do the same.
As a fellow Democrat, it’s important to acknowledge the complexities surrounding gun ownership and the Second Amendment. 1. Self-Defense: Firearms can be a crucial tool for individuals to protect themselves, especially in high-crime areas or situations where law enforcement response times are slow. 2. Sport and Recreation: Many Americans enjoy shooting sports like hunting, skeet shooting, and target practice as a recreational activity, fostering a sense of community and skill-building. 3. Cultural Tradition: Gun ownership is deeply ingrained in American culture, with a rich history of hunting and marksmanship passed down through generations. 4. Economic Impact: The firearms industry contributes significantly to the economy, generating jobs and revenue through manufacturing, sales, and related services. 5. Civil Liberties: Upholding the right to bear arms is fundamental to preserving individual freedoms and safeguarding against government overreach. 6. Empowerment of Marginalized Communities: For historically marginalized groups, owning firearms can serve as a means of empowerment and protection against hate crimes or discriminatory violence. 7. Emergency Preparedness: In times of natural disasters or civil unrest, responsible gun owners can help maintain order and protect their families and communities. 8. Deterrence of Crime: Research suggests that the presence of armed civilians can deter potential criminals and reduce overall crime rates in certain contexts. 9. Veterans and Law Enforcement: Many veterans and law enforcement officers transition to civilian life with a continued appreciation for firearms, utilizing their expertise for civilian defense and security. 10. Balanced Approach: Instead of blanket gun control measures, we can advocate for comprehensive solutions that address root causes of violence, such as mental health support, poverty reduction, and community intervention programs.
I oppose the proposed firearms legislation put forward by this legislature and any legislation that violates the 1st, 2nd, and 4th, amendment rights of any Virginian. The desire for safer communities, a more united nation, and healing for our public health is something that we all can share in but these bills do not achieve that. Rather, they regulate and penalize. They unconstitutionally restrict the rights of the many in the name of safety and serve only to harm our rights. I would be doing a disservice to our state and my fellow citizens if I did not also provide potential solutions or remedies to the violence we face. First, we as communities need to promote voluntary storage facilities for those who are experiencing hardship and are concerned about suicide. Ideally making it easier to put firearms safely out of reach when suicide risks are greater. To do this it would need to be a system at the lowest level with minimum government involvement besides funding and partnership with local ranges. We would also need to reach out to those in our lives who are in a bad place and encourage the use of these facilities. Second, we should promote a culture of safe handling and respect for firearms through school courses and community organizations because assault weapons or not suicide, or accidents only take one bullet from a single action firearm. Lastly and more broadly we should focus on the issues surrounding the violence. Whether it is drugs and organized criminal activity or the mental health crisis as it has become known we should be working to fix these issues first. I.e. legalize weed, adapt police training, and push to root out organized crime, promote common social values and family cohesion, increase freedom, physical activity, and discipline in the school system.
These firearms bill are either redundant or unless in any meaningful way. If you care about reducing violence, please focus on criminals. Please stop trying to disarm families and law abiding citizen from protecting themselves.
I am a liberal through and through, I believe in individual rights and the opportunity for prosperity for all. I vote democrat because I care about my community, the rights of minorities, and women’s rights. The proposed legislation limiting the ability of free, law abiding citizens to purchase firearms, carry, and general use should not be limited further. I have witnessed violence at the hands of criminals, some later caught and it was shown that they did not legally acquire these firearms. The proposed legislation will effectively stop those who abide by the laws of Virginia from being able to properly protect themselves. It is known that police will not protect you, and they have no legal obligation to do so. This puts us at a dilemma, it’s either blindly trust the police to protect us and our families or have the ability to protect ourselves. I am not advocated for looser gun laws by any means, but I am advocating for more common sense gun laws. What do I mean by this you may ask? Well I mean background checks are a must and proper certification to conceal carry. I am a former Marine, I was a firefighter, and am a current student at a great university in our nations capital. I like to think I am reasonable in my thinking, but after looking and reading the propositions I checked above, I can’t help but feel betrayed by my own party. There is more than 5 guns for every American in this country. Gun control must target the people who do not follow the law and try to prevent violence from occurring, and the proposed legislation above does not help in that manner. I am hopeful that you will read this and reconsider the language in the legislation and I am even more hopeful that I can protect my family as necessary. I will always vote for progress but that’s not to say that I will always vote against my interests. Locally, crime has been on the rise and I have had to deal with it directly with little to no help from the police. I will (to the fullest extent of the law) protect myself as necessary from anyone who wishes to inflict harm on myself or family, and I hope you see that the average citizen in Virginia can not afford a security detail or rely on our police for protection. Thank you and have a great day.
Please stop infringing on our god given right, protected by the constitution of the United States (which you all have sworn to uphold and protect), to keep and bear arms. Responsible gun owners are not the problem in America’s gun violence epidemic. We follow the law. Criminals don’t. We use our firearms to protect ourselves, loved ones, and community. Chipping away at this right we have makes us more vulnerable to becoming victims of gun violence, not protect us from it. These laws only serve to empower those with evil intentions. Rather, might I suggest harsher penalties for those who commit senseless acts of violence with firearms instead of going after the good men and women of the commonwealth who wish only to use their firearms for lawful purposes.
Dear House of Delegates, I'm writing to you today as a concerned citizen. The introduction of bills aimed at heavily regulating firearms, is not warranted or wanted by the people of Virginia. Our nation stands at a crossroads, where the desire to address gun violence intersects with the constitutional rights affirmed by the Supreme Court. The Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms is not just a legal directive but a reflection of our commitment to individual freedom. In this context, the proposed regulations, while motivated by a commendable desire to reduce violence, raise significant concerns about their effectiveness and the potential consequences for law-abiding citizens. Research, including findings published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, suggests that the relationship between strict gun laws and the reduction of gun violence is not as straightforward as one might hope. Cities with stringent gun regulations continue to face challenges with gun-related crimes, indicating that those intent on violence often find ways to circumvent the law. This reality prompts us to question whether new restrictions will achieve their intended goal or merely place additional burdens on those who seek firearms for legitimate purposes, including self-defense. Moreover, the abundance of firearms in the United States presents a logistical challenge to the enforcement of such regulations. With more guns than people in the country, the task of significantly reducing the availability of firearms to criminals, without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens, is daunting. It is within this complex landscape that I urge you to consider the broader implications of the proposed gun control measures. The parallels drawn with other contentious issues, such as the regulation of women's healthcare, highlight the potential for policy decisions to inadvertently infringe upon individual freedoms and deepen societal divisions. Such outcomes not only detract from the intended goals of enhancing public safety but also risk alienating segments of the population whose support is essential for the advancement of our collective well-being. I respectfully ask that you consider the potential consequences of the proposed gun control measures, not just for the immediate future but for the legacy we leave for generations to come. It is my hope that, together, we can find a way to address the challenges of gun violence in a manner that honors our values, respects our freedoms, and genuinely enhances the safety and well-being of our communities.
STOP INFRINGING OUR RIGHTS. Get rid of every single gun control bill that is here and START ENFORCING THE LAWS WE ALREADY HAVE. Stop trying to turn law abiding citizens into criminals. I am disgusted that all of these nonsense bills have even made it this far. You can have these laws in Northern Virginia where everyone hates guns but don’t force this garbage into the rest of the state. GET RID OF ALL OF THIS GARBAGE and keep your noses out of everyone’s business. More government is not the answer.
Virginia already has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation. We can all agree violence is an issue but making more unconstitutional, on a national and state level, gun laws will not help with the rates of violent crimes and property crimes as we see from states with stricter gun laws. We need to increase access to mental health and community resources to address the root causes of issues rather than criminalizing responsible gun owners. I am opposed to this attack on the second amendment which is the fundamental backbone that protects the other freedoms guranteed in the constitution.
Dear Honorable Members of the House of Delegates, I write to you today as a concerned citizen, deeply invested in the well-being and safety of our communities, and as someone who values the principles upon which our nation was founded. The issue at hand, the introduction of bills aimed at heavily regulating firearms, is one that I believe warrants a thoughtful reconsideration in light of its broader implications. Our nation stands at a crossroads, where the desire to address gun violence intersects with the constitutional rights affirmed by the Supreme Court. The Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms is not just a legal directive but a reflection of our commitment to individual freedom. In this context, the proposed regulations, while motivated by a commendable desire to reduce violence, raise significant concerns about their effectiveness and the potential consequences for law-abiding citizens. Research, including findings published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, suggests that the relationship between strict gun laws and the reduction of gun violence is not as straightforward as one might hope. Cities with stringent gun regulations continue to face challenges with gun-related crimes, indicating that those intent on violence often find ways to circumvent the law. This reality prompts us to question whether new restrictions will achieve their intended goal or merely place additional burdens on those who seek firearms for legitimate purposes, including self-defense. Moreover, the abundance of firearms in the United States presents a logistical challenge to the enforcement of such regulations. With more guns than people in the country, the task of significantly reducing the availability of firearms to criminals, without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens, is daunting. It is within this complex landscape that I urge you to consider the broader implications of the proposed gun control measures. The parallels drawn with other contentious issues, such as the regulation of women's healthcare, highlight the potential for policy decisions to inadvertently infringe upon individual freedoms and deepen societal divisions. Such outcomes not only detract from the intended goals of enhancing public safety but also ***risk alienating segments of the population whose support is essential for the advancement of our collective well-being.*** Constituents see this robust effort to "see what sticks" as a weakness within our party. Comparatively imbalanced with the diverse range of issues and concerns that we face everyday. A waste. As we move forward, I encourage you to approach this issue with a balanced perspective, one that recognizes the need for effective strategies to combat gun violence while also safeguarding the constitutional rights and freedoms that define our nation. The path to meaningful change is complex, requiring a nuanced understanding of the issues at hand and a commitment to policies that truly serve the best interests of all our citizens. In closing, I respectfully ask that you consider the potential consequences of the proposed gun control measures, not just for the immediate future but for the legacy we leave for generations to come. It is my hope that, together, we can find a way to address the challenges of gun violence in a manner that honors our values, respects our freedoms, and genuinely enhances the safety and well-being of our communities.
You guys need to stop attacking our 2nd amendment and get help for these kids growing up with identity crisis’s . You coming after law abiding citizens is appalling and the fact that your leaning towards becoming the despicable state of California is saddening. If the president can have security which uses firearms that even the normal civilian can’t have this raises the issue of how can a civilian defend against a tyrannical government with a featureless 10 round ar-15 ? Keep this up and we know exactly what your end goal is.
As a left leaning voter and citizen of Virginia, these new restrictions on our right to bear arms are sickening. Stop proposing so many bans and limits, and maybe a realistic bill, like the safe credit, won’t be universally protested. If you actually want to quell gun violence, keep focused on affordable mental and physical healthcare, improving the education system, and reducing income inequality. While the right may not support these real improvements, I cannot in good faith support or vote for any politician who supports banning or restricting the rights of law abiding citizens in our beautiful commonwealth. Thank you.
The 2nd amendment states "shall not be infringed". All of these bills are infringement and are therefore unconstitutional. Should we pass laws that people must pass a test before they can have freedom of speech? What about pass a test before you can vote? What about if someone does not have training they will be slaves again? Name one other right outlined in the constitution where a citizen has to jump through hoops before they can use that right? I oppose all of these bills as they will do more harm than good. I can understand wanting to keep people safe but gun control does the opposite. These bills will only make it harder for law abiding citizens to exercise their rights while criminals will still ignore the law. Criminals will still get illegal guns or weapons and will commit more crimes since they know the public is unable to defend themselves. Benjamin Franklin once said: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." You writing bills saying "give up your rights and guns and we will protect you". Well ask the Native Americans how that worked out for them. Ask a Jewish person who was under Nazi control how that worked out for them. Well Hitler's first step was to take away the guns from the public so they could not protect themselves and over 6 million people lost their lives. Since you do not know history you are writing bills which will doom us to repeat it. You know 75 years ago when you could just buy a gun in a catalog and it was shipped to your house we did not have this issue. In the 60s and 70s when people would have a gun in their truck at school or take one in for show and tell we did not have a gun issue. This is a mental health issue. Deal with mental health and you will fix the public safety issue. Zero of my guns have killed people because guns do not kill people. People kill people. Look at Ukraine and Israel for just one form of example why we need LESS gun control. All of these gun laws are unconstitutional and should be thrown out. Do the right thing and let us law abiding citizens have their rights as outlined in the constitution. Do not pass laws which infringe on our rights. If the 2nd amendment falls, the 1st will follow . When the 1st and 2nd fall the 13th will fall and our country will be lost and we will be back in chains.
I am very opposed to the vast majority of these bills. I am a legal gun owner with my CHP. Many of these bills heavily restrict my right to bear arms in a legal capacity. I don’t understand why I should be punished for doing everything legally and correctly only to become a felon in the coming months through these legislations
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Whether or not a person chooses to exercise this right is up to them. Otherwise, it shall not be infringed.
I can not, and nobody should, support these unconstitutional laws. THROW THEM ALL OUT.
You guys make it harder and harder to vote Democrat every single cycle. Complete ban on Semi Automatics more or less making the state even stricter towards guns then states like Maryland? I oppose all these even the "herp common sense derp" ones because the states party has made it clear they don't give a crap about anything but putting hollow wins for politicians because hhheeeyyy punishing law abiding gun owners is a whole lot easier then creating jobs or reducing crime. If these bills die before getting to the governors desk, especially the bans, then I will gladly continue to vote DNC. But if Youngkin has to veto these and you make me say something I never thought I would "Thank god Youngkin won" then I look forward to blindly going down the ticket in 2024 and checking "R" on everyone. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
I do not support more legislation infringing on my 2nd Ammendment rights. Please fund more enforcement for the proactive enforcement of existing laws and regulations pertaining to firearms.
I oppose this legislation.
The litany of gun control measures under consideration will do nothing to effectively reduce crime and violence, and will only further restrict the rights of law abiding firearms owners. Not to mention the countless examples from other locales across the country where these same measure have been put into place and the result is more violent crime as criminals can now feel safe that the general population is not armed. Strongly oppose all proposed bills.
The ridiculous litany of gun control measures under consideration will do nothing to effectively reduce crime and violence, and will only further restrict the rights of law abiding firearms owners.
I know most modern politicians aren’t historians but the Bill of Rights is really simple. If you read that, you’ll also read the 2nd Amendment which is really simple as well. In the same docket you’re trying to give more benefits to police and take away more rights from citizens. You ought to be ashamed. What a farce freedom is anymore.
These anti gun laws are an infringement on all Virginian's 2A rights.
All infringements on the second amendment are acts of treason and should be treated as such. Acting in favor of such infringements makes you a traitor to this nation and th commonwealth.
All Virginians want our families to be safe from gun violence. However, passing such broad restrictions on firearms commonly used for self defense is not the answer. The updated definition of assault weapons and the associated prohibitions do little to nothing to stop criminals who are willing to illegally buy or steal firearms. There are plenty of firearms out there for criminals to access, with well over 400 million guns in civilian ownership in the United States. It is too late to round them all up. These bills will disproportionately affect those citizens who go out of their way to follow our commonwealth's laws; the people who are unlikely to commit a violent crime in the first place. The solutions to gun violence that stand a chance at working are community-oriented interventions that decrease poverty, drug use, gang activity, combat mental illness, and advocate for the safe storage of firearms. Sociologists know these factors correlate strongly with ALL types of violence. On average, two-thirds of firearms deaths are suicides, an assault weapons ban won't do a thing about those. Of the remaining 1/3 of firearms homicides, more than half are drug, gang, or domestic violence related. Let's pass bipartisan legislation that addresses these underlying problems, instead of preventing average Virginians from protecting themselves with firearms that are already ubiquitous.
I am Opposed to any limitations on the Second Amendment and any restrictive firearm laws. We have adequate, if not already overbearing, laws on the books now and should not be creating more laws restricting all the aspects of firearm use, sales, and any other aspects of the right to bear arms.
These firearm laws are mostly reactionary to the media response on firearms. This is a major infringement on the 2nd amendment and needs to be stopped.
An inordinate focus on the control of firearms only serves to infringe the rights of the law-abiding citizen in defense of his life and property. The State should instead focus on the apprehension and incarceration of individuals engaging in criminal behavior and associated misuse of firearms.
Any law that infringes on my Gods-given right to own and bear arms is UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Any law passed that infringes this right will be answered with a lawsuit.
I'm going to preface this by saying all of the below as a middle aged Black military veteran. I'm not involved in a militia and I didn't vote for Trump. I vote for the candidates that best supports me. Both parties have failed me. You ALL are horrible. Regarding both HB11 and HB113, I'd rather not give up any inalienable right, especially if I've been a law-abiding citizen, which I have. I should not have to give up rights, or even jump through hoops to prove I'm qualified because others broke laws. If a person shoots someone (as an example), that person should be held accountable, not folks who were not involved in the crime. Adding layer upon layer of bills to circumvent inalienable rights is wrong. These two bills are needless layers that hurt law-abiding citizens but do nothing to folks that willing violate written law. What other right has so many qualifiers as the 2nd Amendment? The 2nd does not grant citizens the right to bear arms. The 2nd affirms that the right to keep/bear arms is natural and that the government shall not infringe upon that right. If anything, it's telling the people and the government that the right shall not be violated. You all are attempting to further violate that right by adding yet another layer of needless bills. Is there an argument that current laws aren't working? Does the committee discuss why the current laws aren't working and attempt to shore up the gaps by tweaking existing laws (not creating new bills)? As well, in reference to HB11, a knife is an arm, which is covered under the 2nd (right to bear ARMS). Carrying a knife is a protection for most folks (a secondary defense tool, or even a utility tool). If the concern is that someone will use those tools to murder or assault, murder and assault are already against the law. Possession of those tools do not and should not qualify a person to be unlawful, unless that person already has a criminal record or are using the tools in commission of a crime. Intent should always be the driving factor in determining if a person is unlawfully using or possessing the tool. Legislating laws that involve of a tool that is guaranteed as a right by the 2nd is a poor law. Please do better than approving these bills that are in committee. If they are not sound bills, please do not approve them. Voting along party lines does not make bills satisfactory. The context of the bills make bills satisfactory, AFTER determining if the bills don't violate the rights of the citizens. The committee should be striving to protect and defend the Constitutions of the United States and the state of Virgina. Do the right things in doing your job...don't do what is easiest or most popular based on party lines. Do what is proper. I already know the above will fall on deaf ears but thank you for your time.
Hello. There are a plethora of bills that were proposed, which would clearly violate the second amendment rights of many law abiding citizens. First of all, considering concealed carry should be permit-less carry, it is counterproductive to increase the requirements for concealed carry. Restrictions on where law abiding citizens can lawfully carry their now “permitted” firearms is asinine, as well as the proposition of a bill that would make it a penalty to leave a firearm in your car. You would essentially be disarming a large number of people who wish to follow these unlawful order in a day and age where the democratic agenda is to act like there are mass shootings on a daily basis. Effectively disarming the majority and increasing the requirements and legal loopholes to carry is such a vulnerable state to be in and I hope we’re smart enough to avoid that. Restrictions on “Plastic firearms and unfinished frames etc” is not only terrible literature that does nothing to explain, but it is a direct violation of the 2nd amendment considering you have a federal right to make firearms for personal use, which would include additively manufactured parts. Wait periods are also a horrifying thing to think of, considering how many times it has been proven to be a terrible idea, keeping guns out of the hands that need them most to protect themselves and their families. “Assault firearms” and anything to do with them is nonsense considering the blatant inability to define said “assault weapon”. People who don’t understand guns, shouldn’t be making laws on guns. A shorter barrel does not make it more lethal, in fact it lowers the muzzle velocity, causing less force on impact and penetration, in turn causing less collateral damage. Any sort of “assault weapons” bills are targeting law abiding citizens who have every right to use the modern advances in firearm technology just as police officers and military. The only people these bills are effecting are the already law abiding citizens. The criminals who got their hands on said weapons illegally aren’t going to be making sure that their ALREADY ILLEGAL WEAPONS are fully compliant with state laws and regulations before they go commit another crime. In no way shape or form should someone need to disadvantage themselves in a life or death situation because political members with an armed security detail don’t feel the need for a gun. Why would I want to limit myself to a firearm that is going to be inadequate in home defense, or one that does not have a high enough capacity to protect myself from the ever growing threat of home invasion and the increased trend of multiple home invaders breaking in armed. If it was you alone in your house with 6 armed intruders who most definitely must have checked their local laws and firearm regulations and made sure their firearms aren’t violating any rules before they break into your house, would you want to limit yourself to a low capacity firearm that is going to be extremely difficult to use effectively in a high stress situation, or are you taking a rifle which for reasons that don’t make sense, must have a 16 inch barrel, with a larger capacity magazine, and a stock that you can use to safely brace the firearm to prevent stray shots and provide more accurate fire. Personally I’m going to take anything and everything I can get in a situation that means life or death for me and my loved ones EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK. Focus on the mental health crisis.
Hello, The right to own and bear firearms is intrinsic in the very nature of the founding of the United States. We must remember the spirit of the 2nd Amendment and the right of all civilians to own and bear arms. Firearms are the great equalizer and can allow and individual to defend themselves when they previously could not. Gun violence and the mental health epidemic are closely interlinked and one cannot pass restrictive firearm laws and expect gun violence to go away. Gun bans and the use of restrictive purchasing requirements, magazine limits, waiting periods, and red flag laws have been shown not to be effective in stemming gun violence. I urge anybody reading this message to say "NO" to 2nd Amendment restrictions.
I oppose all of these selected bills since I firmly believe they are in conflict with the Second Amendment of the US Constitution. The Second Amendment clearly states that it shall not be infringed upon. Any and all proposed legislation that would place limits on how, where, and when responsible citizens arm themselves runs afoul of that. Our founding fathers correctly held the belief that all people have a natural born right to arm and protect themselves and that the government has no authority to interfere with that. While I agree with the sentiment of reducing violence among our society, gun laws only harm the law abiding citizen and leave criminals who already have a disregard for the law to still be armed. If our elected officials who proposed these bills actually cared about addressing our violence problem, they would focus more on addressing the root causes of violence and crime. More worthwhile pursuits in my opinion would be focused on addressing socio-economic problems that plague disadvantaged communities, creating a more robust and well-equipped mental healthcare system, and overhauling our educational systems to setup our children for better success in life. Thank you all for your time.
I'm against any unconstitutional law, and any law that strips Americans of their rights. These laws are an attack on the 2nd ammendment and hold NO facts in stopping crime. They are a punishment on law abiding people and in no way will make virginia a safer place.
I oppose all these unconstitutional, dangerous, and pointless laws.
I oppose all useless firearm changes. Criminals will not obey
HB113 | Sullivan | Handguns; possession, purchase, or transportation by persons convicted of certain drug offenses. HB1174 | Sickles | Assault firearms; age requirement for purchase, penalty. HB1195 | Hayes | Firearms; waiting period for purchases, penalty. HB12 | Jones | Handguns; firearm locking device required for sale or transfer, child safety warning required. HB1235 | Zehr | Concealed handguns; protective orders. HB1424 | Hope | Firearms; valid permit to purchase, penalties. HB1462 | Laufer | Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; civil penalty. HB158 | McClure | Firearm locking device; required for sale or transfer of firearm. HB16 | Garrett | Firearm or explosive material; carrying within Capitol Square and the surrounding area, etc. HB173 | Simon | Plastic firearms and unfinished frames, etc.; manufacture, import, etc. prohibited, penalties. HB175 | Simon | Assault firearms; carrying in public areas prohibited, penalty. HB183 | Simon | Firearms; storage in residence where minor or person prohibited from possessing is present, penalty. HB2 | Helmer | Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, sales, transfers, etc., prohibited. HB22 | Jones | Auto sears; definition, prohibition on manufacture, importation, sale, etc., penalty. HB270 | Reid | Commonwealth Comprehensive Gun Safety Program; established, etc. HB319 | Helmer | Firearms instructors & safety prog.; removes reference to NRA & U.S. Concealed Carry Assoc. in Code. HB35 | Clark | Firearm safety device; expands definition of device. HB351 | Clark | Firearm; locking device required for purchase, households where minor resides, penalty. HB362 | McClure | Firearms; purchase, etc., following an assault and battery against an intimate or dating partner. HB454 | Callsen | Firearm/explosive material; carrying w/in Capitol Square or bldg. owned or leased by Commonwealth. HB46 | Bennett-Parker | Firearm; transfers to another person from a prohibited person. HB466 | Helmer | Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states. HB791 | Henson | Pneumatic guns; Class 6 felony to possess. HB797 | Hope | Concealed handguns; demonstrated competence for a permit, firearms instructors and safety programs. HB798 | Hope | Firearms; purchase, possession, etc., following an assault and battery or stalking violation. HB799 | Hope | Concealed handgun permit applications; fingerprints required by local governments. HB861 | Hernandez | Weapons; carrying into hospital that provides mental health services. HB945 | Lopez | Firearm safety device; expands definition of device. SB100 | Ebbin | Plastic firearms and unfinished frames, etc.; manufacture, import, etc. prohibited, penalties. SB2 | Deeds | Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, possession, sale, transfer, etc., prohibited. SB210 | Perry | Auto sears; prohibition on manufacture, importation, sale, etc., penalty. SB273 | Subramanyam | Firearms; waiting period for purchases, penalty. I oppose all these bills.
I oppose this bill as it seeks to infringe on the Consitutionally proctected rights of lawabiding citizens to protect themselves from criminals, criminals who do not follow the law. This bill makes it harder for someone to keep themselves safe and is primarily a solution in search of problems to fix. Virginia has one of the lowest crime rates in the country and even less gun related crimes being committed year over year. This is not due to gun control laws, in fact as gun control laws increase, s o does the rate of violent crimes. Criminals are not afraid of police, they are afraid of armed citizens. I urge the legistature to focus on enforcing and imposing stricter penalties for those that break our exsiting laws over creating new laws that only serve to pe nalize the law abiding citizens
I am in opposition to these bills as a long time concealed carry permit holder who has lived in Virginia for. 30 years and has voted in Virginian elections since I was 18. These bills make it harder for someone to keep themselves safe while are primarily solutions in search of problems to fix. Virginia has one of the lowest crime rates in the country and even less gun related crimes being committed year over year. This is not a success of the gun control lobby but they would certainly have you believe it is. They are often unconstitutional limits on a persons 2nd amendment rights and do not serve to make Virginians safer. The ban on assault firearms is written in such a way that it would ban most modern defensive handguns carried by men and women across the commonwealth. These are law abiding concealed carry holders or regular citizens who have purchased regular firearms with regular features. Much akin to wanting a car with leather seats or GPS. These are not features only found on “scary” guns they are features that assist those with hearing or sight issues to use a handgun safely. We already have laws preventing firearms usage in crimes but these would simply disempower lawful citizens from having features on their guns that are normal and regular modern features. These bills would do nothing to prevent actual criminals from obtaining or using prohibited firearms in crime but would disenfranchise law abiding citizens from enjoying a Virginian hobby that has a history older than the state itself.
I am against this bill as there are already laws against being under the influence of drugs or alcohol in the state of Virginia. Virginia law: "§ 18.2-270. Penalty for driving while intoxicated; subsequent offense; prior conviction." Clearly states the penalty for driving intoxicated. Conceal Handgun Permit holders already know if they if they mess up, they will lose their CHP. This bill only aims to create different classes of citizens based on their beliefs and create different criminal standards. Start by enforcing the current laws fairly and consistently. This bill is looking to go above the existing law of revoking a citizen's CHP to revoking their Second Amendment rights. I urge the legislature to vote No on this bill.
Very important to vote. Thank you.
I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I support the following bills: HB1174, HB1181, HB1195, HB12, HB1424, HB1462, HB158, HB175, HB183, HB23, HB270, HB318, HB319, HB351, HB362, HB585, HB602, HB637, HB791, HB797, HB798, HB799, HB861, HB916, & HB945 I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I oppose these bills: HB1030, HB1141, HB1198, HB1230, HB1235, HB1321, HB1325, HB1386, HB289, HB389, HB756, & HB872 Innocent children are dying on our watch. Please do something.
The end of solitary confinement must be done My son was murdered in solitary confinement at Red Onion Prison in Pound Va on 1/3/22.
takes away a person’s right to possess, purchase, or transport a handgun for 5 years for a second offense of misdemeanor drunk driving and adds a prohibition for possessing a handgun to an existing prohibition on purchasing or transporting of a handgun for 5 years for a second offense of misdemeanor illegal drug possession. A person should not lose any of their basic civil rights for a misdemeanor, which is a minor crime by definition, regardless of the reasons for the misdemeanor. There is also no nexus between driving and handgun ownership. While trying to reduce drunk driving is a laudable goal, if it is so dangerous as to take away a person’s civil rights, then make the second offense a felony and the problem is solved. Cannot Support.
I SUPPORT this common sense legislation to make our communities safer. This is my number one issue.
In support of the bills checked above for safer communities .
Our Constitution does not provide citizens with privileges. It establishes a government with checks and balances and specifically limits the governments ability to remove the rights of its people. In regards to the matter at hand, it specifically says the the government cannot place limitations on the right of a citizen to keep and bear arms. Before I get the typical response, I know you are already aware that the phrase "well regulated" specifically refers to an being trained and ready to bear said arms. The language at the time did not use the term "regulated" as we do with modern regulations. It has been proven in the courts repeatedly that the laws you are currently considering are unconstitutional. Of this I am sure you are already aware. By spending time and tax dollars discussing laws that you know to be unconstitutional, you are in fact wasting time and tax dollars that could be spent on productive issues. I can only assume your intent is to intentionally waste time, and force members of the firearms industry to waste money on legal fees defending the constitution you have sworn to uphold. Please consider actual data and actual facts when considering gun legislation. No data supports the claim the "assault weapon" bans actually reduce gun related crime. More guns are being purchased now than ever before, yet now that the latest FBI data has been released, we can see that gun related crimes have not increased. Also, like every year that the FBI has released data, so called "assault weapons" make up a very small portion of all gun crimes. For your general knowledge the term "assault weapon" was first coined by Adolf Hitler. He renamed one of their new automatic firearms, the Sturmgewehr, because he felt that the name "assault weapon" would strike fear in allied forces. This is also the exact reason the gun control community uses this term as well. The fact is that these firearms are not fully automatic and cannot be made so without a high degree of machining skills and mechanical knowhow. Plus doing so is already illegal. The fact is the Biden's latest gun control act has not been equally enforced. It was supposed to provide additional support for school security and mental health services. It was supposed to provide stronger punishments for those cought breaking existing gun laws. It was supposed to allow FFL's to use the NICS system to check employees. It was supposed to allow FFL's to be able to instantly check inventory or potential purchase/trades by their serial number to determine if the firearm has been stolen or used in any crimes. None of these provisions have been acted upon or enforced. Please drop these latest gun control bills. They are unconstitutional and will never pass. Please do not waste your time and our tax dollars on these wasted efforts. Regards, Jonathan Goodman
I have a hard time believing in this day and age, after SCOTUS has made MULTIPLE opinions and decisions in FAVOR of law abiding fire arms owners, that the talk of banning & restriciton IN VIRGINIA, no less, is still a topic for debate. Law abiding gun owners ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. Check the flag! Sic Semper Tyrannis is our motto, and you people are doing everything you can to ensure ALL of VA is NOT adequately represented, tyranny; that we the people go disarmed & at the mercy of criminals WHO DO NOT OBEY LAWS, tyranny; that we the people will be disarmed & dependant upon a government that clearly has forgotten who the governing authority truly is, tyranny; and thats the problem! If we the people, are disarmed, then that means all of you should be as well. No bodygaurds, no police escorts, no firearms of your own. On top of this, all police officers should be disarmed. If we the people can't have protection under our God given, Constitutionally protected RIGHT to keep and bear arms, per James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and many MANY other patriots - then neither should ANY of you!
I support these bills as I believe they take positive steps toward reducing gun violence in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I cannot stomach that my daughters (ages 2 and 4) are growing up in a nation where the top cause of death for the 1-19 age group is gun violence. It must change!
I support these bills.
I support this legislation. Please help to protect our children!! My family is from the UK and their kids don’t need to practice active shooter drills. There is no reason our children should be put in danger on a daily basis in this country!!!
I support the above bills checked and hope to see them pass out of committee, as they will help improve public safety. Support: - HB2 - Helmer - HB22 - Jones - HB46 - Bennett-Parker - HB113 - Sullivan - HB173 - Simon - HB362 - McClure - HB454 - Callsen - HB466 - Helmer I Oppose: - HB390 - Griffin - HB395 - Griffin
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. Gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. Gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. We believe that gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
My name is Rev. Rachel Sutphin and I live in Earlysville, Virginia. As a pastor, I look forward to the day when swords are turned into plowshares (Isaiah 2:4). For the protection of all life, especially the most vulnerable, including children, I urge you to vote in support of all bills that aim to reduce gun violence. I support HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB 454, and HB466.
All these bills violate The Bill of Rights. If you violate The Second Amendment, you violate the Bill of Rights.
Every gun law is an infringement. In addition, I oppose HB113 because it takes away a persons' right to own a handgun for five years for a second offense of misdemeanor drunk driving or misdemeanor drug possession. There is no connection between owning a gun and driving a car. Minor crimes should not take away basic civil rights, regardless of what those crimes are.
I'm a volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and I support this bill.
HB173 - Plastic firearms & unfinished frames, etc.; manufacture, import, etc. prohibited, penalties.
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Please do not make life more difficult for responsible gun owners. Many of the proposed laws are clearly unconstitutional and will be struck down anyway. Others may be constitutional but are completely draconian. Virginia already has some of the toughest gun laws in the country All the bills I am providing feedback for would not make VA safer. Next time Republicans are in power they will reverse those anyway. But even if that does not happen, you are contributing to the further polarization of politics. There won't be any bipartisanship left on 2nd amendment issues or even other issues
I am opposed to all of these unconstitutional and anit-american gun laws and regulations. There is no room for more gun laws and regulations in this state.
Contrary to how certain government officials treat it, the second amendment is written using plain, easy to understand language, and insists that government has no right to take away the right for ordinary people like us to defend ourselves, as the constitution and bill of rights do not simply give people rights, but protects them from government manipulation and control. It’s incredibly disappointing and a tragedy that people choose to commit acts of violence with these rights, but restricting those who wish to exercise their rights peaceably due to those who wouldn’t follow these rules in the first place is incredibly naive. I, as well as every other person in the United States, deserve to protect my family with the best technology available. While some people look at certain defense weapon setups as a “why do you need that” situation, 1) I have the right to defend myself with the best tool available, and so I will choose that every time, 2) why do you “need” anything other than basic necessities (fast car, Gucci clothes, etc)? The government has no place in deciding what I “need”, 3) people with the intent to harm will not care what laws govern peaceful people, so what would limiting the victim’s access to proper tools do? You may think that by “banning” or otherwise restricting access to a certain thing would mean that all of the “bad” things would magically go away, but they will not. Evil has always and will always exist, and I have every right to defend myself from it using the best tool available wherever I, or my family, choose to go. Restricting access on certain properties (the government isn’t actively protecting me everywhere), requiring certain training (who is paying for this?), limiting certain types of firearms (go ahead and define “assault weapon” in plain language please), and restricting ammo purchasing (I thought you wanted us to train; how does this help then?) are all means that end up hurting the average person and helping those who wish to hurt others, as the rest of us will be left in a position to insufficiently defend ourselves. I urge you to understand that while, yes, it is awful that evil people commit horrific acts, this right ultimately allows me to protect myself and my family from these evil people as well and as evil will always exist (we certainly like to delusion ourselves into believing that we live in a utopia, but we do not), I will protect my family accordingly. The government has no right to restrict this. Leave the peaceful citizens alone, more firmly punish those who hurt others, and help communities where this is an issue to prevent the upbringing of more evil people.
I oppose these bills that are attacking the rights of law-abiding gun owners.
Please stop trying to make criminals of law abiding citizens who just want to protect themselves. Me and my partner have recently become firearm owners because of situations that have arisen in our day to day lives, such as harassment of my wife almost to the point of altercation, sketchy characters waiting in front of our door/ducking in and out of our bushes at all times of the night, people breaking into cars in the neighborhood etc (many times the police/security were called only to arrive 45mins to an hour later). with many of these nonsensical bills you condemn us to allowing any possible violence to happen to us without a chance of defending our selves. Instead of helping fix the problem, you seek to make criminals out of any Virginian who has followed the law and legal purchased a firearm. Shame on you. I am Virginian native and since I was 18 I voted leaning blue in local and state elections you all are making me think this was a mistake. I am not proud of Virginia “progressives” who would rather strip my wife of her chance and right to defend her self rather than try to address the root of crime. Don’t make law abiding people criminals. Do some actual work and address the criminals! 2 of the proposed bills would make in illegal to bring your concealed firearm into a restaurant and another makes it a crime to have the firearm in your vehicle…. Like really? This is literally just to fill jails and strip people of their rights.
Many of these gun laws are unfair to law abiding citizens and do not affect criminals. These gun laws should be vetoed.
Leave law abiding citizens alone.
State Legislature members, A right delayed is a right denied. Quoting the 2022 NYSRPA v. Bruen Supreme Court Case: 'The constitutional right to bear arms in public for self-defense is not “a second-class right, subject to an entirely different body of rules than the other Bill of Rights guarantees.” McDonald, 561 U. S., at 780 (plurality opinion). The exercise of other constitutional rights does not require individuals to demonstrate to government officers some special need. The Second Amendment right to carry arms in public for self defense is no different.' The recent NYSRPA v. Bruen case highlighted the significance of individual self-defense, and it's crucial to consider the rights of law-abiding citizens in crafting firearm legislation. While the goal of enhancing public safety is commendable, an outright ban on certain firearms and magazines will disproportionately impact responsible gun owners who use these tools for legitimate purposes, such as self-defense and sport. It is essential to strike a balance between public safety and the preservation of individual rights. Instead of blanket bans, and bureaucratic obstacles that only harass lawful firearm owners, we should focus on comprehensive measures that address the root causes of gun violence. This approach respects the constitutional rights of citizens while fostering a safer society. Criminals are not deterred by restrictions on lawful purchase at federally-licensed FFL Dealers. They do not bother going through the process of applying for a concealed carry permit, because they do not intend to carry lawfully. People who want to use weapons to hurt innocent citizens of Virginia will not be impeded by these House and Senate Bills. Instead, the only individuals who will have their behavior modified are lawful men and women who are unable to defend themselves against those who will commit crimes regardless of what is written into law this Legislative Session. If you pass the above laws, it will only serve to waste hard-working Taxpayers' money fighting them in Federal Court. California and New York have lost their cases seeking to uphold unconstitutional gun laws, and the sponsors of these bills will lose too. Do the right thing - the hard thing - enforce the laws we already have, get the small minority of violent criminals off the streets of Virginia, and uphold the constitutional rights of your polity.
These bills infringe on the rights of the United States citizens given to us by the second amendment. The only thing these bills will accomplish will take the firearms out of the hands of law abiding citizens, while criminals will still have access.
I do not support any bill that removes any right from law abiding citizens to protect themselves from those who WILL NOT abide by these laws. These laws ONLY give CRIMINALS the upper hand.
There are approximately 47 bills regarding gun control between the House and Senate. Rather than fix issues that actually protect and enhance the lives of Virginians, many of these bills seek to disenfranchise and reduce the safety of the citizens in this great Commonwealth. Firearms are so fundamental to the founding and continued existence of our free society that they are listed just second to the freedom of speech in amendments to the constitution. It is plainly clear to all that countries and states who have banned or severely restricted firearms that violence does not end with their banning. Unjust deaths are not prevented. It simply ensures that law abiding citizens are left defenseless from those that wish to harm them, whether that be individuals or an organization. I write this knowing that it will be completely disregarded by the bills authors, but in hopes that others feel galvanized to speak up against unjust actions made in the name of progress. To those who wish to protect themselves with firearms while simultaneously stripping them from the common man, may you take heed of the Virginia state motto.
A lot of these laws contradict one another. I can’t support them. Both of our parties have failed us.
Stop trying to strip 2nd Amendment rights from law abiding citizens with a constitutional right to own and carry firearms. Not a single one of these laws/bills you’re trying to enact would have stopped any of the mass shootings we’ve seen.
I oppose all of these blatantly unconstitutional bills and wish our elected officials would actually get to work on fixing things that matter to Virginians.
It is obvious these elected officials want you to die at the behest of an anarcho tyrannical state where violent perpetual offenders are off with a slap on the wrist, while YOU tax payer are criminalized for not wanting to be a victim to these perpetual perpetrators. The elected officials funded by big Pro-Death lobby of Giffords and Bloomberg sit in their cushy NOVA HOAd mansions behind security while you plebs go to work everyday to pay their salary. These same officials effectively bribe the police state by giving them a way to pay off a mortgage and boat in exchange for your oppression. YOU citizen must morally oppose these pro-Death bills. Democracy has fallen and its only driven by money hungry Babylonians who swim in excess and delicacy while YOU PLEBS cant even afford milk, eggs or pampers. Remember these people do not hold dominion over you. Call your congressman/woman and CHRIST IS KING!
There is no acceptable reason to infringe upon the Constitutionally-protected (both US and Virginia's Constitutions) rights of Americans and Virginians. None of these bills purported to reduce gun-related violence actually seem to prioritize the reduction of causal effects of overall violence. Many of these are merely attempts to curb the rights of the People to keep and bear arms, because our legislative bodies are full of corrupt, weak, and contemptible individuals. Show us the bills for addressing the root causes of violence: mental health, income inequality, social instability, lack of education and educational opportunities, drug & human trafficking, or employment & wages (this list is not all-inclusive).
Time and time again it has been proven that criminals do not care about or follow restrictive firearm laws. Virginia already has some of the most restrictive firearms laws in the country ("B+" rating from Giffords), more unconstitutional infringements upon law abiding citizens is not the answer. We need to address the root causes (access to mental health resources for example) and not throw bandaids at it by punishing responsible, law abiding, gun owners. I oppose these bills and urge you to do the same.
I am writing to voice my opposition to the multiple house and senate bills that do nothing to penalize violent criminals and arbitrarily turn law abiding gun owning citizens into criminals or strip these citizens of their rights and valuable property without due process. I am also opposed to further limitations being placed on citizens who have fulfilled the requirements to obtain a VA Concealed Handgun Permit. Again, the very people who have invested time and money in their committment to adhere to the law are being penalized.
As a fellow Democrat, it’s important to acknowledge the complexities surrounding gun ownership and the Second Amendment. 1. Self-Defense: Firearms can be a crucial tool for individuals to protect themselves, especially in high-crime areas or situations where law enforcement response times are slow. 2. Sport and Recreation: Many Americans enjoy shooting sports like hunting, skeet shooting, and target practice as a recreational activity, fostering a sense of community and skill-building. 3. Cultural Tradition: Gun ownership is deeply ingrained in American culture, with a rich history of hunting and marksmanship passed down through generations. 4. Economic Impact: The firearms industry contributes significantly to the economy, generating jobs and revenue through manufacturing, sales, and related services. 5. Civil Liberties: Upholding the right to bear arms is fundamental to preserving individual freedoms and safeguarding against government overreach. 6. Empowerment of Marginalized Communities: For historically marginalized groups, owning firearms can serve as a means of empowerment and protection against hate crimes or discriminatory violence. 7. Emergency Preparedness: In times of natural disasters or civil unrest, responsible gun owners can help maintain order and protect their families and communities. 8. Deterrence of Crime: Research suggests that the presence of armed civilians can deter potential criminals and reduce overall crime rates in certain contexts. 9. Veterans and Law Enforcement: Many veterans and law enforcement officers transition to civilian life with a continued appreciation for firearms, utilizing their expertise for civilian defense and security. 10. Balanced Approach: Instead of blanket gun control measures, we can advocate for comprehensive solutions that address root causes of violence, such as mental health support, poverty reduction, and community intervention programs.
I oppose the proposed firearms legislation put forward by this legislature and any legislation that violates the 1st, 2nd, and 4th, amendment rights of any Virginian. The desire for safer communities, a more united nation, and healing for our public health is something that we all can share in but these bills do not achieve that. Rather, they regulate and penalize. They unconstitutionally restrict the rights of the many in the name of safety and serve only to harm our rights. I would be doing a disservice to our state and my fellow citizens if I did not also provide potential solutions or remedies to the violence we face. First, we as communities need to promote voluntary storage facilities for those who are experiencing hardship and are concerned about suicide. Ideally making it easier to put firearms safely out of reach when suicide risks are greater. To do this it would need to be a system at the lowest level with minimum government involvement besides funding and partnership with local ranges. We would also need to reach out to those in our lives who are in a bad place and encourage the use of these facilities. Second, we should promote a culture of safe handling and respect for firearms through school courses and community organizations because assault weapons or not suicide, or accidents only take one bullet from a single action firearm. Lastly and more broadly we should focus on the issues surrounding the violence. Whether it is drugs and organized criminal activity or the mental health crisis as it has become known we should be working to fix these issues first. I.e. legalize weed, adapt police training, and push to root out organized crime, promote common social values and family cohesion, increase freedom, physical activity, and discipline in the school system.
These firearms bill are either redundant or unless in any meaningful way. If you care about reducing violence, please focus on criminals. Please stop trying to disarm families and law abiding citizen from protecting themselves.
I am a liberal through and through, I believe in individual rights and the opportunity for prosperity for all. I vote democrat because I care about my community, the rights of minorities, and women’s rights. The proposed legislation limiting the ability of free, law abiding citizens to purchase firearms, carry, and general use should not be limited further. I have witnessed violence at the hands of criminals, some later caught and it was shown that they did not legally acquire these firearms. The proposed legislation will effectively stop those who abide by the laws of Virginia from being able to properly protect themselves. It is known that police will not protect you, and they have no legal obligation to do so. This puts us at a dilemma, it’s either blindly trust the police to protect us and our families or have the ability to protect ourselves. I am not advocated for looser gun laws by any means, but I am advocating for more common sense gun laws. What do I mean by this you may ask? Well I mean background checks are a must and proper certification to conceal carry. I am a former Marine, I was a firefighter, and am a current student at a great university in our nations capital. I like to think I am reasonable in my thinking, but after looking and reading the propositions I checked above, I can’t help but feel betrayed by my own party. There is more than 5 guns for every American in this country. Gun control must target the people who do not follow the law and try to prevent violence from occurring, and the proposed legislation above does not help in that manner. I am hopeful that you will read this and reconsider the language in the legislation and I am even more hopeful that I can protect my family as necessary. I will always vote for progress but that’s not to say that I will always vote against my interests. Locally, crime has been on the rise and I have had to deal with it directly with little to no help from the police. I will (to the fullest extent of the law) protect myself as necessary from anyone who wishes to inflict harm on myself or family, and I hope you see that the average citizen in Virginia can not afford a security detail or rely on our police for protection. Thank you and have a great day.
Please stop infringing on our god given right, protected by the constitution of the United States (which you all have sworn to uphold and protect), to keep and bear arms. Responsible gun owners are not the problem in America’s gun violence epidemic. We follow the law. Criminals don’t. We use our firearms to protect ourselves, loved ones, and community. Chipping away at this right we have makes us more vulnerable to becoming victims of gun violence, not protect us from it. These laws only serve to empower those with evil intentions. Rather, might I suggest harsher penalties for those who commit senseless acts of violence with firearms instead of going after the good men and women of the commonwealth who wish only to use their firearms for lawful purposes.
Dear House of Delegates, I'm writing to you today as a concerned citizen. The introduction of bills aimed at heavily regulating firearms, is not warranted or wanted by the people of Virginia. Our nation stands at a crossroads, where the desire to address gun violence intersects with the constitutional rights affirmed by the Supreme Court. The Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms is not just a legal directive but a reflection of our commitment to individual freedom. In this context, the proposed regulations, while motivated by a commendable desire to reduce violence, raise significant concerns about their effectiveness and the potential consequences for law-abiding citizens. Research, including findings published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, suggests that the relationship between strict gun laws and the reduction of gun violence is not as straightforward as one might hope. Cities with stringent gun regulations continue to face challenges with gun-related crimes, indicating that those intent on violence often find ways to circumvent the law. This reality prompts us to question whether new restrictions will achieve their intended goal or merely place additional burdens on those who seek firearms for legitimate purposes, including self-defense. Moreover, the abundance of firearms in the United States presents a logistical challenge to the enforcement of such regulations. With more guns than people in the country, the task of significantly reducing the availability of firearms to criminals, without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens, is daunting. It is within this complex landscape that I urge you to consider the broader implications of the proposed gun control measures. The parallels drawn with other contentious issues, such as the regulation of women's healthcare, highlight the potential for policy decisions to inadvertently infringe upon individual freedoms and deepen societal divisions. Such outcomes not only detract from the intended goals of enhancing public safety but also risk alienating segments of the population whose support is essential for the advancement of our collective well-being. I respectfully ask that you consider the potential consequences of the proposed gun control measures, not just for the immediate future but for the legacy we leave for generations to come. It is my hope that, together, we can find a way to address the challenges of gun violence in a manner that honors our values, respects our freedoms, and genuinely enhances the safety and well-being of our communities.
STOP INFRINGING OUR RIGHTS. Get rid of every single gun control bill that is here and START ENFORCING THE LAWS WE ALREADY HAVE. Stop trying to turn law abiding citizens into criminals. I am disgusted that all of these nonsense bills have even made it this far. You can have these laws in Northern Virginia where everyone hates guns but don’t force this garbage into the rest of the state. GET RID OF ALL OF THIS GARBAGE and keep your noses out of everyone’s business. More government is not the answer.
Please stop attempting to infringe on my 2nd amendment rights. Responsible gun owners are not behind any gun violence. Maybe focus on bills that will actually keep guns out of the hands of those that should not have them rather than stripping the rights away of law-abiding citizens. Not a single one of those bills will stop criminals from breaking the law, all they will do is prevent me from being able to effectively defend myself and my family against said criminal.
Virginia already has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation. We can all agree violence is an issue but making more unconstitutional, on a national and state level, gun laws will not help with the rates of violent crimes and property crimes as we see from states with stricter gun laws. We need to increase access to mental health and community resources to address the root causes of issues rather than criminalizing responsible gun owners. I am opposed to this attack on the second amendment which is the fundamental backbone that protects the other freedoms guranteed in the constitution.
The second amendment is very clear in its intent that these rights “shall not be infringed”. Removing/ restricting law abiding citizens right to self defense and protection against unwitting organizations and persons is not only more harmful, but a clear violation of the rights this country was founded on.
Dear Honorable Members of the House of Delegates, I write to you today as a concerned citizen, deeply invested in the well-being and safety of our communities, and as someone who values the principles upon which our nation was founded. The issue at hand, the introduction of bills aimed at heavily regulating firearms, is one that I believe warrants a thoughtful reconsideration in light of its broader implications. Our nation stands at a crossroads, where the desire to address gun violence intersects with the constitutional rights affirmed by the Supreme Court. The Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms is not just a legal directive but a reflection of our commitment to individual freedom. In this context, the proposed regulations, while motivated by a commendable desire to reduce violence, raise significant concerns about their effectiveness and the potential consequences for law-abiding citizens. Research, including findings published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, suggests that the relationship between strict gun laws and the reduction of gun violence is not as straightforward as one might hope. Cities with stringent gun regulations continue to face challenges with gun-related crimes, indicating that those intent on violence often find ways to circumvent the law. This reality prompts us to question whether new restrictions will achieve their intended goal or merely place additional burdens on those who seek firearms for legitimate purposes, including self-defense. Moreover, the abundance of firearms in the United States presents a logistical challenge to the enforcement of such regulations. With more guns than people in the country, the task of significantly reducing the availability of firearms to criminals, without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens, is daunting. It is within this complex landscape that I urge you to consider the broader implications of the proposed gun control measures. The parallels drawn with other contentious issues, such as the regulation of women's healthcare, highlight the potential for policy decisions to inadvertently infringe upon individual freedoms and deepen societal divisions. Such outcomes not only detract from the intended goals of enhancing public safety but also ***risk alienating segments of the population whose support is essential for the advancement of our collective well-being.*** Constituents see this robust effort to "see what sticks" as a weakness within our party. Comparatively imbalanced with the diverse range of issues and concerns that we face everyday. A waste. As we move forward, I encourage you to approach this issue with a balanced perspective, one that recognizes the need for effective strategies to combat gun violence while also safeguarding the constitutional rights and freedoms that define our nation. The path to meaningful change is complex, requiring a nuanced understanding of the issues at hand and a commitment to policies that truly serve the best interests of all our citizens. In closing, I respectfully ask that you consider the potential consequences of the proposed gun control measures, not just for the immediate future but for the legacy we leave for generations to come. It is my hope that, together, we can find a way to address the challenges of gun violence in a manner that honors our values, respects our freedoms, and genuinely enhances the safety and well-being of our communities.
You guys need to stop attacking our 2nd amendment and get help for these kids growing up with identity crisis’s . You coming after law abiding citizens is appalling and the fact that your leaning towards becoming the despicable state of California is saddening. If the president can have security which uses firearms that even the normal civilian can’t have this raises the issue of how can a civilian defend against a tyrannical government with a featureless 10 round ar-15 ? Keep this up and we know exactly what your end goal is.
As a left leaning voter and citizen of Virginia, these new restrictions on our right to bear arms are sickening. Stop proposing so many bans and limits, and maybe a realistic bill, like the safe credit, won’t be universally protested. If you actually want to quell gun violence, keep focused on affordable mental and physical healthcare, improving the education system, and reducing income inequality. While the right may not support these real improvements, I cannot in good faith support or vote for any politician who supports banning or restricting the rights of law abiding citizens in our beautiful commonwealth. Thank you.
The 2nd amendment states "shall not be infringed". All of these bills are infringement and are therefore unconstitutional. Should we pass laws that people must pass a test before they can have freedom of speech? What about pass a test before you can vote? What about if someone does not have training they will be slaves again? Name one other right outlined in the constitution where a citizen has to jump through hoops before they can use that right? I oppose all of these bills as they will do more harm than good. I can understand wanting to keep people safe but gun control does the opposite. These bills will only make it harder for law abiding citizens to exercise their rights while criminals will still ignore the law. Criminals will still get illegal guns or weapons and will commit more crimes since they know the public is unable to defend themselves. Benjamin Franklin once said: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." You writing bills saying "give up your rights and guns and we will protect you". Well ask the Native Americans how that worked out for them. Ask a Jewish person who was under Nazi control how that worked out for them. Well Hitler's first step was to take away the guns from the public so they could not protect themselves and over 6 million people lost their lives. Since you do not know history you are writing bills which will doom us to repeat it. You know 75 years ago when you could just buy a gun in a catalog and it was shipped to your house we did not have this issue. In the 60s and 70s when people would have a gun in their truck at school or take one in for show and tell we did not have a gun issue. This is a mental health issue. Deal with mental health and you will fix the public safety issue. Zero of my guns have killed people because guns do not kill people. People kill people. Look at Ukraine and Israel for just one form of example why we need LESS gun control. All of these gun laws are unconstitutional and should be thrown out. Do the right thing and let us law abiding citizens have their rights as outlined in the constitution. Do not pass laws which infringe on our rights. If the 2nd amendment falls, the 1st will follow . When the 1st and 2nd fall the 13th will fall and our country will be lost and we will be back in chains.
I am very opposed to the vast majority of these bills. I am a legal gun owner with my CHP. Many of these bills heavily restrict my right to bear arms in a legal capacity. I don’t understand why I should be punished for doing everything legally and correctly only to become a felon in the coming months through these legislations
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Whether or not a person chooses to exercise this right is up to them. Otherwise, it shall not be infringed.
I can not, and nobody should, support these unconstitutional laws. THROW THEM ALL OUT.
You guys make it harder and harder to vote Democrat every single cycle. Complete ban on Semi Automatics more or less making the state even stricter towards guns then states like Maryland? I oppose all these even the "herp common sense derp" ones because the states party has made it clear they don't give a crap about anything but putting hollow wins for politicians because hhheeeyyy punishing law abiding gun owners is a whole lot easier then creating jobs or reducing crime. If these bills die before getting to the governors desk, especially the bans, then I will gladly continue to vote DNC. But if Youngkin has to veto these and you make me say something I never thought I would "Thank god Youngkin won" then I look forward to blindly going down the ticket in 2024 and checking "R" on everyone. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
I do not support more legislation infringing on my 2nd Ammendment rights. Please fund more enforcement for the proactive enforcement of existing laws and regulations pertaining to firearms.
I oppose this legislation.
First off, knives are a basic tool with myriad uses and have been around since ancient history. Any limitation on them is so insulting, and insane. We are not children. It is infuriating that money was spent to even write that down. The fact that I would need a right to carry a knife spelled out is not something our forefathers could have possibly anticipated, since it’s a simple tool. A screwdriver is exactly as deadly as any knife. I would know, I’ve been an ICU nurse for nearly a decade and I have seen people stabbed with both. Matter of fact, a hammer would be a superior concealed weapon with more lethality than either. Second, many of these new gun laws make sense. Many of them do not. I do not want stalkers, domestic abusers, or drug dealers buying guns. A waiting period and proficiency training is fine, although I believe it to be unconstitutional I would comply. However it appears we are going to make it illegal to purchase specific parts for guns, to build your own serialized and registered firearm, and to concealed carry in many public spaces. I also see a poorly defined and overly restrictive “assault weapons” ban. The most insane is the ban on parents having firearms in the home at all. That is unacceptable. The latter group of laws are an infringement based on the opinions of the woefully uninformed. I should not lose my right to responsible ownership, maintenance and concealed carry with a permit due to the lobbying of a group that has failed to due the due diligence to learn about the rights they wish to throw away for all of us. I have a concealed carry permit. It has saved my life of nearly saved my life multiple times. The police can be great, but they are minutes away when seconds count. For instance, as I was leaving a restaurant in the city I was targeted by 2 men with illegal guns. I did not know them, we had never interacted, but suddenly there was a gun pointing at me from a car circling around me in the parking lot. Without escape available, I drew my pistol in response. The car stopped circling and left, giving me time to alert law enforcement before there were any holes in me. If I come face to face with a mass shooter, as so many do, I prefer to be armed. The organization of mothers pushing for these laws can define the law of their household. But not mine. Learn from the past for gods sake. We do not need and will eventually not accept increasing restrictions and price hikes allowing only the wealthy and connected to be armed. Governor, I ask that you veto these laws which only restrict law abiding citizens. You are the person elected in part because you are the option on the ballot who would not let this stand. So don’t. To those in support of these laws: every right you surrender is one you can never recover without 10 times the struggle it took to get to the place where you were able to throw it away. Learning from your mistakes is not viable when you codify them into law. You are making several mistakes. You can’t restrict and underfund the police department and make personal defense harder at the same time. That is advantageous to no one. It is not how things work in this world where evil people exist, no matter how deep in the sand your head is. And the next time you’re grunting and sweating, tearing a box open like a fucking caveman you might want to try a knife before adding more legislation An armed society is a polite society, let’s keep it that way.
The litany of gun control measures under consideration will do nothing to effectively reduce crime and violence, and will only further restrict the rights of law abiding firearms owners. Not to mention the countless examples from other locales across the country where these same measure have been put into place and the result is more violent crime as criminals can now feel safe that the general population is not armed. Strongly oppose all proposed bills.
The ridiculous litany of gun control measures under consideration will do nothing to effectively reduce crime and violence, and will only further restrict the rights of law abiding firearms owners.
We dont need MORE laws regarding firearms, we need to enforce the laws that are already on the books. If enforcement is done then these laws are redundant and not necessary. Don't pass more laws just for the sake of passing laws. They do nothing but make law abiding citizens confused and they dont do anything to stop problems.
I am writing to express my great concern, to the legislatures that continue to ignore their oath of swearing to protect and uphold the rights of the citizens as protected by the United States Constitution and the Virginian Constitution. "The Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms, SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED". You beaurcrats do not grant that right to he people, it is God given. While you grandstand and ateemlt to make laws to hurt the everydayaw abiding American citizen, you turn a way and do nothing in these bills to punish criminals committing crimes. It is already illegal to murder people. To grandstand and think that any of these bills would stop someone from murdering or harming another person is laughable. Quite literally. You pander screaming about these firearm safety bills while you walk around with security and people with "guns" to keep you safe. Start enforcing the existing laws against criminals who commit crimes vs trying to turn law abiding people, who take training, are serious about protection of family, themselves and others, and trying to disarm them and make them criminals. Or we will vote you out! Uphold your Oath or be prepared for the consequences your actions lead to by the American people. Regards Mr. Harris
I know most modern politicians aren’t historians but the Bill of Rights is really simple. If you read that, you’ll also read the 2nd Amendment which is really simple as well. In the same docket you’re trying to give more benefits to police and take away more rights from citizens. You ought to be ashamed. What a farce freedom is anymore.
These anti gun laws are an infringement on all Virginian's 2A rights.
I am opposed to additional new laws or further regulations placed on firearms or other means of self defense, or which limit the ability to conduct commerce or carry such items. Not only does the constitution make it clear this is a violation of my rights, it does nothing to address or reduce the actions of criminals.
I am against all of these blatantly unconstitutional firearms restrictions. I'm strongly against: SB2| Deeds | Assault firearms certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, possession, sale, transfer, etc., prohibited. This tries to ban things that are in common use, which has never worked well for the government, remember Prohibition? Remember the war on drugs? Just like the last assault weapons ban, this will literally just make AR-15s more popular and easier to get illegally. And I am against: HB585 | Mundon King | Home-based firearms dealers; prohibited near schools, penalties. That specifically targets home-based FFLs whose house is somewhere near a school. This would put hundreds of Virginia residents out of business just because of where they live.
I strongly oppose any bill, law or ordinance that infringes on the undeniable constitutional right to keep and bear arms. These include any ban, any further age restrictions, if a person (18) is old enough to join the military and use real "assault weapons" then they should be fully capable to purchase a semi automatic firearm of their choice. I oppose any law or ordinance that restricts my ability to defend my family and myself as I see fit, this includes bans on where I can carry my lawful firearm, what type of firearm and the magazine size of my choice. How about we make laws that are tougher on criminals and stop punishing law abiding people who actually care and follow the law.
All infringements on the second amendment are acts of treason and should be treated as such. Acting in favor of such infringements makes you a traitor to this nation and th commonwealth.
All Virginians want our families to be safe from gun violence. However, passing such broad restrictions on firearms commonly used for self defense is not the answer. The updated definition of assault weapons and the associated prohibitions do little to nothing to stop criminals who are willing to illegally buy or steal firearms. There are plenty of firearms out there for criminals to access, with well over 400 million guns in civilian ownership in the United States. It is too late to round them all up. These bills will disproportionately affect those citizens who go out of their way to follow our commonwealth's laws; the people who are unlikely to commit a violent crime in the first place. The solutions to gun violence that stand a chance at working are community-oriented interventions that decrease poverty, drug use, gang activity, combat mental illness, and advocate for the safe storage of firearms. Sociologists know these factors correlate strongly with ALL types of violence. On average, two-thirds of firearms deaths are suicides, an assault weapons ban won't do a thing about those. Of the remaining 1/3 of firearms homicides, more than half are drug, gang, or domestic violence related. Let's pass bipartisan legislation that addresses these underlying problems, instead of preventing average Virginians from protecting themselves with firearms that are already ubiquitous.
I am Opposed to any limitations on the Second Amendment and any restrictive firearm laws. We have adequate, if not already overbearing, laws on the books now and should not be creating more laws restricting all the aspects of firearm use, sales, and any other aspects of the right to bear arms.
These firearm laws are mostly reactionary to the media response on firearms. This is a major infringement on the 2nd amendment and needs to be stopped.
An inordinate focus on the control of firearms only serves to infringe the rights of the law-abiding citizen in defense of his life and property. The State should instead focus on the apprehension and incarceration of individuals engaging in criminal behavior and associated misuse of firearms.
Any law that infringes on my Gods-given right to own and bear arms is UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Any law passed that infringes this right will be answered with a lawsuit.
Hello. There are a plethora of bills that were proposed, which would clearly violate the second amendment rights of many law abiding citizens. First of all, considering concealed carry should be permit-less carry, it is counterproductive to increase the requirements for concealed carry. Restrictions on where law abiding citizens can lawfully carry their now “permitted” firearms is asinine, as well as the proposition of a bill that would make it a penalty to leave a firearm in your car. You would essentially be disarming a large number of people who wish to follow these unlawful order in a day and age where the democratic agenda is to act like there are mass shootings on a daily basis. Effectively disarming the majority and increasing the requirements and legal loopholes to carry is such a vulnerable state to be in and I hope we’re smart enough to avoid that. Restrictions on “Plastic firearms and unfinished frames etc” is not only terrible literature that does nothing to explain, but it is a direct violation of the 2nd amendment considering you have a federal right to make firearms for personal use, which would include additively manufactured parts. Wait periods are also a horrifying thing to think of, considering how many times it has been proven to be a terrible idea, keeping guns out of the hands that need them most to protect themselves and their families. “Assault firearms” and anything to do with them is nonsense considering the blatant inability to define said “assault weapon”. People who don’t understand guns, shouldn’t be making laws on guns. A shorter barrel does not make it more lethal, in fact it lowers the muzzle velocity, causing less force on impact and penetration, in turn causing less collateral damage. Any sort of “assault weapons” bills are targeting law abiding citizens who have every right to use the modern advances in firearm technology just as police officers and military. The only people these bills are effecting are the already law abiding citizens. The criminals who got their hands on said weapons illegally aren’t going to be making sure that their ALREADY ILLEGAL WEAPONS are fully compliant with state laws and regulations before they go commit another crime. In no way shape or form should someone need to disadvantage themselves in a life or death situation because political members with an armed security detail don’t feel the need for a gun. Why would I want to limit myself to a firearm that is going to be inadequate in home defense, or one that does not have a high enough capacity to protect myself from the ever growing threat of home invasion and the increased trend of multiple home invaders breaking in armed. If it was you alone in your house with 6 armed intruders who most definitely must have checked their local laws and firearm regulations and made sure their firearms aren’t violating any rules before they break into your house, would you want to limit yourself to a low capacity firearm that is going to be extremely difficult to use effectively in a high stress situation, or are you taking a rifle which for reasons that don’t make sense, must have a 16 inch barrel, with a larger capacity magazine, and a stock that you can use to safely brace the firearm to prevent stray shots and provide more accurate fire. Personally I’m going to take anything and everything I can get in a situation that means life or death for me and my loved ones EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK. Focus on the mental health crisis.
These laws are mostly going to effect law abiding citizens like myself and all the people I know. WHEN HAVE CRIMINALS FOLLOWED LAWS??? The only thing these criminals that commit gun related offenses is some kind of force of action. Why are you going to try to take our 2nd Amendment Rights away from people who follow the laws and love our great country? We should be focusing on increasing penalties against those who commit the crimes. Stop focusing on the law abiding citizens and focus on the criminals that are terrorizing all of our towns. Our government is letting millions and millions of unknown people in our country without having a clue what kind of person they are. I'm sure most are good people like you and me but not all of them are. We need our guns to be able to protect ourselves, our families, our neighbors, and our country if needed. Our founding fathers have it right and put a lot of thoughts into our constitution and bill of rights. I thought Democrats were about equality and the working man/woman. If you all want good for us law abiding citizens, work together, make compromises, and start doing your duty. We do not need more "big government" taking more rights. What we need is a closed border so we can fight this drug crisis. Slow the flow of drugs and these gangs fall apart. Once they fall apart maybe these shootings would slow down. Please do the right thing and do not sign these gun bills. All this woke crap is ruining our country. Y'all need to please make changes and focus on what's going to help all of us not just the minority.
Gun laws do not prevent firearm homicides, based upon gun control organization's own data (Giffords) •No correlation between strict gun laws and firearm homicide incidents •.07 coefficient of determination (AKA R2) where .90 is a strong association •There likely would be a weak association showing gun laws driving the firearm homicide rate higher if Washington, DC was given a score and ranked by Giffords.
Hello, The right to own and bear firearms is intrinsic in the very nature of the founding of the United States. We must remember the spirit of the 2nd Amendment and the right of all civilians to own and bear arms. Firearms are the great equalizer and can allow and individual to defend themselves when they previously could not. Gun violence and the mental health epidemic are closely interlinked and one cannot pass restrictive firearm laws and expect gun violence to go away. Gun bans and the use of restrictive purchasing requirements, magazine limits, waiting periods, and red flag laws have been shown not to be effective in stemming gun violence. I urge anybody reading this message to say "NO" to 2nd Amendment restrictions.
I strongly, along with many fellow Virginians oppose any villainous disarmament bills disguised as "public safety". The second amendment clearly states "SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED" and out of touch elitist politicians who enjoy the luxury of armed security are choosing to ignore the constitution and force us to rely on sub-par police protection. The same people who want to defund the police want to disarm us. Embracing the second amendment is what is keeping our crime rates low compared to New York and California. We have seen the blatant disregard that criminals have for these so-called laws; emboldened criminals who are not afraid of the consequences and innocent law-abiding people who are forced to live in fear because a bunch of tyrants are letting power corrupt them. I do not want to live in fear and neither do the rest of us. In addition; a lot of counties and cities have declared themselves as second amendment sanctuaries to protect the rights of free individuals from the overreach of tyrannical politicians. These bills are a Trojan horse that will lead to more crime. You anti-gun politicians should be ashamed of yourselves; give up your private security and train yourselves. Then you will change your minds; because in the end, nobody is coming to save you. I would rather have a fighting chance against armed assailants than die waiting for help to arrive. These bills are pure evil
These all seem like infringements that will do nothing to curb any crime. Further they will only create criminals out of everyday law abiding folk. These are laws that seem to be targeting victimless crimes.
I oppose all of these selected bills since I firmly believe they are in conflict with the Second Amendment of the US Constitution. The Second Amendment clearly states that it shall not be infringed upon. Any and all proposed legislation that would place limits on how, where, and when responsible citizens arm themselves runs afoul of that. Our founding fathers correctly held the belief that all people have a natural born right to arm and protect themselves and that the government has no authority to interfere with that. While I agree with the sentiment of reducing violence among our society, gun laws only harm the law abiding citizen and leave criminals who already have a disregard for the law to still be armed. If our elected officials who proposed these bills actually cared about addressing our violence problem, they would focus more on addressing the root causes of violence and crime. More worthwhile pursuits in my opinion would be focused on addressing socio-economic problems that plague disadvantaged communities, creating a more robust and well-equipped mental healthcare system, and overhauling our educational systems to setup our children for better success in life. Thank you all for your time.
I'm against any unconstitutional law, and any law that strips Americans of their rights. These laws are an attack on the 2nd ammendment and hold NO facts in stopping crime. They are a punishment on law abiding people and in no way will make virginia a safer place.
I oppose all these unconstitutional, dangerous, and pointless laws.
I oppose all useless firearm changes. Criminals will not obey
HB113 | Sullivan | Handguns; possession, purchase, or transportation by persons convicted of certain drug offenses. HB1174 | Sickles | Assault firearms; age requirement for purchase, penalty. HB1195 | Hayes | Firearms; waiting period for purchases, penalty. HB12 | Jones | Handguns; firearm locking device required for sale or transfer, child safety warning required. HB1235 | Zehr | Concealed handguns; protective orders. HB1424 | Hope | Firearms; valid permit to purchase, penalties. HB1462 | Laufer | Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; civil penalty. HB158 | McClure | Firearm locking device; required for sale or transfer of firearm. HB16 | Garrett | Firearm or explosive material; carrying within Capitol Square and the surrounding area, etc. HB173 | Simon | Plastic firearms and unfinished frames, etc.; manufacture, import, etc. prohibited, penalties. HB175 | Simon | Assault firearms; carrying in public areas prohibited, penalty. HB183 | Simon | Firearms; storage in residence where minor or person prohibited from possessing is present, penalty. HB2 | Helmer | Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, sales, transfers, etc., prohibited. HB22 | Jones | Auto sears; definition, prohibition on manufacture, importation, sale, etc., penalty. HB270 | Reid | Commonwealth Comprehensive Gun Safety Program; established, etc. HB319 | Helmer | Firearms instructors & safety prog.; removes reference to NRA & U.S. Concealed Carry Assoc. in Code. HB35 | Clark | Firearm safety device; expands definition of device. HB351 | Clark | Firearm; locking device required for purchase, households where minor resides, penalty. HB362 | McClure | Firearms; purchase, etc., following an assault and battery against an intimate or dating partner. HB454 | Callsen | Firearm/explosive material; carrying w/in Capitol Square or bldg. owned or leased by Commonwealth. HB46 | Bennett-Parker | Firearm; transfers to another person from a prohibited person. HB466 | Helmer | Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states. HB791 | Henson | Pneumatic guns; Class 6 felony to possess. HB797 | Hope | Concealed handguns; demonstrated competence for a permit, firearms instructors and safety programs. HB798 | Hope | Firearms; purchase, possession, etc., following an assault and battery or stalking violation. HB799 | Hope | Concealed handgun permit applications; fingerprints required by local governments. HB861 | Hernandez | Weapons; carrying into hospital that provides mental health services. HB945 | Lopez | Firearm safety device; expands definition of device. SB100 | Ebbin | Plastic firearms and unfinished frames, etc.; manufacture, import, etc. prohibited, penalties. SB2 | Deeds | Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, possession, sale, transfer, etc., prohibited. SB210 | Perry | Auto sears; prohibition on manufacture, importation, sale, etc., penalty. SB273 | Subramanyam | Firearms; waiting period for purchases, penalty. I oppose all these bills.
I oppose this bill as it seeks to infringe on the Consitutionally proctected rights of lawabiding citizens to protect themselves from criminals, criminals who do not follow the law. This bill makes it harder for someone to keep themselves safe and is primarily a solution in search of problems to fix. Virginia has one of the lowest crime rates in the country and even less gun related crimes being committed year over year. This is not due to gun control laws, in fact as gun control laws increase, s o does the rate of violent crimes. Criminals are not afraid of police, they are afraid of armed citizens. The subject of this bill has already been defeated in courts, passing this into law will only subject the Commonwealth to more lawsuits to have it repealed costing us more in taxes. Enough of our taxpayers money has been wasted in politicians attempting to pass "feel good" bills to try and prove they are doing their job. I urge the legistature to focus on enforcing and imposing stricter penalties for those that break our exsiting laws over creating new laws that only serve to pe nalize the law abiding citizens.
I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I support the following bills: HB1174, HB1181, HB1195, HB12, HB1424, HB1462, HB158, HB175, HB183, HB23, HB270, HB318, HB319, HB351, HB362, HB585, HB602, HB637, HB791, HB797, HB798, HB799, HB861, HB916, & HB945 I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I oppose these bills: HB1030, HB1141, HB1198, HB1230, HB1235, HB1321, HB1325, HB1386, HB289, HB389, HB756, & HB872 Innocent children are dying on our watch. Please do something.
Remember Delegates...you took an Oath to 'Support and Defend the Constitution of the Unites States of America' which includes the 2nd Amendment!
I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group. I support bills HB1174 HB1181 HB1195 HB12 HB1424 HB1462 HB158 HB175 HB183 HB23 HB270 HB318 HB319 HB351 HB362 HB585 HB602 HB637 HB791 HB798 HB799 HB861 HB916 HB945
I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group. I support bills HB1174 HB1181 HB1195 HB12 HB1424 HB1462 HB158 HB175 HB183 HB23 HB270 HB318 HB319 HB351 HB362 HB585 HB602 HB637 HB791 HB798 HB799 HB861 HB916 HB945
Re HB 173. I strongly support this bill. It is time that we make children and innocent citizens more important than guns. Yes, there will be opposition but we have to start somewhere. And gun owners have many legal ways to obtain guns. I personally do not see it as a violation of the 2nd amendment. Who ever heard of ghost guns back then. I urge you to support this bill. Thank you.
Re HB 173. I strongly support this bill. It is time that we make children and innocent citizens more important than guns. Yes, there will be opposition but we have to start somewhere. And gun owners have many legal ways to obtain guns. I personally do not see it as a violation of the 2nd amendment. Who ever heard of ghost guns back then. I urge you to support this bill. Thank you.
I am opposed to HB173. The bill is once again very vague with what constitutes an "unfinished firearm". If this is passed, where is the line and who gets to decide what a private citizen owns is now considered illegal because of this? People who are committing crimes are not manufacturing their own firearms. The evidence just does not support this narrative at all. This is simply another effort to disarm the law abiding population.
The end of solitary confinement must be done My son was murdered in solitary confinement at Red Onion Prison in Pound Va on 1/3/22.
Makes unfinished firearm frames and receivers and unserialized commercially made firearms unlawful to purchase, sell, or transfer unless serialized. Even a chunk of aluminum, if sold to the public to become a frame or receiver once completed, must be serialized under this bill. The bill doesn’t make an exception for the millions of firearms made before 1968 that were unserialized nor does it grandfather in existing homemade firearms. This bill is unconstitutional, as there was no analog in the history or traditions of firearms with any such limitations at the time the Bill of Rights was adopted. Homemade guns have been legal since before the United States existed. Cannot Support
I SUPPORT this common sense legislation to make our communities safer. This is my number one issue.
In support of the bills checked above for safer communities .
Our Constitution does not provide citizens with privileges. It establishes a government with checks and balances and specifically limits the governments ability to remove the rights of its people. In regards to the matter at hand, it specifically says the the government cannot place limitations on the right of a citizen to keep and bear arms. Before I get the typical response, I know you are already aware that the phrase "well regulated" specifically refers to an being trained and ready to bear said arms. The language at the time did not use the term "regulated" as we do with modern regulations. It has been proven in the courts repeatedly that the laws you are currently considering are unconstitutional. Of this I am sure you are already aware. By spending time and tax dollars discussing laws that you know to be unconstitutional, you are in fact wasting time and tax dollars that could be spent on productive issues. I can only assume your intent is to intentionally waste time, and force members of the firearms industry to waste money on legal fees defending the constitution you have sworn to uphold. Please consider actual data and actual facts when considering gun legislation. No data supports the claim the "assault weapon" bans actually reduce gun related crime. More guns are being purchased now than ever before, yet now that the latest FBI data has been released, we can see that gun related crimes have not increased. Also, like every year that the FBI has released data, so called "assault weapons" make up a very small portion of all gun crimes. For your general knowledge the term "assault weapon" was first coined by Adolf Hitler. He renamed one of their new automatic firearms, the Sturmgewehr, because he felt that the name "assault weapon" would strike fear in allied forces. This is also the exact reason the gun control community uses this term as well. The fact is that these firearms are not fully automatic and cannot be made so without a high degree of machining skills and mechanical knowhow. Plus doing so is already illegal. The fact is the Biden's latest gun control act has not been equally enforced. It was supposed to provide additional support for school security and mental health services. It was supposed to provide stronger punishments for those cought breaking existing gun laws. It was supposed to allow FFL's to use the NICS system to check employees. It was supposed to allow FFL's to be able to instantly check inventory or potential purchase/trades by their serial number to determine if the firearm has been stolen or used in any crimes. None of these provisions have been acted upon or enforced. Please drop these latest gun control bills. They are unconstitutional and will never pass. Please do not waste your time and our tax dollars on these wasted efforts. Regards, Jonathan Goodman
I have a hard time believing in this day and age, after SCOTUS has made MULTIPLE opinions and decisions in FAVOR of law abiding fire arms owners, that the talk of banning & restriciton IN VIRGINIA, no less, is still a topic for debate. Law abiding gun owners ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. Check the flag! Sic Semper Tyrannis is our motto, and you people are doing everything you can to ensure ALL of VA is NOT adequately represented, tyranny; that we the people go disarmed & at the mercy of criminals WHO DO NOT OBEY LAWS, tyranny; that we the people will be disarmed & dependant upon a government that clearly has forgotten who the governing authority truly is, tyranny; and thats the problem! If we the people, are disarmed, then that means all of you should be as well. No bodygaurds, no police escorts, no firearms of your own. On top of this, all police officers should be disarmed. If we the people can't have protection under our God given, Constitutionally protected RIGHT to keep and bear arms, per James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and many MANY other patriots - then neither should ANY of you!
Dear Committee, I am resident of Richmond City and I am writing in OPPOSITION of these anti Second Amendment bills. The nature, language and prohibitions covered in these bills clearly violate multiple provisions of the US Constitution and in direct violation of simple text reading of Second Amendment of US Constitution - A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. US Supreme Court time and again, including Heller and more recently in Bruen decision reiterated that any law that does not fall into plain reading of Second Amendment Text and lacking Historical analogue at the time of founding clearly violates US Constitution. Multiple recent lower court cases since Bruen has been decided on that ruling and rendered multiple laws across the country as UnConstitutional. You are here by notified that the proposed bills violated both Text and Spirit of US Constitution, more specifically Second Amendment. You are further notified to remind you that you took official oath to uphold US Constitution and Virginia Constitution. Please vote NO on these bills. Thank you
I support these bills as I believe they take positive steps toward reducing gun violence in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I cannot stomach that my daughters (ages 2 and 4) are growing up in a nation where the top cause of death for the 1-19 age group is gun violence. It must change!
In the interests of public SAFETY, I strongly support the above marked bills.
I support these bills.
My name is Jeanne Hanewich and I am submitting comment on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Virginia in support of this bill. The League is in support of banning ghost guns as they are un-serialized, untraceable and their purchase does not require a background check. Ghost guns make it easy for prohibited and dangerous individuals to evade federal and state gun regulations and create a dangerous loophole.
I support this legislation. Please help to protect our children!! My family is from the UK and their kids don’t need to practice active shooter drills. There is no reason our children should be put in danger on a daily basis in this country!!!
I support the above bills checked and hope to see them pass out of committee, as they will help improve public safety. Support: - HB2 - Helmer - HB22 - Jones - HB46 - Bennett-Parker - HB113 - Sullivan - HB173 - Simon - HB362 - McClure - HB454 - Callsen - HB466 - Helmer I Oppose: - HB390 - Griffin - HB395 - Griffin
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. Gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. Gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. We believe that gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
My name is Rev. Rachel Sutphin and I live in Earlysville, Virginia. As a pastor, I look forward to the day when swords are turned into plowshares (Isaiah 2:4). For the protection of all life, especially the most vulnerable, including children, I urge you to vote in support of all bills that aim to reduce gun violence. I support HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB 454, and HB466.
All these bills violate The Bill of Rights. If you violate The Second Amendment, you violate the Bill of Rights.
Every gun law is an infringement. In addition, I also oppose HB173 because it requires firearms to be serialized to purchase, sell, or transfer. Even a chunk of aluminum that can be used to make a firearm must be serialized. By infringing on the right to carry a firearm in public outside the home, this bill is unconstitutional under federal law per the U.S. Supreme Court's McDonald v. City of Chicago decision.
I'm a volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and I support this bill. More than 2,500 ghost guns were connected to criminal activity in 114 federal cases from 2010 to April 2020. ATF officials estimated that approximately 10,000 ghost guns were recovered across the U.S. in 2019. Should Virginia enact this legislation into law this year, it would join a list of 13 other states that are currently leading the fight against these untraceable weapons that are becoming a go-to for many violence criminals.
HB389 - Concealed handgun; carrying without a permit.
I am a Henrico County resident and I oppose these bills. Guns are the #1 killer of children under the age of 18 and the United States has a gun homicide rate 26 times higher than that of peer nations. A recent Fox News poll found that the majority of Americans want more gun safety laws, including background checks, red flag laws, and waiting periods for gun purchases. Let's use common sense regulations to help protect our children. I oppose these bills. Thank you for your time.
The extent to which the government has infringed on the rights of American citizens is staggering. With each right restored as the ATF and anti-freedom states lose in court over and over again, the gun controllers sound the alarm about expanding gun rights and the associated dangers. Yet, there is no data to back up concealed carry permit holders committing crime with their firearms. If there were, it would already be all over the media and embedded in every gun control argument. Grossly manipulated data is already routinely cited by gun controllers to mislead the public. The fact that there is nothing for these same dishonest individuals to spin about constitutional carry shows the utter lack of evidence. Dangerous people who commit crime already carry weapons without permits. Many politicians today support policies that favor criminals over free citizens. Anyone who votes against these bills is squarely in that oppressive body of politicians who do not belong in office. These bills must be passed now.
Dear Sir or Madame. Last year in Newport News I was assaulted by a 27 year old black man from Chesapeake because of his road rage.. This was at my local bank 11;30 in the morning. This young man almost lost his life at my hand because you cannot reel in your problem young men. His words feet from me were ' im going to kick your ass and then kill you'. My pistol changed his mind. I saw for myself the woke judges and a woke system that perpetuates the problem. The criminal justice system has been flung far far left which IS causing a public safety hazzard. No new gun control is needed. More jail time for the trash that i dealt with is. My Congressman Bobby Scott and Delegate Cia Price do not represent me.
I am a member of VA Moms For Change, a gun violence prevention group and I oppose these bills
For the Delegates and witnesses who took offense to VCDL speaking for all races, please know that we have members of all races. We speak for all of our members. Racism is unconscionable, and laws founded on racist principles should be repealed. It doesn't matter who repeals them, what matters is that affirmative action is taken to strike down all forms of racism and recognize that we are one race, human. In addition, we take offense to the accusation that we do not promote safety. As an organization, and as individuals, we have routinely and consistently promoted safety and education. We recognize that creating defense free zones advertises to criminals that they will have the ability to inflict massive carnage before someone arrives with the proper tools to stop their assault. We look at real data that shows a.) gun free zones attract crime, not discourage it, and b.) violent crimes are routinely and frequently stopped by an armed civilian, many times without shots being fired and without loss of life. In the cases of mass murders, in 2022, 41.3% were stopped by armed civilians. If you exclude so-called gun free zones from the data, the rate goes up to 63.5%. This, again, supports the statement that gun free zones are a lie, and are really killing zones. Finally, I would wager that if there were a fee, a test, and a permit required in order to vote, this body would reject that concept soundly. Yes, we do have voter registration as a means of ensuring that each person votes in the correct precinct and only votes once. However, it is accepted that a poll tax is unconstitutional, and rightly so. In addition, there is no civics exam or IQ test required before a person is allowed to vote. Nor is there any impediment for an individual to voice their opinion, worship as they see fit (or not), or be secure in their personal effects. I would submit to you that a $50 fee in order to exercise a natural right...one that is so important that it is constitutionally protected...places the exercising of that right out of the reach of underprivileged communities. This affects over 10% of the population of Virginia, which is a significant number of people. These people typically live in areas with higher crime rate and conceivable have a higher need for tools of self defense. You are denying them the ability to do so discreetly.
As a woman I urge you to stand up for fellow women's right to defend themselves in our state. The ability to carry frees women to go about day to day business without constant fear of violence against them. I travel alone throughout this state and neighboring states. Most of the people I am in contact with on these trips are also women traveling alone in campers or staying alone in hotels. It is vital we are able to carry as free people and not be always reliant on the old fashioned practice of carrying a man with us. Please don't continue rolling us back in the dark ages! Give rights to women to protect ourselves.....by ourselves.
As a constituent I urge you to support my right to self-defense by SUPPORTING both HB 389, Delegate Griffin, and HB 1030, Delegate Freitas. These bills are identical and allow a person to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere they could openly carry that handgun, as long as they are not disqualified for getting a concealed handgun permit. It's the same person and same gun, whether they are openly carrying or put on a coat. The concealed handgun permits would continue to be available and would provide extra benefits over carrying without a permit. 27 states have carry without a permit currently and more are expected this year. A recent study in Ohio shows crime dropped after the state adopted carry without a permit. No state that has adopted it has repealed it. Neighboring Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia are all states that don't require a permit to carry a concealed handgun. Let me know how you are going to vote on these important bills.
I urge you to vote yes for both HB1030 and HB389. Constitutional carry should already be in place. There are already laws on the books to be applied to those criminals who make an intentional decision to harm other law abiding citizens. These bills will enable law abiding citizens to have the freedom of choice to decide if they want to carry a concealed firearm in order to be prepared to protect their, their families, or their community in self defense. Ironically those who have made the choice to become a criminal are already not following the current law of getting a conceal carry permit before they conceal a weapon in their daily lives to commit criminal activity. Criminals will start thinking twice before commiting violent or potentially deadly crimes when they know it is more likely that a potential victim will have the means to defend themselves. Voting YES for HB389 and HB1030 will allow law abiding citizens (far majority of citizens) to be able to defend themselves.
I urge you to support my right to self-defense by SUPPORTING HB 389, Delegate Griffin. This bill allows a person to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere they could openly carry that handgun, as long as they are not disqualified for getting a concealed handgun permit. It's the same person and same gun, whether they are openly carrying or put on a coat. The concealed handgun permits would continue to be available and would provide extra benefits over carrying without a permit. 27 states have carry without a permit currently and more are expected this year. A recent study in Ohio shows crime dropped after the state adopted carry without a permit. No state that has adopted it has repealed it. Neighboring Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia are all states that don't require a permit to carry a concealed handgun.
This should be the law of the land already. Not only is it the right thing to do, it positively affirms the rights protected in Article I Section 13 of our own state constitution. We can also see a drop in crime when these bills are enacted, such as with Ohio. The current system just makes it difficult for the poor and disadvantaged to protect their life and leaves them vulnerable to predation. When you examine mass shoot incidents and eliminate locations where carry is not allowed you will find the majority of those cases see stopped by armed citizens. This will also benefit us in reducing administration costs of the permits and will keep poorer and less educated people from running afoul of all the current complicated laws. Is the commonwealth really benefitted from putting non violent persons in jail because they forgot to renew a form or were confused by concealed carry reciprocity nuances?
I encourage all to vote yes on both of these bills so that the community can come together and have the most effective means do their part and assist law enforcement in protecting their communities and loved ones. Crime has been on the rise and a very reasonable response to battling such unfortunate incidents is to educate and remove the amount of potential victims there are by acknowledging our god given right to bear arms in its fullest capacity as the 2nd amendment guarantees.
Hello, I would urge the members of the House Public Safety Committee to vote YES on HB389 - Griffin and HB1030 - Freitas. Over the past two decades, more than 50 percent of U.S. states have passed laws allowing for constitutional carry or permitless carry. Most recently in 2023, Florida and Nebraska passed Constitutional Carry laws. In 2022, Alabama, Ohio, Indiana, and Georgia all passed Constitutional Carry legislation. As a valid Chesterfield County Concealed Carry citizen, I strongly urge the passing of this legislation as it would allow citizens the right to conceal carry without requiring the lengthy training class requirements, paperwork, fee's, and court/judicial backlog/waiting period associated with obtaining a permit. Further these bills would allow law abiding citizens the right to self protection measures in an every increasingly dangerous world. The facts are simple, criminals don't legally obtain firearms nor do they file the appropriate paperwork to conceal carry, they simply show up and cause havoc and often take lives in the process. These bills would allow everyday citizens the opportunity to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their fellow neighbors/community in the event of a violent crime taking place. Thank you, William
Please pass HB389 and HB1030. It is our God-given right, as per the 2nd Amendment of the United States Constitution, to bear arms, which will not be infringed by the government. No innocent, law abiding citizen should have to suffer taking time off from work or school and spend money going to the county courthouse to apply for a CHP, in order to be able to go about in public, outside the safety of one's home, with his/her firearm concealed from plain sight, ready to protect his/her own life or the lives of others.
Hello, I’m am writing today to make my voice heard for the first time as a newly informed citizen about matters such as these that goes on within our government. I wish to display my support for both HB1030, and HB389 at this time. As a member of this community and as an armed security officer myself I believe that law abiding citizens shouldn’t have to take extra steps in order to exercise rights they already possess. I encourage all to vote yes on these two bills and make self defense more accessible to the community so that criminals think twice about snatching grandmas purse!!!
I have a right to protect myself, family, and property from any threat, perceived or real. I will continue to exercise this right and I expect my public servants to protect my rights as they themselves desire to have their rights protected.
I have a right to protect myself, family, and property from any threat, perceived or real. I will continue to exercise this right and I expect my public servants to protect my rights as they themselves desire to have their rights protected.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments. As a lifelong 26 year old citizen of the commonwealth of Virginia I would like to take a moment to discuss these Bills. These bills intend to allow concealed carry of firearms without a permit in places open carry would be legal. I strongly urge you all to support this bill. Virginia is a state of significant historic importance. From Washington's Virginia minutemen in the revolutionary War to the many presidents born in this fine state Virginia is a state built by the blood and sweat of patriots. Carrying firearms is a constitutionally ensured God given right of which the government must protect. A permit being necessary to conceal carry firearms is itself an infringement of that right. No one would seriously suggest an application process for a license to be able to practice our right of free speech. Therefore it is of the utmost importance to pass these bills to protect our rights which hang with such fragility in the balance. I would like to also add the benefit of an armed populous given the right to freely exercise their firearm rights. States which have passed constitutional carry laws have had their crime decrease sometimes by significant amounts this is because the first line of defense against wouldbe criminals is the American citizen. The American citizen is always the first responder and must be given the right to protect themselves and their family with whatever tool they see fit. I would also like to add that gun free zones which have unfortunately grown in the past decade have been consistently targeted due to the ease of which attacks can be made without anyone being able to actively fight back to defend themselves. It is hypocritical in my opinion of lawmakers who enjoy the protection of constant armed security to restrict the freedoms of the citizens to be able to defend themselves with the same tools your very lives are protected with. Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback I hope you make the right decision by the people who elected you and who want you to uphold our gun rights.
This debate over guns was settled in 1791. We have all the laws we need to cover the action of a criminal. Murder is illegal no matter the tool used. Assualt is illegal no matter the tool used. Your ridiculous attack on the rights of all Virginians is just another chapter in the failure our our legislature to deal with the true issues that plague our state. Restore our rights and work to better the state and stop with the petty and vindictive law making that only hurts the innocent. Every day our governing bodies from congress to you become less relevant as a part of our lives, since all you ever manage to do is destroy and steal.
Please do not let 'common sense" gun laws unconstitutionally infringe on our rights. Law abiding citizens have the right to self defense and private firearm ownership.
I have written to committee in the past requesting you not vote to pass on gun control bills of any kind. I would like to encourage you to vote for HB1030 and HB389. Virginia was founded on concepts of liberty, independence and responsibility. We have a long and proud tradition of safe and proper gun use here. I am asking that you consider this, the law abiding outnumber the criminals, shouldn't we legally have the same rights that are enjoyed in 27 other states? Stop treating gun owners in Virginia as if they are committing crimes no matter what they do. Start treating us as citizens and neighbors who are good and decent people. Please don't fall for propaganda and the hate filled messages anti-constitution people carry. We don't need to be turned into another horrible failed demonstration of overreach and oligarchy by a governmental body. Allow 'constitutional carry' within the Commonwealth can only strengthen our sense of safety as proven in other places, criminals fear to tread where their so called 'victims' can fight back. Remember, when Virginia first went to 'Shall Issue' permits, and all around they denied that right, Virginia was the safest of the 'DMV' region. We must continue to protect all, ensure the safety of Virginians is protected and enhanced. Do not try and turn us into another place rife with crime like other states that deny it's residents basic constitutional rights. A beginning for this would be a vote of 'Yes' on HB389 and HB1030. Thank you.
In Ohio one year after constitution carry passed gun crimes went down
The great Commonwealth of Virginia should be proud to pass these two bills. They are the will of the people and solidify our rights as guaranteed by the federal and state constitutions. Please pass these bills.
As a resident of the great Commonwealth and disabled veteran, I hold dearly and fully support the right to self-defense by all law abiding citizens no matter race, creed, or color and these bills, HB 389, Delegate Griffin, and HB 1030, Delegate Freitas, will ensure just that. Both bills are identical and allow a person to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere they could openly carry that handgun, as long as they are not disqualified for getting a concealed handgun permit. It's the same person and same gun, whether they are openly carrying or put on a coat. The concealed handgun permits would continue to be available and would provide extra benefits over carrying without a permit. 27 states have carry without a permit currently and more are expected this year. A recent study in Ohio shows crime dropped after the state adopted carry without a permit. No state that has adopted it has repealed it. Neighboring Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia are all states that don't require a permit to carry a concealed handgun. v/r Thomas Speich
I've commend prior on these issue but would like to reemphasize that more laws of these nature only impose on those of us that already obey the law and I think that you could explain this to your constituents demanding more gun control. I always find it ironic and dubious that those wanting more gun control either don't own a gun, have never fired a gun or don't want to purchase one but wish to infringe upon those of us who are responsible gun owners. Many of these bills on gun control shouldn't even be proposed and if you are supporting these bills you're being dishonest to your own base in tell them that this will reduce crime. It can't reduce crime and never has since other cities such as Chicago ,crime ALWAYS increases with more gun control and Always goes down with less in most situations. I have friend who lives in Chicago and had to sue because they outlawed all firearms several years back. The citizens won that case and were allowed to own AR-15's and all various forms of semi automatic fire arms pistol and rifle. According to him and the data CRIME WENT DOWN. The exception to gun laws which are already on the book as always is proper back ground checks so criminals cannot exploit the legal process by purchasing as a felon. As for removing someone's rights to own a gun under a DUI or DWI I fail to see any relevance or correlation and causation to the issue of guns in general. I am apposed to all these gun control bills and support the two pro guns bills being proposed.
Criminals already have a defacto Constitutuional Carry ability in that they disregard laws that prohibit carrying guns in general. You cannot prevent someone from carrying a gun, and allowing law abiding citizens to carry guns without paying a fee for a CHP just evens the playing field. Good guys carrying guns makes everyone safer, as criminals would think twice before committing a crime knowing their victim may be armed. Make VA Constitutuional carry like many other states have done.
Please vote yes on: HB 389, Delegate Griffin and HB 1030, Delegate Freitas Thanks. Brian Johnson
Criminals can do whatever they want to. It's time we stop punishing everyone else and let law-abiding, good people have the freedom to protect themselves if they choose.
All gun control laws are repugnant to the 2nd Amendment of the United States Constitution, and as United States Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall found in Marbury vs. Madison, such laws are void. Unfortunately, there are those in our halls of government that only recognize acts of law established by their contemporaries. As such, it is imperative that these bills be passed, as written, in order to employ the force of law as means to compel the historically and legally ignorant to recognize what should be universally understood as a natural right.
"Constitutional carry" is common sense. Constitutional carry normalizes the right to exercise our Constitutional Rights. Currently, there is a popular, and misguided, idea that only criminals and zealots carry a firearm -- that misconception is reinforced by the artificial barriers placed in the way of lawfully carrying a firearm. In the current situation, it would seem that only the most motivated "gun nut" would go out of their way to go through all the obstacles currently restricting the exercise this Constitutionally granted right -- or a criminal who does not care what the law, and "normal society" says. Let's dull and tarnish the "outlaw" status criminals get from being illegally armed. Constitutional Carry would remove the barriers for "normal people" to exercise their rights. We need more "normal people" to tarnish the glamour criminals feel about their status symbol illegal handguns. Let's make guns boring.
I support passing both HB389 and HB1030. In keeping with the recent US Supreme Court decision New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen, every person in Virginia, who meets the current CHP requirement, should be able to carry a concealed weapon. With wide open borders, fewer police officers, it is imperative that individuals be able to defend themselves, their family, and others in dire need. Sincerely yours, Terrence J Finazzo
Good evening Delegates, I am writing in support of a Constitutional Carry bill for this great commonwealth. This bill will only further empower our fellow citizens and, as proven in other states, actually reduces crime! These are great things and what your fellow Virginians want. I urge you to vote, Yes, on this bill. Thank you for your time
Constitutional Carry in Virginia will allow law abiding citizens to fully exercise their Natural Right of self defense as protected by the Constitution. It result in reduced crime as well. This has be demonstrated in EVERY state that has adopted it.
Honorable Delegates The simple fact is that in every state where it has been enacted Constitutional Carry has reduced crime or helped it to remain low. The proof is in the results. Thank you
Please support HB 389 and 1030 ref Constitutional Carry. Victor Calaman Jr. Richmond
As a constituent I urge you to support my right to self-defense by SUPPORTING both HB 389, Delegate Griffin, and HB 1030, Delegate Freitas. These bills are identical and allow a person to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere they could openly carry that handgun, as long as they are not disqualified for getting a concealed handgun permit. It's the same person and same gun, whether they are openly carrying or put on a coat. The concealed handgun permits would continue to be available and would provide extra benefits over carrying without a permit. 27 states have carry without a permit currently and more are expected this year. A recent study in Ohio shows crime dropped after the state adopted carry without a permit. No state that has adopted it has repealed it. Neighboring Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia are all states that don't require a permit to carry a concealed handgun.
I oppose these bills.
In regards to HB2 and additional proposed firearm-related legislation. I do not believe adding additional restrictions, especially financial burdens, is a fair and ethical way of combating crime and violence with firearms. I believe there should be more freedom for owning and carrying firearms, but like the idea of additional training requirements and locking devices (gun safes) when in a home with minors. If the state were to enact any bills or policies further restricting access, there needs to be a free (government funded) way to access these rights for law-abiding citizens free of discrimination of any kind.
I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I support the following bills: HB1174, HB1181, HB1195, HB12, HB1424, HB1462, HB158, HB175, HB183, HB23, HB270, HB318, HB319, HB351, HB362, HB585, HB602, HB637, HB791, HB797, HB798, HB799, HB861, HB916, & HB945 I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I oppose these bills: HB1030, HB1141, HB1198, HB1230, HB1235, HB1321, HB1325, HB1386, HB289, HB389, HB756, & HB872 Innocent children are dying on our watch. Please do something.
I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I oppose this bill.
I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change and I oppose these bills
I am with Virginia Moms for Change. I am a mother of 3 and a grandmother of 1. I STRONGLY oppose these bills.
I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I oppose these bills.
Remember Delegates...you took an Oath to 'Support and Defend the Constitution of the Unites States of America' which includes the 2nd Amendment!
I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change and I oppose these bills.
I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I oppose this bill.
The end of solitary confinement must be done My son was murdered in solitary confinement at Red Onion Prison in Pound Va on 1/3/22.
I strongly oppose HB16 and HB389.
I OPPOSE these bills as there is little to no data that this will make our communities safer; in fact, states with permitless carry have been show to have more gun-related deaths. Please keep VA safe.
I, Karen Higa, a resident of Falls Church, VA, and advocate for safer communities and Brady United Against Gun Violence, am providing virtual testimony AGAINST the following three bills before the House Public Safety Committee: HB 11, HB16, HB 389 Many of the perpetrators of our nation’s crimes were given gun permits, so we must put a stop to this carnage and work toward providing a safer community for our citizens and especially our children.
I am a Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, mother of 3, and former social worker. I oppose this bill.
I OPPOSE these bills. Permitless states have shown an increase in gun-related deaths.
Our Constitution does not provide citizens with privileges. It establishes a government with checks and balances and specifically limits the governments ability to remove the rights of its people. In regards to the matter at hand, it specifically says the the government cannot place limitations on the right of a citizen to keep and bear arms. Before I get the typical response, I know you are already aware that the phrase "well regulated" specifically refers to an being trained and ready to bear said arms. The language at the time did not use the term "regulated" as we do with modern regulations. It has been proven in the courts repeatedly that the laws you are currently considering are unconstitutional. Of this I am sure you are already aware. By spending time and tax dollars discussing laws that you know to be unconstitutional, you are in fact wasting time and tax dollars that could be spent on productive issues. I can only assume your intent is to intentionally waste time, and force members of the firearms industry to waste money on legal fees defending the constitution you have sworn to uphold. Please consider actual data and actual facts when considering gun legislation. No data supports the claim the "assault weapon" bans actually reduce gun related crime. More guns are being purchased now than ever before, yet now that the latest FBI data has been released, we can see that gun related crimes have not increased. Also, like every year that the FBI has released data, so called "assault weapons" make up a very small portion of all gun crimes. For your general knowledge the term "assault weapon" was first coined by Adolf Hitler. He renamed one of their new automatic firearms, the Sturmgewehr, because he felt that the name "assault weapon" would strike fear in allied forces. This is also the exact reason the gun control community uses this term as well. The fact is that these firearms are not fully automatic and cannot be made so without a high degree of machining skills and mechanical knowhow. Plus doing so is already illegal. The fact is the Biden's latest gun control act has not been equally enforced. It was supposed to provide additional support for school security and mental health services. It was supposed to provide stronger punishments for those cought breaking existing gun laws. It was supposed to allow FFL's to use the NICS system to check employees. It was supposed to allow FFL's to be able to instantly check inventory or potential purchase/trades by their serial number to determine if the firearm has been stolen or used in any crimes. None of these provisions have been acted upon or enforced. Please drop these latest gun control bills. They are unconstitutional and will never pass. Please do not waste your time and our tax dollars on these wasted efforts. Regards, Jonathan Goodman
I am John Calhoun Co-Director of Lewinsville Faith in Action (LFA) , an organization, "in partnership with others, works for political, social, economic and environmental policies that are based on justice and compassion." LFA stands in vehement opposition to HB 11, HB 16 and HB 316, bills that will not protect, but further endanger the lives of the Commonweath's citizens. More guns, more explosives in protected areas means only more deaths, more shattered families.
I am John Calhoun Co-Director of Lewinsville Faith in Action (LFA) , an organization, "in partnership with others, works for political, social, economic and environmental policies that are based on justice and compassion." LFA stands in vehement opposition to HB 11, HB 16 and HB 316, bills that will not protect, but further endanger the lives of the Commonweath's citizens. More guns, more explosives in protected areas means only more deaths, more shattered families.
Dear Committee, I am resident of Richmond City and I am writing in SUPPORT of these anti Second Amendment bills. Second Amendment of US Constitution simply reads - A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. US Supreme Court time and again, including Heller and more recently in Bruen decision reiterated that any law that does not fall into plain reading of Second Amendment Text and lacking Historical analogue at the time of founding clearly violates US Constitution. Multiple recent lower court cases since Bruen has been decided on that ruling and rendered multiple anti-2A laws across the country as Unconstitutional. Anti-2A members of society talk about these "universal background checks". So one must ask ourselves, should one go through same process as law enforcement, pass same background checks etc, WHAT reason do we now have in unconstitutionally preventing that individual from carrying the firearms in the same places and manner as a law enforcement representative can. Why have one laws for People and completely another set of laws for the Govt and Privileged ? You are here by notified that the proposed bills are required undo some of the unconstitutional laws passed in the recent past and save the State some time, money and embarrassment to be caused when those unconstitutional laws are repealed by Courts setting permanent blockage on anti-2A law makers. . You are further notified to remind you that you took official oath to uphold US Constitution and Virginia Constitution. Please vote YES on these bills. Thank you
I strongly oppose the above marked bills because they are potentially DETRIMENTAL to PUBLIC SAFETY.
I OPPOSE these bills and implore you to focus on actions that actually reduce gun violence in our community. Permitless carry has been shown to result in MORE gun related deaths.
I oppose these bills. There is not data to suggest permit-less carry makes communities safer, in fact, this is associated with more gun violence.
I oppose these bills.
Oppose these bills greatly. Just want common-sense gun safety legislation passed.
We need to be making gun control legislation stronger to keep our kids safe! The statistics show more guns do not make us safer! Look at the rest of the developed world! I’m opposed to this legislation.
I OPPOSE these bills as there is little to no data that they make our communities safer- in fact, states with permitless carry have been shown to have more gun-related deaths.
I oppose Bills HB11, HB16 and HB389 because I want to keep our children and our communities safe. Data has proven time and time again that more guns to not mean safer communities.
Virginia Moms for Change opposes HB11, HB16, & HB389. We do not support loosening the weapons restrictions currently in place.
I'm a volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and I oppose this bill.
HB454 - Firearm/explosive material; carrying w/in Capitol Square or bldg. owned or leased by Commonwealth.
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I am opposed to all of these unconstitutional and anit-american gun laws and regulations. There is no room for more gun laws and regulations in this state.
Contrary to how certain government officials treat it, the second amendment is written using plain, easy to understand language, and insists that government has no right to take away the right for ordinary people like us to defend ourselves, as the constitution and bill of rights do not simply give people rights, but protects them from government manipulation and control. It’s incredibly disappointing and a tragedy that people choose to commit acts of violence with these rights, but restricting those who wish to exercise their rights peaceably due to those who wouldn’t follow these rules in the first place is incredibly naive. I, as well as every other person in the United States, deserve to protect my family with the best technology available. While some people look at certain defense weapon setups as a “why do you need that” situation, 1) I have the right to defend myself with the best tool available, and so I will choose that every time, 2) why do you “need” anything other than basic necessities (fast car, Gucci clothes, etc)? The government has no place in deciding what I “need”, 3) people with the intent to harm will not care what laws govern peaceful people, so what would limiting the victim’s access to proper tools do? You may think that by “banning” or otherwise restricting access to a certain thing would mean that all of the “bad” things would magically go away, but they will not. Evil has always and will always exist, and I have every right to defend myself from it using the best tool available wherever I, or my family, choose to go. Restricting access on certain properties (the government isn’t actively protecting me everywhere), requiring certain training (who is paying for this?), limiting certain types of firearms (go ahead and define “assault weapon” in plain language please), and restricting ammo purchasing (I thought you wanted us to train; how does this help then?) are all means that end up hurting the average person and helping those who wish to hurt others, as the rest of us will be left in a position to insufficiently defend ourselves. I urge you to understand that while, yes, it is awful that evil people commit horrific acts, this right ultimately allows me to protect myself and my family from these evil people as well and as evil will always exist (we certainly like to delusion ourselves into believing that we live in a utopia, but we do not), I will protect my family accordingly. The government has no right to restrict this. Leave the peaceful citizens alone, more firmly punish those who hurt others, and help communities where this is an issue to prevent the upbringing of more evil people.
Please stop trying to make criminals of law abiding citizens who just want to protect themselves. Me and my partner have recently become firearm owners because of situations that have arisen in our day to day lives, such as harassment of my wife almost to the point of altercation, sketchy characters waiting in front of our door/ducking in and out of our bushes at all times of the night, people breaking into cars in the neighborhood etc (many times the police/security were called only to arrive 45mins to an hour later). with many of these nonsensical bills you condemn us to allowing any possible violence to happen to us without a chance of defending our selves. Instead of helping fix the problem, you seek to make criminals out of any Virginian who has followed the law and legal purchased a firearm. Shame on you. I am Virginian native and since I was 18 I voted leaning blue in local and state elections you all are making me think this was a mistake. I am not proud of Virginia “progressives” who would rather strip my wife of her chance and right to defend her self rather than try to address the root of crime. Don’t make law abiding people criminals. Do some actual work and address the criminals! 2 of the proposed bills would make in illegal to bring your concealed firearm into a restaurant and another makes it a crime to have the firearm in your vehicle…. Like really? This is literally just to fill jails and strip people of their rights.
Leave law abiding citizens alone.
State Legislature members, A right delayed is a right denied. Quoting the 2022 NYSRPA v. Bruen Supreme Court Case: 'The constitutional right to bear arms in public for self-defense is not “a second-class right, subject to an entirely different body of rules than the other Bill of Rights guarantees.” McDonald, 561 U. S., at 780 (plurality opinion). The exercise of other constitutional rights does not require individuals to demonstrate to government officers some special need. The Second Amendment right to carry arms in public for self defense is no different.' The recent NYSRPA v. Bruen case highlighted the significance of individual self-defense, and it's crucial to consider the rights of law-abiding citizens in crafting firearm legislation. While the goal of enhancing public safety is commendable, an outright ban on certain firearms and magazines will disproportionately impact responsible gun owners who use these tools for legitimate purposes, such as self-defense and sport. It is essential to strike a balance between public safety and the preservation of individual rights. Instead of blanket bans, and bureaucratic obstacles that only harass lawful firearm owners, we should focus on comprehensive measures that address the root causes of gun violence. This approach respects the constitutional rights of citizens while fostering a safer society. Criminals are not deterred by restrictions on lawful purchase at federally-licensed FFL Dealers. They do not bother going through the process of applying for a concealed carry permit, because they do not intend to carry lawfully. People who want to use weapons to hurt innocent citizens of Virginia will not be impeded by these House and Senate Bills. Instead, the only individuals who will have their behavior modified are lawful men and women who are unable to defend themselves against those who will commit crimes regardless of what is written into law this Legislative Session. If you pass the above laws, it will only serve to waste hard-working Taxpayers' money fighting them in Federal Court. California and New York have lost their cases seeking to uphold unconstitutional gun laws, and the sponsors of these bills will lose too. Do the right thing - the hard thing - enforce the laws we already have, get the small minority of violent criminals off the streets of Virginia, and uphold the constitutional rights of your polity.
These bills infringe on the rights of the United States citizens given to us by the second amendment. The only thing these bills will accomplish will take the firearms out of the hands of law abiding citizens, while criminals will still have access.
I do not support any bill that removes any right from law abiding citizens to protect themselves from those who WILL NOT abide by these laws. These laws ONLY give CRIMINALS the upper hand.
There are approximately 47 bills regarding gun control between the House and Senate. Rather than fix issues that actually protect and enhance the lives of Virginians, many of these bills seek to disenfranchise and reduce the safety of the citizens in this great Commonwealth. Firearms are so fundamental to the founding and continued existence of our free society that they are listed just second to the freedom of speech in amendments to the constitution. It is plainly clear to all that countries and states who have banned or severely restricted firearms that violence does not end with their banning. Unjust deaths are not prevented. It simply ensures that law abiding citizens are left defenseless from those that wish to harm them, whether that be individuals or an organization. I write this knowing that it will be completely disregarded by the bills authors, but in hopes that others feel galvanized to speak up against unjust actions made in the name of progress. To those who wish to protect themselves with firearms while simultaneously stripping them from the common man, may you take heed of the Virginia state motto.
A lot of these laws contradict one another. I can’t support them. Both of our parties have failed us.
Stop trying to strip 2nd Amendment rights from law abiding citizens with a constitutional right to own and carry firearms. Not a single one of these laws/bills you’re trying to enact would have stopped any of the mass shootings we’ve seen.
I oppose all of these blatantly unconstitutional bills and wish our elected officials would actually get to work on fixing things that matter to Virginians.
These proposed laws will do nothing but make more victims out of citizens that are exercising their 2nd amendment rights. Criminals do not care about these restrictions, these laws are merely an extension of the culture war. They are meant to punish anyone that the Northern Virginia and big city politicians don’t like. While violent criminals continue to arm themselves, the law abiding citizens of The Commonwealth would be left without defense. These laws are feckless and meant only to virtue signal. One with even a basic understanding of our constitution would see these as exactly what they are: illegal and Un-American.
There is no acceptable reason to infringe upon the Constitutionally-protected (both US and Virginia's Constitutions) rights of Americans and Virginians. None of these bills purported to reduce gun-related violence actually seem to prioritize the reduction of causal effects of overall violence. Many of these are merely attempts to curb the rights of the People to keep and bear arms, because our legislative bodies are full of corrupt, weak, and contemptible individuals. Show us the bills for addressing the root causes of violence: mental health, income inequality, social instability, lack of education and educational opportunities, drug & human trafficking, or employment & wages (this list is not all-inclusive).
Time and time again it has been proven that criminals do not care about or follow restrictive firearm laws. Virginia already has some of the most restrictive firearms laws in the country ("B+" rating from Giffords), more unconstitutional infringements upon law abiding citizens is not the answer. We need to address the root causes (access to mental health resources for example) and not throw bandaids at it by punishing responsible, law abiding, gun owners. I oppose these bills and urge you to do the same.
As a fellow Democrat, it’s important to acknowledge the complexities surrounding gun ownership and the Second Amendment. 1. Self-Defense: Firearms can be a crucial tool for individuals to protect themselves, especially in high-crime areas or situations where law enforcement response times are slow. 2. Sport and Recreation: Many Americans enjoy shooting sports like hunting, skeet shooting, and target practice as a recreational activity, fostering a sense of community and skill-building. 3. Cultural Tradition: Gun ownership is deeply ingrained in American culture, with a rich history of hunting and marksmanship passed down through generations. 4. Economic Impact: The firearms industry contributes significantly to the economy, generating jobs and revenue through manufacturing, sales, and related services. 5. Civil Liberties: Upholding the right to bear arms is fundamental to preserving individual freedoms and safeguarding against government overreach. 6. Empowerment of Marginalized Communities: For historically marginalized groups, owning firearms can serve as a means of empowerment and protection against hate crimes or discriminatory violence. 7. Emergency Preparedness: In times of natural disasters or civil unrest, responsible gun owners can help maintain order and protect their families and communities. 8. Deterrence of Crime: Research suggests that the presence of armed civilians can deter potential criminals and reduce overall crime rates in certain contexts. 9. Veterans and Law Enforcement: Many veterans and law enforcement officers transition to civilian life with a continued appreciation for firearms, utilizing their expertise for civilian defense and security. 10. Balanced Approach: Instead of blanket gun control measures, we can advocate for comprehensive solutions that address root causes of violence, such as mental health support, poverty reduction, and community intervention programs.
I oppose the proposed firearms legislation put forward by this legislature and any legislation that violates the 1st, 2nd, and 4th, amendment rights of any Virginian. The desire for safer communities, a more united nation, and healing for our public health is something that we all can share in but these bills do not achieve that. Rather, they regulate and penalize. They unconstitutionally restrict the rights of the many in the name of safety and serve only to harm our rights. I would be doing a disservice to our state and my fellow citizens if I did not also provide potential solutions or remedies to the violence we face. First, we as communities need to promote voluntary storage facilities for those who are experiencing hardship and are concerned about suicide. Ideally making it easier to put firearms safely out of reach when suicide risks are greater. To do this it would need to be a system at the lowest level with minimum government involvement besides funding and partnership with local ranges. We would also need to reach out to those in our lives who are in a bad place and encourage the use of these facilities. Second, we should promote a culture of safe handling and respect for firearms through school courses and community organizations because assault weapons or not suicide, or accidents only take one bullet from a single action firearm. Lastly and more broadly we should focus on the issues surrounding the violence. Whether it is drugs and organized criminal activity or the mental health crisis as it has become known we should be working to fix these issues first. I.e. legalize weed, adapt police training, and push to root out organized crime, promote common social values and family cohesion, increase freedom, physical activity, and discipline in the school system.
These firearms bill are either redundant or unless in any meaningful way. If you care about reducing violence, please focus on criminals. Please stop trying to disarm families and law abiding citizen from protecting themselves.
I am a liberal through and through, I believe in individual rights and the opportunity for prosperity for all. I vote democrat because I care about my community, the rights of minorities, and women’s rights. The proposed legislation limiting the ability of free, law abiding citizens to purchase firearms, carry, and general use should not be limited further. I have witnessed violence at the hands of criminals, some later caught and it was shown that they did not legally acquire these firearms. The proposed legislation will effectively stop those who abide by the laws of Virginia from being able to properly protect themselves. It is known that police will not protect you, and they have no legal obligation to do so. This puts us at a dilemma, it’s either blindly trust the police to protect us and our families or have the ability to protect ourselves. I am not advocated for looser gun laws by any means, but I am advocating for more common sense gun laws. What do I mean by this you may ask? Well I mean background checks are a must and proper certification to conceal carry. I am a former Marine, I was a firefighter, and am a current student at a great university in our nations capital. I like to think I am reasonable in my thinking, but after looking and reading the propositions I checked above, I can’t help but feel betrayed by my own party. There is more than 5 guns for every American in this country. Gun control must target the people who do not follow the law and try to prevent violence from occurring, and the proposed legislation above does not help in that manner. I am hopeful that you will read this and reconsider the language in the legislation and I am even more hopeful that I can protect my family as necessary. I will always vote for progress but that’s not to say that I will always vote against my interests. Locally, crime has been on the rise and I have had to deal with it directly with little to no help from the police. I will (to the fullest extent of the law) protect myself as necessary from anyone who wishes to inflict harm on myself or family, and I hope you see that the average citizen in Virginia can not afford a security detail or rely on our police for protection. Thank you and have a great day.
Please stop infringing on our god given right, protected by the constitution of the United States (which you all have sworn to uphold and protect), to keep and bear arms. Responsible gun owners are not the problem in America’s gun violence epidemic. We follow the law. Criminals don’t. We use our firearms to protect ourselves, loved ones, and community. Chipping away at this right we have makes us more vulnerable to becoming victims of gun violence, not protect us from it. These laws only serve to empower those with evil intentions. Rather, might I suggest harsher penalties for those who commit senseless acts of violence with firearms instead of going after the good men and women of the commonwealth who wish only to use their firearms for lawful purposes.
Dear House of Delegates, I'm writing to you today as a concerned citizen. The introduction of bills aimed at heavily regulating firearms, is not warranted or wanted by the people of Virginia. Our nation stands at a crossroads, where the desire to address gun violence intersects with the constitutional rights affirmed by the Supreme Court. The Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms is not just a legal directive but a reflection of our commitment to individual freedom. In this context, the proposed regulations, while motivated by a commendable desire to reduce violence, raise significant concerns about their effectiveness and the potential consequences for law-abiding citizens. Research, including findings published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, suggests that the relationship between strict gun laws and the reduction of gun violence is not as straightforward as one might hope. Cities with stringent gun regulations continue to face challenges with gun-related crimes, indicating that those intent on violence often find ways to circumvent the law. This reality prompts us to question whether new restrictions will achieve their intended goal or merely place additional burdens on those who seek firearms for legitimate purposes, including self-defense. Moreover, the abundance of firearms in the United States presents a logistical challenge to the enforcement of such regulations. With more guns than people in the country, the task of significantly reducing the availability of firearms to criminals, without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens, is daunting. It is within this complex landscape that I urge you to consider the broader implications of the proposed gun control measures. The parallels drawn with other contentious issues, such as the regulation of women's healthcare, highlight the potential for policy decisions to inadvertently infringe upon individual freedoms and deepen societal divisions. Such outcomes not only detract from the intended goals of enhancing public safety but also risk alienating segments of the population whose support is essential for the advancement of our collective well-being. I respectfully ask that you consider the potential consequences of the proposed gun control measures, not just for the immediate future but for the legacy we leave for generations to come. It is my hope that, together, we can find a way to address the challenges of gun violence in a manner that honors our values, respects our freedoms, and genuinely enhances the safety and well-being of our communities.
Virginia already has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation. We can all agree violence is an issue but making more unconstitutional, on a national and state level, gun laws will not help with the rates of violent crimes and property crimes as we see from states with stricter gun laws. We need to increase access to mental health and community resources to address the root causes of issues rather than criminalizing responsible gun owners. I am opposed to this attack on the second amendment which is the fundamental backbone that protects the other freedoms guranteed in the constitution.
The second amendment is very clear in its intent that these rights “shall not be infringed”. Removing/ restricting law abiding citizens right to self defense and protection against unwitting organizations and persons is not only more harmful, but a clear violation of the rights this country was founded on.
Dear Honorable Members of the House of Delegates, I write to you today as a concerned citizen, deeply invested in the well-being and safety of our communities, and as someone who values the principles upon which our nation was founded. The issue at hand, the introduction of bills aimed at heavily regulating firearms, is one that I believe warrants a thoughtful reconsideration in light of its broader implications. Our nation stands at a crossroads, where the desire to address gun violence intersects with the constitutional rights affirmed by the Supreme Court. The Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms is not just a legal directive but a reflection of our commitment to individual freedom. In this context, the proposed regulations, while motivated by a commendable desire to reduce violence, raise significant concerns about their effectiveness and the potential consequences for law-abiding citizens. Research, including findings published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, suggests that the relationship between strict gun laws and the reduction of gun violence is not as straightforward as one might hope. Cities with stringent gun regulations continue to face challenges with gun-related crimes, indicating that those intent on violence often find ways to circumvent the law. This reality prompts us to question whether new restrictions will achieve their intended goal or merely place additional burdens on those who seek firearms for legitimate purposes, including self-defense. Moreover, the abundance of firearms in the United States presents a logistical challenge to the enforcement of such regulations. With more guns than people in the country, the task of significantly reducing the availability of firearms to criminals, without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens, is daunting. It is within this complex landscape that I urge you to consider the broader implications of the proposed gun control measures. The parallels drawn with other contentious issues, such as the regulation of women's healthcare, highlight the potential for policy decisions to inadvertently infringe upon individual freedoms and deepen societal divisions. Such outcomes not only detract from the intended goals of enhancing public safety but also ***risk alienating segments of the population whose support is essential for the advancement of our collective well-being.*** Constituents see this robust effort to "see what sticks" as a weakness within our party. Comparatively imbalanced with the diverse range of issues and concerns that we face everyday. A waste. As we move forward, I encourage you to approach this issue with a balanced perspective, one that recognizes the need for effective strategies to combat gun violence while also safeguarding the constitutional rights and freedoms that define our nation. The path to meaningful change is complex, requiring a nuanced understanding of the issues at hand and a commitment to policies that truly serve the best interests of all our citizens. In closing, I respectfully ask that you consider the potential consequences of the proposed gun control measures, not just for the immediate future but for the legacy we leave for generations to come. It is my hope that, together, we can find a way to address the challenges of gun violence in a manner that honors our values, respects our freedoms, and genuinely enhances the safety and well-being of our communities.
You guys need to stop attacking our 2nd amendment and get help for these kids growing up with identity crisis’s . You coming after law abiding citizens is appalling and the fact that your leaning towards becoming the despicable state of California is saddening. If the president can have security which uses firearms that even the normal civilian can’t have this raises the issue of how can a civilian defend against a tyrannical government with a featureless 10 round ar-15 ? Keep this up and we know exactly what your end goal is.
As a left leaning voter and citizen of Virginia, these new restrictions on our right to bear arms are sickening. Stop proposing so many bans and limits, and maybe a realistic bill, like the safe credit, won’t be universally protested. If you actually want to quell gun violence, keep focused on affordable mental and physical healthcare, improving the education system, and reducing income inequality. While the right may not support these real improvements, I cannot in good faith support or vote for any politician who supports banning or restricting the rights of law abiding citizens in our beautiful commonwealth. Thank you.
The 2nd amendment states "shall not be infringed". All of these bills are infringement and are therefore unconstitutional. Should we pass laws that people must pass a test before they can have freedom of speech? What about pass a test before you can vote? What about if someone does not have training they will be slaves again? Name one other right outlined in the constitution where a citizen has to jump through hoops before they can use that right? I oppose all of these bills as they will do more harm than good. I can understand wanting to keep people safe but gun control does the opposite. These bills will only make it harder for law abiding citizens to exercise their rights while criminals will still ignore the law. Criminals will still get illegal guns or weapons and will commit more crimes since they know the public is unable to defend themselves. Benjamin Franklin once said: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." You writing bills saying "give up your rights and guns and we will protect you". Well ask the Native Americans how that worked out for them. Ask a Jewish person who was under Nazi control how that worked out for them. Well Hitler's first step was to take away the guns from the public so they could not protect themselves and over 6 million people lost their lives. Since you do not know history you are writing bills which will doom us to repeat it. You know 75 years ago when you could just buy a gun in a catalog and it was shipped to your house we did not have this issue. In the 60s and 70s when people would have a gun in their truck at school or take one in for show and tell we did not have a gun issue. This is a mental health issue. Deal with mental health and you will fix the public safety issue. Zero of my guns have killed people because guns do not kill people. People kill people. Look at Ukraine and Israel for just one form of example why we need LESS gun control. All of these gun laws are unconstitutional and should be thrown out. Do the right thing and let us law abiding citizens have their rights as outlined in the constitution. Do not pass laws which infringe on our rights. If the 2nd amendment falls, the 1st will follow . When the 1st and 2nd fall the 13th will fall and our country will be lost and we will be back in chains.
I am very opposed to the vast majority of these bills. I am a legal gun owner with my CHP. Many of these bills heavily restrict my right to bear arms in a legal capacity. I don’t understand why I should be punished for doing everything legally and correctly only to become a felon in the coming months through these legislations
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Whether or not a person chooses to exercise this right is up to them. Otherwise, it shall not be infringed.
I can not, and nobody should, support these unconstitutional laws. THROW THEM ALL OUT.
You guys make it harder and harder to vote Democrat every single cycle. Complete ban on Semi Automatics more or less making the state even stricter towards guns then states like Maryland? I oppose all these even the "herp common sense derp" ones because the states party has made it clear they don't give a crap about anything but putting hollow wins for politicians because hhheeeyyy punishing law abiding gun owners is a whole lot easier then creating jobs or reducing crime. If these bills die before getting to the governors desk, especially the bans, then I will gladly continue to vote DNC. But if Youngkin has to veto these and you make me say something I never thought I would "Thank god Youngkin won" then I look forward to blindly going down the ticket in 2024 and checking "R" on everyone. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
I do not support more legislation infringing on my 2nd Ammendment rights. Please fund more enforcement for the proactive enforcement of existing laws and regulations pertaining to firearms.
I oppose this legislation.
The litany of gun control measures under consideration will do nothing to effectively reduce crime and violence, and will only further restrict the rights of law abiding firearms owners. Not to mention the countless examples from other locales across the country where these same measure have been put into place and the result is more violent crime as criminals can now feel safe that the general population is not armed. Strongly oppose all proposed bills.
The ridiculous litany of gun control measures under consideration will do nothing to effectively reduce crime and violence, and will only further restrict the rights of law abiding firearms owners.
We dont need MORE laws regarding firearms, we need to enforce the laws that are already on the books. If enforcement is done then these laws are redundant and not necessary. Don't pass more laws just for the sake of passing laws. They do nothing but make law abiding citizens confused and they dont do anything to stop problems.
I am writing to express my great concern, to the legislatures that continue to ignore their oath of swearing to protect and uphold the rights of the citizens as protected by the United States Constitution and the Virginian Constitution. "The Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms, SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED". You beaurcrats do not grant that right to he people, it is God given. While you grandstand and ateemlt to make laws to hurt the everydayaw abiding American citizen, you turn a way and do nothing in these bills to punish criminals committing crimes. It is already illegal to murder people. To grandstand and think that any of these bills would stop someone from murdering or harming another person is laughable. Quite literally. You pander screaming about these firearm safety bills while you walk around with security and people with "guns" to keep you safe. Start enforcing the existing laws against criminals who commit crimes vs trying to turn law abiding people, who take training, are serious about protection of family, themselves and others, and trying to disarm them and make them criminals. Or we will vote you out! Uphold your Oath or be prepared for the consequences your actions lead to by the American people. Regards Mr. Harris
These anti gun laws are an infringement on all Virginian's 2A rights.
I am opposed to additional new laws or further regulations placed on firearms or other means of self defense, or which limit the ability to conduct commerce or carry such items. Not only does the constitution make it clear this is a violation of my rights, it does nothing to address or reduce the actions of criminals.
I am against all of these blatantly unconstitutional firearms restrictions. I'm strongly against: SB2| Deeds | Assault firearms certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, possession, sale, transfer, etc., prohibited. This tries to ban things that are in common use, which has never worked well for the government, remember Prohibition? Remember the war on drugs? Just like the last assault weapons ban, this will literally just make AR-15s more popular and easier to get illegally. And I am against: HB585 | Mundon King | Home-based firearms dealers; prohibited near schools, penalties. That specifically targets home-based FFLs whose house is somewhere near a school. This would put hundreds of Virginia residents out of business just because of where they live.
I strongly oppose any bill, law or ordinance that infringes on the undeniable constitutional right to keep and bear arms. These include any ban, any further age restrictions, if a person (18) is old enough to join the military and use real "assault weapons" then they should be fully capable to purchase a semi automatic firearm of their choice. I oppose any law or ordinance that restricts my ability to defend my family and myself as I see fit, this includes bans on where I can carry my lawful firearm, what type of firearm and the magazine size of my choice. How about we make laws that are tougher on criminals and stop punishing law abiding people who actually care and follow the law.
All infringements on the second amendment are acts of treason and should be treated as such. Acting in favor of such infringements makes you a traitor to this nation and th commonwealth.
All Virginians want our families to be safe from gun violence. However, passing such broad restrictions on firearms commonly used for self defense is not the answer. The updated definition of assault weapons and the associated prohibitions do little to nothing to stop criminals who are willing to illegally buy or steal firearms. There are plenty of firearms out there for criminals to access, with well over 400 million guns in civilian ownership in the United States. It is too late to round them all up. These bills will disproportionately affect those citizens who go out of their way to follow our commonwealth's laws; the people who are unlikely to commit a violent crime in the first place. The solutions to gun violence that stand a chance at working are community-oriented interventions that decrease poverty, drug use, gang activity, combat mental illness, and advocate for the safe storage of firearms. Sociologists know these factors correlate strongly with ALL types of violence. On average, two-thirds of firearms deaths are suicides, an assault weapons ban won't do a thing about those. Of the remaining 1/3 of firearms homicides, more than half are drug, gang, or domestic violence related. Let's pass bipartisan legislation that addresses these underlying problems, instead of preventing average Virginians from protecting themselves with firearms that are already ubiquitous.
I am Opposed to any limitations on the Second Amendment and any restrictive firearm laws. We have adequate, if not already overbearing, laws on the books now and should not be creating more laws restricting all the aspects of firearm use, sales, and any other aspects of the right to bear arms.
These firearm laws are mostly reactionary to the media response on firearms. This is a major infringement on the 2nd amendment and needs to be stopped.
An inordinate focus on the control of firearms only serves to infringe the rights of the law-abiding citizen in defense of his life and property. The State should instead focus on the apprehension and incarceration of individuals engaging in criminal behavior and associated misuse of firearms.
Any law that infringes on my Gods-given right to own and bear arms is UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Any law passed that infringes this right will be answered with a lawsuit.
I'm against any unconstitutional law and any law that strips Americans of their rights. These laws are an attack on the 2nd amendment and hold NO facts in stopping crime. They are a punishment for law-abiding people and will not make Virginia safer.
Hello. There are a plethora of bills that were proposed, which would clearly violate the second amendment rights of many law abiding citizens. First of all, considering concealed carry should be permit-less carry, it is counterproductive to increase the requirements for concealed carry. Restrictions on where law abiding citizens can lawfully carry their now “permitted” firearms is asinine, as well as the proposition of a bill that would make it a penalty to leave a firearm in your car. You would essentially be disarming a large number of people who wish to follow these unlawful order in a day and age where the democratic agenda is to act like there are mass shootings on a daily basis. Effectively disarming the majority and increasing the requirements and legal loopholes to carry is such a vulnerable state to be in and I hope we’re smart enough to avoid that. Restrictions on “Plastic firearms and unfinished frames etc” is not only terrible literature that does nothing to explain, but it is a direct violation of the 2nd amendment considering you have a federal right to make firearms for personal use, which would include additively manufactured parts. Wait periods are also a horrifying thing to think of, considering how many times it has been proven to be a terrible idea, keeping guns out of the hands that need them most to protect themselves and their families. “Assault firearms” and anything to do with them is nonsense considering the blatant inability to define said “assault weapon”. People who don’t understand guns, shouldn’t be making laws on guns. A shorter barrel does not make it more lethal, in fact it lowers the muzzle velocity, causing less force on impact and penetration, in turn causing less collateral damage. Any sort of “assault weapons” bills are targeting law abiding citizens who have every right to use the modern advances in firearm technology just as police officers and military. The only people these bills are effecting are the already law abiding citizens. The criminals who got their hands on said weapons illegally aren’t going to be making sure that their ALREADY ILLEGAL WEAPONS are fully compliant with state laws and regulations before they go commit another crime. In no way shape or form should someone need to disadvantage themselves in a life or death situation because political members with an armed security detail don’t feel the need for a gun. Why would I want to limit myself to a firearm that is going to be inadequate in home defense, or one that does not have a high enough capacity to protect myself from the ever growing threat of home invasion and the increased trend of multiple home invaders breaking in armed. If it was you alone in your house with 6 armed intruders who most definitely must have checked their local laws and firearm regulations and made sure their firearms aren’t violating any rules before they break into your house, would you want to limit yourself to a low capacity firearm that is going to be extremely difficult to use effectively in a high stress situation, or are you taking a rifle which for reasons that don’t make sense, must have a 16 inch barrel, with a larger capacity magazine, and a stock that you can use to safely brace the firearm to prevent stray shots and provide more accurate fire. Personally I’m going to take anything and everything I can get in a situation that means life or death for me and my loved ones EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK. Focus on the mental health crisis.
These laws are mostly going to effect law abiding citizens like myself and all the people I know. WHEN HAVE CRIMINALS FOLLOWED LAWS??? The only thing these criminals that commit gun related offenses is some kind of force of action. Why are you going to try to take our 2nd Amendment Rights away from people who follow the laws and love our great country? We should be focusing on increasing penalties against those who commit the crimes. Stop focusing on the law abiding citizens and focus on the criminals that are terrorizing all of our towns. Our government is letting millions and millions of unknown people in our country without having a clue what kind of person they are. I'm sure most are good people like you and me but not all of them are. We need our guns to be able to protect ourselves, our families, our neighbors, and our country if needed. Our founding fathers have it right and put a lot of thoughts into our constitution and bill of rights. I thought Democrats were about equality and the working man/woman. If you all want good for us law abiding citizens, work together, make compromises, and start doing your duty. We do not need more "big government" taking more rights. What we need is a closed border so we can fight this drug crisis. Slow the flow of drugs and these gangs fall apart. Once they fall apart maybe these shootings would slow down. Please do the right thing and do not sign these gun bills. All this woke crap is ruining our country. Y'all need to please make changes and focus on what's going to help all of us not just the minority.
Gun laws do not prevent firearm homicides, based upon gun control organization's own data (Giffords) •No correlation between strict gun laws and firearm homicide incidents •.07 coefficient of determination (AKA R2) where .90 is a strong association •There likely would be a weak association showing gun laws driving the firearm homicide rate higher if Washington, DC was given a score and ranked by Giffords.
Hello, The right to own and bear firearms is intrinsic in the very nature of the founding of the United States. We must remember the spirit of the 2nd Amendment and the right of all civilians to own and bear arms. Firearms are the great equalizer and can allow and individual to defend themselves when they previously could not. Gun violence and the mental health epidemic are closely interlinked and one cannot pass restrictive firearm laws and expect gun violence to go away. Gun bans and the use of restrictive purchasing requirements, magazine limits, waiting periods, and red flag laws have been shown not to be effective in stemming gun violence. I urge anybody reading this message to say "NO" to 2nd Amendment restrictions.
I strongly, along with many fellow Virginians oppose any villainous disarmament bills disguised as "public safety". The second amendment clearly states "SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED" and out of touch elitist politicians who enjoy the luxury of armed security are choosing to ignore the constitution and force us to rely on sub-par police protection. The same people who want to defund the police want to disarm us. Embracing the second amendment is what is keeping our crime rates low compared to New York and California. We have seen the blatant disregard that criminals have for these so-called laws; emboldened criminals who are not afraid of the consequences and innocent law-abiding people who are forced to live in fear because a bunch of tyrants are letting power corrupt them. I do not want to live in fear and neither do the rest of us. In addition; a lot of counties and cities have declared themselves as second amendment sanctuaries to protect the rights of free individuals from the overreach of tyrannical politicians. These bills are a Trojan horse that will lead to more crime. You anti-gun politicians should be ashamed of yourselves; give up your private security and train yourselves. Then you will change your minds; because in the end, nobody is coming to save you. I would rather have a fighting chance against armed assailants than die waiting for help to arrive. These bills are pure evil
These all seem like infringements that will do nothing to curb any crime. Further they will only create criminals out of everyday law abiding folk. These are laws that seem to be targeting victimless crimes.
I oppose all of these selected bills since I firmly believe they are in conflict with the Second Amendment of the US Constitution. The Second Amendment clearly states that it shall not be infringed upon. Any and all proposed legislation that would place limits on how, where, and when responsible citizens arm themselves runs afoul of that. Our founding fathers correctly held the belief that all people have a natural born right to arm and protect themselves and that the government has no authority to interfere with that. While I agree with the sentiment of reducing violence among our society, gun laws only harm the law abiding citizen and leave criminals who already have a disregard for the law to still be armed. If our elected officials who proposed these bills actually cared about addressing our violence problem, they would focus more on addressing the root causes of violence and crime. More worthwhile pursuits in my opinion would be focused on addressing socio-economic problems that plague disadvantaged communities, creating a more robust and well-equipped mental healthcare system, and overhauling our educational systems to setup our children for better success in life. Thank you all for your time.
I'm against any unconstitutional law, and any law that strips Americans of their rights. These laws are an attack on the 2nd ammendment and hold NO facts in stopping crime. They are a punishment on law abiding people and in no way will make virginia a safer place.
I oppose all these unconstitutional, dangerous, and pointless laws.
I oppose all useless firearm changes. Criminals will not obey
HB113 | Sullivan | Handguns; possession, purchase, or transportation by persons convicted of certain drug offenses. HB1174 | Sickles | Assault firearms; age requirement for purchase, penalty. HB1195 | Hayes | Firearms; waiting period for purchases, penalty. HB12 | Jones | Handguns; firearm locking device required for sale or transfer, child safety warning required. HB1235 | Zehr | Concealed handguns; protective orders. HB1424 | Hope | Firearms; valid permit to purchase, penalties. HB1462 | Laufer | Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; civil penalty. HB158 | McClure | Firearm locking device; required for sale or transfer of firearm. HB16 | Garrett | Firearm or explosive material; carrying within Capitol Square and the surrounding area, etc. HB173 | Simon | Plastic firearms and unfinished frames, etc.; manufacture, import, etc. prohibited, penalties. HB175 | Simon | Assault firearms; carrying in public areas prohibited, penalty. HB183 | Simon | Firearms; storage in residence where minor or person prohibited from possessing is present, penalty. HB2 | Helmer | Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, sales, transfers, etc., prohibited. HB22 | Jones | Auto sears; definition, prohibition on manufacture, importation, sale, etc., penalty. HB270 | Reid | Commonwealth Comprehensive Gun Safety Program; established, etc. HB319 | Helmer | Firearms instructors & safety prog.; removes reference to NRA & U.S. Concealed Carry Assoc. in Code. HB35 | Clark | Firearm safety device; expands definition of device. HB351 | Clark | Firearm; locking device required for purchase, households where minor resides, penalty. HB362 | McClure | Firearms; purchase, etc., following an assault and battery against an intimate or dating partner. HB454 | Callsen | Firearm/explosive material; carrying w/in Capitol Square or bldg. owned or leased by Commonwealth. HB46 | Bennett-Parker | Firearm; transfers to another person from a prohibited person. HB466 | Helmer | Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states. HB791 | Henson | Pneumatic guns; Class 6 felony to possess. HB797 | Hope | Concealed handguns; demonstrated competence for a permit, firearms instructors and safety programs. HB798 | Hope | Firearms; purchase, possession, etc., following an assault and battery or stalking violation. HB799 | Hope | Concealed handgun permit applications; fingerprints required by local governments. HB861 | Hernandez | Weapons; carrying into hospital that provides mental health services. HB945 | Lopez | Firearm safety device; expands definition of device. SB100 | Ebbin | Plastic firearms and unfinished frames, etc.; manufacture, import, etc. prohibited, penalties. SB2 | Deeds | Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, possession, sale, transfer, etc., prohibited. SB210 | Perry | Auto sears; prohibition on manufacture, importation, sale, etc., penalty. SB273 | Subramanyam | Firearms; waiting period for purchases, penalty. I oppose all these bills.
I oppose this bill as it seeks to infringe on the Consitutionally proctected rights of lawabiding citizens to protect themselves from criminals, criminals who do not follow the law. This bill makes it harder for someone to keep themselves safe and is primarily a solution in search of problems to fix. Virginia has one of the lowest crime rates in the country and even less gun related crimes being committed year over year. This is not due to gun control laws, in fact as gun control laws increase, s o does the rate of violent crimes. Criminals are not afraid of police, they are afraid of armed citizens. The subject of this bill has already been defeated in courts, passing this into law will only subject the Commonwealth to more lawsuits to have it repealed costing us more in taxes. Enough of our taxpayers money has been wasted in politicians attempting to pass "feel good" bills to try and prove they are doing their job. I urge the legistature to focus on enforcing and imposing stricter penalties for those that break our exsiting laws over creating new laws that only serve to pe nalize the law abiding citizens.
I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I support the following bills: HB1174, HB1181, HB1195, HB12, HB1424, HB1462, HB158, HB175, HB183, HB23, HB270, HB318, HB319, HB351, HB362, HB585, HB602, HB637, HB791, HB797, HB798, HB799, HB861, HB916, & HB945 I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I oppose these bills: HB1030, HB1141, HB1198, HB1230, HB1235, HB1321, HB1325, HB1386, HB289, HB389, HB756, & HB872 Innocent children are dying on our watch. Please do something.
Dear Chairman Krizel and Committee Members, I am in favor of common sense gun laws. There will always be folks who will say it is unconstitutional to have any restrictions on guns, but for heaven sakes, how many innocent folks have to be killed before we take some action. There are many ways for gun owners to possess guns legally. Please support this bill. Thank you. HB 454.
The Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
The end of solitary confinement must be done My son was murdered in solitary confinement at Red Onion Prison in Pound Va on 1/3/22.
The Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
Restricts firearms at public institutions of higher education by requiring such firearms be part of an authorized program or activity inside a building. A solution in search of a problem. Higher education students are adults and have a right to self-defense. Cannot Support
I SUPPORT this common sense legislation to make our communities safer. This is my number one issue.
Support for HB 454, Campus Gun Ban Personal account/survivor story of the April 16, 2007 Virginia Tech shooting.
In support of the bills checked above for safer communities .
I support this bill! Please keep our communities safe. Gun regulations work.
Our Constitution does not provide citizens with privileges. It establishes a government with checks and balances and specifically limits the governments ability to remove the rights of its people. In regards to the matter at hand, it specifically says the the government cannot place limitations on the right of a citizen to keep and bear arms. Before I get the typical response, I know you are already aware that the phrase "well regulated" specifically refers to an being trained and ready to bear said arms. The language at the time did not use the term "regulated" as we do with modern regulations. It has been proven in the courts repeatedly that the laws you are currently considering are unconstitutional. Of this I am sure you are already aware. By spending time and tax dollars discussing laws that you know to be unconstitutional, you are in fact wasting time and tax dollars that could be spent on productive issues. I can only assume your intent is to intentionally waste time, and force members of the firearms industry to waste money on legal fees defending the constitution you have sworn to uphold. Please consider actual data and actual facts when considering gun legislation. No data supports the claim the "assault weapon" bans actually reduce gun related crime. More guns are being purchased now than ever before, yet now that the latest FBI data has been released, we can see that gun related crimes have not increased. Also, like every year that the FBI has released data, so called "assault weapons" make up a very small portion of all gun crimes. For your general knowledge the term "assault weapon" was first coined by Adolf Hitler. He renamed one of their new automatic firearms, the Sturmgewehr, because he felt that the name "assault weapon" would strike fear in allied forces. This is also the exact reason the gun control community uses this term as well. The fact is that these firearms are not fully automatic and cannot be made so without a high degree of machining skills and mechanical knowhow. Plus doing so is already illegal. The fact is the Biden's latest gun control act has not been equally enforced. It was supposed to provide additional support for school security and mental health services. It was supposed to provide stronger punishments for those cought breaking existing gun laws. It was supposed to allow FFL's to use the NICS system to check employees. It was supposed to allow FFL's to be able to instantly check inventory or potential purchase/trades by their serial number to determine if the firearm has been stolen or used in any crimes. None of these provisions have been acted upon or enforced. Please drop these latest gun control bills. They are unconstitutional and will never pass. Please do not waste your time and our tax dollars on these wasted efforts. Regards, Jonathan Goodman
I have a hard time believing in this day and age, after SCOTUS has made MULTIPLE opinions and decisions in FAVOR of law abiding fire arms owners, that the talk of banning & restriciton IN VIRGINIA, no less, is still a topic for debate. Law abiding gun owners ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. Check the flag! Sic Semper Tyrannis is our motto, and you people are doing everything you can to ensure ALL of VA is NOT adequately represented, tyranny; that we the people go disarmed & at the mercy of criminals WHO DO NOT OBEY LAWS, tyranny; that we the people will be disarmed & dependant upon a government that clearly has forgotten who the governing authority truly is, tyranny; and thats the problem! If we the people, are disarmed, then that means all of you should be as well. No bodygaurds, no police escorts, no firearms of your own. On top of this, all police officers should be disarmed. If we the people can't have protection under our God given, Constitutionally protected RIGHT to keep and bear arms, per James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and many MANY other patriots - then neither should ANY of you!
Dear Committee, I am resident of Richmond City and I am writing in OPPOSITION of these anti Second Amendment bills. The nature, language and prohibitions covered in these bills clearly violate multiple provisions of the US Constitution and in direct violation of simple text reading of Second Amendment of US Constitution - A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. US Supreme Court time and again, including Heller and more recently in Bruen decision reiterated that any law that does not fall into plain reading of Second Amendment Text and lacking Historical analogue at the time of founding clearly violates US Constitution. Multiple recent lower court cases since Bruen has been decided on that ruling and rendered multiple laws across the country as UnConstitutional. WHY have one rules for general public and other rules (or no rules) for the Govt and their agents ? You are here by notified that the proposed bills violated both Text and Spirit of US Constitution, more specifically Second Amendment. You are further notified to remind you that you took official oath to uphold US Constitution and Virginia Constitution. Please vote NO on these bills. Thank you
I support these bills as I believe they take positive steps toward reducing gun violence in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I cannot stomach that my daughters (ages 2 and 4) are growing up in a nation where the top cause of death for the 1-19 age group is gun violence. It must change!
In the interests of public SAFETY, I strongly support the above marked bills.
THe Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
I support these bills.
I support this legislation. Please help to protect our children!! My family is from the UK and their kids don’t need to practice active shooter drills. There is no reason our children should be put in danger on a daily basis in this country!!!
I support the above bills checked and hope to see them pass out of committee, as they will help improve public safety. Support: - HB2 - Helmer - HB22 - Jones - HB46 - Bennett-Parker - HB113 - Sullivan - HB173 - Simon - HB362 - McClure - HB454 - Callsen - HB466 - Helmer I Oppose: - HB390 - Griffin - HB395 - Griffin
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. Gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. Gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. We believe that gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
My name is Rev. Rachel Sutphin and I live in Earlysville, Virginia. As a pastor, I look forward to the day when swords are turned into plowshares (Isaiah 2:4). For the protection of all life, especially the most vulnerable, including children, I urge you to vote in support of all bills that aim to reduce gun violence. I support HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB 454, and HB466.
The Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
THe Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
THe Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
All these bills violate The Bill of Rights. If you violate The Second Amendment, you violate the Bill of Rights.
Every gun law is an infringement. In addition, I oppose HB454 because it restricts firearms in public institutions of higher education. Higher education students are adults and have a right to self-defense. Visitors also have a right to self-defense.
The Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
I'm a volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and I support this bill.
HB466 - Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states.
I am opposed to all of these unconstitutional and anit-american gun laws and regulations. There is no room for more gun laws and regulations in this state.
Contrary to how certain government officials treat it, the second amendment is written using plain, easy to understand language, and insists that government has no right to take away the right for ordinary people like us to defend ourselves, as the constitution and bill of rights do not simply give people rights, but protects them from government manipulation and control. It’s incredibly disappointing and a tragedy that people choose to commit acts of violence with these rights, but restricting those who wish to exercise their rights peaceably due to those who wouldn’t follow these rules in the first place is incredibly naive. I, as well as every other person in the United States, deserve to protect my family with the best technology available. While some people look at certain defense weapon setups as a “why do you need that” situation, 1) I have the right to defend myself with the best tool available, and so I will choose that every time, 2) why do you “need” anything other than basic necessities (fast car, Gucci clothes, etc)? The government has no place in deciding what I “need”, 3) people with the intent to harm will not care what laws govern peaceful people, so what would limiting the victim’s access to proper tools do? You may think that by “banning” or otherwise restricting access to a certain thing would mean that all of the “bad” things would magically go away, but they will not. Evil has always and will always exist, and I have every right to defend myself from it using the best tool available wherever I, or my family, choose to go. Restricting access on certain properties (the government isn’t actively protecting me everywhere), requiring certain training (who is paying for this?), limiting certain types of firearms (go ahead and define “assault weapon” in plain language please), and restricting ammo purchasing (I thought you wanted us to train; how does this help then?) are all means that end up hurting the average person and helping those who wish to hurt others, as the rest of us will be left in a position to insufficiently defend ourselves. I urge you to understand that while, yes, it is awful that evil people commit horrific acts, this right ultimately allows me to protect myself and my family from these evil people as well and as evil will always exist (we certainly like to delusion ourselves into believing that we live in a utopia, but we do not), I will protect my family accordingly. The government has no right to restrict this. Leave the peaceful citizens alone, more firmly punish those who hurt others, and help communities where this is an issue to prevent the upbringing of more evil people.
I oppose these bills that are attacking the rights of law-abiding gun owners.
Please stop trying to make criminals of law abiding citizens who just want to protect themselves. Me and my partner have recently become firearm owners because of situations that have arisen in our day to day lives, such as harassment of my wife almost to the point of altercation, sketchy characters waiting in front of our door/ducking in and out of our bushes at all times of the night, people breaking into cars in the neighborhood etc (many times the police/security were called only to arrive 45mins to an hour later). with many of these nonsensical bills you condemn us to allowing any possible violence to happen to us without a chance of defending our selves. Instead of helping fix the problem, you seek to make criminals out of any Virginian who has followed the law and legal purchased a firearm. Shame on you. I am Virginian native and since I was 18 I voted leaning blue in local and state elections you all are making me think this was a mistake. I am not proud of Virginia “progressives” who would rather strip my wife of her chance and right to defend her self rather than try to address the root of crime. Don’t make law abiding people criminals. Do some actual work and address the criminals! 2 of the proposed bills would make in illegal to bring your concealed firearm into a restaurant and another makes it a crime to have the firearm in your vehicle…. Like really? This is literally just to fill jails and strip people of their rights.
Many of these gun laws are unfair to law abiding citizens and do not affect criminals. These gun laws should be vetoed.
Leave law abiding citizens alone.
State Legislature members, A right delayed is a right denied. Quoting the 2022 NYSRPA v. Bruen Supreme Court Case: 'The constitutional right to bear arms in public for self-defense is not “a second-class right, subject to an entirely different body of rules than the other Bill of Rights guarantees.” McDonald, 561 U. S., at 780 (plurality opinion). The exercise of other constitutional rights does not require individuals to demonstrate to government officers some special need. The Second Amendment right to carry arms in public for self defense is no different.' The recent NYSRPA v. Bruen case highlighted the significance of individual self-defense, and it's crucial to consider the rights of law-abiding citizens in crafting firearm legislation. While the goal of enhancing public safety is commendable, an outright ban on certain firearms and magazines will disproportionately impact responsible gun owners who use these tools for legitimate purposes, such as self-defense and sport. It is essential to strike a balance between public safety and the preservation of individual rights. Instead of blanket bans, and bureaucratic obstacles that only harass lawful firearm owners, we should focus on comprehensive measures that address the root causes of gun violence. This approach respects the constitutional rights of citizens while fostering a safer society. Criminals are not deterred by restrictions on lawful purchase at federally-licensed FFL Dealers. They do not bother going through the process of applying for a concealed carry permit, because they do not intend to carry lawfully. People who want to use weapons to hurt innocent citizens of Virginia will not be impeded by these House and Senate Bills. Instead, the only individuals who will have their behavior modified are lawful men and women who are unable to defend themselves against those who will commit crimes regardless of what is written into law this Legislative Session. If you pass the above laws, it will only serve to waste hard-working Taxpayers' money fighting them in Federal Court. California and New York have lost their cases seeking to uphold unconstitutional gun laws, and the sponsors of these bills will lose too. Do the right thing - the hard thing - enforce the laws we already have, get the small minority of violent criminals off the streets of Virginia, and uphold the constitutional rights of your polity.
These bills infringe on the rights of the United States citizens given to us by the second amendment. The only thing these bills will accomplish will take the firearms out of the hands of law abiding citizens, while criminals will still have access.
I do not support any bill that removes any right from law abiding citizens to protect themselves from those who WILL NOT abide by these laws. These laws ONLY give CRIMINALS the upper hand.
There are approximately 47 bills regarding gun control between the House and Senate. Rather than fix issues that actually protect and enhance the lives of Virginians, many of these bills seek to disenfranchise and reduce the safety of the citizens in this great Commonwealth. Firearms are so fundamental to the founding and continued existence of our free society that they are listed just second to the freedom of speech in amendments to the constitution. It is plainly clear to all that countries and states who have banned or severely restricted firearms that violence does not end with their banning. Unjust deaths are not prevented. It simply ensures that law abiding citizens are left defenseless from those that wish to harm them, whether that be individuals or an organization. I write this knowing that it will be completely disregarded by the bills authors, but in hopes that others feel galvanized to speak up against unjust actions made in the name of progress. To those who wish to protect themselves with firearms while simultaneously stripping them from the common man, may you take heed of the Virginia state motto.
A lot of these laws contradict one another. I can’t support them. Both of our parties have failed us.
I oppose all of these blatantly unconstitutional bills and wish our elected officials would actually get to work on fixing things that matter to Virginians.
Time and time again it has been proven that criminals do not care about or follow restrictive firearm laws. Virginia already has some of the most restrictive firearms laws in the country ("B+" rating from Giffords), more unconstitutional infringements upon law abiding citizens is not the answer. We need to address the root causes (access to mental health resources for example) and not throw bandaids at it by punishing responsible, law abiding, gun owners. I oppose these bills and urge you to do the same.
As a fellow Democrat, it’s important to acknowledge the complexities surrounding gun ownership and the Second Amendment. 1. Self-Defense: Firearms can be a crucial tool for individuals to protect themselves, especially in high-crime areas or situations where law enforcement response times are slow. 2. Sport and Recreation: Many Americans enjoy shooting sports like hunting, skeet shooting, and target practice as a recreational activity, fostering a sense of community and skill-building. 3. Cultural Tradition: Gun ownership is deeply ingrained in American culture, with a rich history of hunting and marksmanship passed down through generations. 4. Economic Impact: The firearms industry contributes significantly to the economy, generating jobs and revenue through manufacturing, sales, and related services. 5. Civil Liberties: Upholding the right to bear arms is fundamental to preserving individual freedoms and safeguarding against government overreach. 6. Empowerment of Marginalized Communities: For historically marginalized groups, owning firearms can serve as a means of empowerment and protection against hate crimes or discriminatory violence. 7. Emergency Preparedness: In times of natural disasters or civil unrest, responsible gun owners can help maintain order and protect their families and communities. 8. Deterrence of Crime: Research suggests that the presence of armed civilians can deter potential criminals and reduce overall crime rates in certain contexts. 9. Veterans and Law Enforcement: Many veterans and law enforcement officers transition to civilian life with a continued appreciation for firearms, utilizing their expertise for civilian defense and security. 10. Balanced Approach: Instead of blanket gun control measures, we can advocate for comprehensive solutions that address root causes of violence, such as mental health support, poverty reduction, and community intervention programs.
I oppose the proposed firearms legislation put forward by this legislature and any legislation that violates the 1st, 2nd, and 4th, amendment rights of any Virginian. The desire for safer communities, a more united nation, and healing for our public health is something that we all can share in but these bills do not achieve that. Rather, they regulate and penalize. They unconstitutionally restrict the rights of the many in the name of safety and serve only to harm our rights. I would be doing a disservice to our state and my fellow citizens if I did not also provide potential solutions or remedies to the violence we face. First, we as communities need to promote voluntary storage facilities for those who are experiencing hardship and are concerned about suicide. Ideally making it easier to put firearms safely out of reach when suicide risks are greater. To do this it would need to be a system at the lowest level with minimum government involvement besides funding and partnership with local ranges. We would also need to reach out to those in our lives who are in a bad place and encourage the use of these facilities. Second, we should promote a culture of safe handling and respect for firearms through school courses and community organizations because assault weapons or not suicide, or accidents only take one bullet from a single action firearm. Lastly and more broadly we should focus on the issues surrounding the violence. Whether it is drugs and organized criminal activity or the mental health crisis as it has become known we should be working to fix these issues first. I.e. legalize weed, adapt police training, and push to root out organized crime, promote common social values and family cohesion, increase freedom, physical activity, and discipline in the school system.
I am a liberal through and through, I believe in individual rights and the opportunity for prosperity for all. I vote democrat because I care about my community, the rights of minorities, and women’s rights. The proposed legislation limiting the ability of free, law abiding citizens to purchase firearms, carry, and general use should not be limited further. I have witnessed violence at the hands of criminals, some later caught and it was shown that they did not legally acquire these firearms. The proposed legislation will effectively stop those who abide by the laws of Virginia from being able to properly protect themselves. It is known that police will not protect you, and they have no legal obligation to do so. This puts us at a dilemma, it’s either blindly trust the police to protect us and our families or have the ability to protect ourselves. I am not advocated for looser gun laws by any means, but I am advocating for more common sense gun laws. What do I mean by this you may ask? Well I mean background checks are a must and proper certification to conceal carry. I am a former Marine, I was a firefighter, and am a current student at a great university in our nations capital. I like to think I am reasonable in my thinking, but after looking and reading the propositions I checked above, I can’t help but feel betrayed by my own party. There is more than 5 guns for every American in this country. Gun control must target the people who do not follow the law and try to prevent violence from occurring, and the proposed legislation above does not help in that manner. I am hopeful that you will read this and reconsider the language in the legislation and I am even more hopeful that I can protect my family as necessary. I will always vote for progress but that’s not to say that I will always vote against my interests. Locally, crime has been on the rise and I have had to deal with it directly with little to no help from the police. I will (to the fullest extent of the law) protect myself as necessary from anyone who wishes to inflict harm on myself or family, and I hope you see that the average citizen in Virginia can not afford a security detail or rely on our police for protection. Thank you and have a great day.
Please stop infringing on our god given right, protected by the constitution of the United States (which you all have sworn to uphold and protect), to keep and bear arms. Responsible gun owners are not the problem in America’s gun violence epidemic. We follow the law. Criminals don’t. We use our firearms to protect ourselves, loved ones, and community. Chipping away at this right we have makes us more vulnerable to becoming victims of gun violence, not protect us from it. These laws only serve to empower those with evil intentions. Rather, might I suggest harsher penalties for those who commit senseless acts of violence with firearms instead of going after the good men and women of the commonwealth who wish only to use their firearms for lawful purposes.
Dear House of Delegates, I'm writing to you today as a concerned citizen. The introduction of bills aimed at heavily regulating firearms, is not warranted or wanted by the people of Virginia. Our nation stands at a crossroads, where the desire to address gun violence intersects with the constitutional rights affirmed by the Supreme Court. The Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms is not just a legal directive but a reflection of our commitment to individual freedom. In this context, the proposed regulations, while motivated by a commendable desire to reduce violence, raise significant concerns about their effectiveness and the potential consequences for law-abiding citizens. Research, including findings published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, suggests that the relationship between strict gun laws and the reduction of gun violence is not as straightforward as one might hope. Cities with stringent gun regulations continue to face challenges with gun-related crimes, indicating that those intent on violence often find ways to circumvent the law. This reality prompts us to question whether new restrictions will achieve their intended goal or merely place additional burdens on those who seek firearms for legitimate purposes, including self-defense. Moreover, the abundance of firearms in the United States presents a logistical challenge to the enforcement of such regulations. With more guns than people in the country, the task of significantly reducing the availability of firearms to criminals, without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens, is daunting. It is within this complex landscape that I urge you to consider the broader implications of the proposed gun control measures. The parallels drawn with other contentious issues, such as the regulation of women's healthcare, highlight the potential for policy decisions to inadvertently infringe upon individual freedoms and deepen societal divisions. Such outcomes not only detract from the intended goals of enhancing public safety but also risk alienating segments of the population whose support is essential for the advancement of our collective well-being. I respectfully ask that you consider the potential consequences of the proposed gun control measures, not just for the immediate future but for the legacy we leave for generations to come. It is my hope that, together, we can find a way to address the challenges of gun violence in a manner that honors our values, respects our freedoms, and genuinely enhances the safety and well-being of our communities.
STOP INFRINGING OUR RIGHTS. Get rid of every single gun control bill that is here and START ENFORCING THE LAWS WE ALREADY HAVE. Stop trying to turn law abiding citizens into criminals. I am disgusted that all of these nonsense bills have even made it this far. You can have these laws in Northern Virginia where everyone hates guns but don’t force this garbage into the rest of the state. GET RID OF ALL OF THIS GARBAGE and keep your noses out of everyone’s business. More government is not the answer.
Virginia already has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation. We can all agree violence is an issue but making more unconstitutional, on a national and state level, gun laws will not help with the rates of violent crimes and property crimes as we see from states with stricter gun laws. We need to increase access to mental health and community resources to address the root causes of issues rather than criminalizing responsible gun owners. I am opposed to this attack on the second amendment which is the fundamental backbone that protects the other freedoms guranteed in the constitution.
The second amendment is very clear in its intent that these rights “shall not be infringed”. Removing/ restricting law abiding citizens right to self defense and protection against unwitting organizations and persons is not only more harmful, but a clear violation of the rights this country was founded on.
Dear Honorable Members of the House of Delegates, I write to you today as a concerned citizen, deeply invested in the well-being and safety of our communities, and as someone who values the principles upon which our nation was founded. The issue at hand, the introduction of bills aimed at heavily regulating firearms, is one that I believe warrants a thoughtful reconsideration in light of its broader implications. Our nation stands at a crossroads, where the desire to address gun violence intersects with the constitutional rights affirmed by the Supreme Court. The Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms is not just a legal directive but a reflection of our commitment to individual freedom. In this context, the proposed regulations, while motivated by a commendable desire to reduce violence, raise significant concerns about their effectiveness and the potential consequences for law-abiding citizens. Research, including findings published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, suggests that the relationship between strict gun laws and the reduction of gun violence is not as straightforward as one might hope. Cities with stringent gun regulations continue to face challenges with gun-related crimes, indicating that those intent on violence often find ways to circumvent the law. This reality prompts us to question whether new restrictions will achieve their intended goal or merely place additional burdens on those who seek firearms for legitimate purposes, including self-defense. Moreover, the abundance of firearms in the United States presents a logistical challenge to the enforcement of such regulations. With more guns than people in the country, the task of significantly reducing the availability of firearms to criminals, without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens, is daunting. It is within this complex landscape that I urge you to consider the broader implications of the proposed gun control measures. The parallels drawn with other contentious issues, such as the regulation of women's healthcare, highlight the potential for policy decisions to inadvertently infringe upon individual freedoms and deepen societal divisions. Such outcomes not only detract from the intended goals of enhancing public safety but also ***risk alienating segments of the population whose support is essential for the advancement of our collective well-being.*** Constituents see this robust effort to "see what sticks" as a weakness within our party. Comparatively imbalanced with the diverse range of issues and concerns that we face everyday. A waste. As we move forward, I encourage you to approach this issue with a balanced perspective, one that recognizes the need for effective strategies to combat gun violence while also safeguarding the constitutional rights and freedoms that define our nation. The path to meaningful change is complex, requiring a nuanced understanding of the issues at hand and a commitment to policies that truly serve the best interests of all our citizens. In closing, I respectfully ask that you consider the potential consequences of the proposed gun control measures, not just for the immediate future but for the legacy we leave for generations to come. It is my hope that, together, we can find a way to address the challenges of gun violence in a manner that honors our values, respects our freedoms, and genuinely enhances the safety and well-being of our communities.
You guys need to stop attacking our 2nd amendment and get help for these kids growing up with identity crisis’s . You coming after law abiding citizens is appalling and the fact that your leaning towards becoming the despicable state of California is saddening. If the president can have security which uses firearms that even the normal civilian can’t have this raises the issue of how can a civilian defend against a tyrannical government with a featureless 10 round ar-15 ? Keep this up and we know exactly what your end goal is.
As a left leaning voter and citizen of Virginia, these new restrictions on our right to bear arms are sickening. Stop proposing so many bans and limits, and maybe a realistic bill, like the safe credit, won’t be universally protested. If you actually want to quell gun violence, keep focused on affordable mental and physical healthcare, improving the education system, and reducing income inequality. While the right may not support these real improvements, I cannot in good faith support or vote for any politician who supports banning or restricting the rights of law abiding citizens in our beautiful commonwealth. Thank you.
The 2nd amendment states "shall not be infringed". All of these bills are infringement and are therefore unconstitutional. Should we pass laws that people must pass a test before they can have freedom of speech? What about pass a test before you can vote? What about if someone does not have training they will be slaves again? Name one other right outlined in the constitution where a citizen has to jump through hoops before they can use that right? I oppose all of these bills as they will do more harm than good. I can understand wanting to keep people safe but gun control does the opposite. These bills will only make it harder for law abiding citizens to exercise their rights while criminals will still ignore the law. Criminals will still get illegal guns or weapons and will commit more crimes since they know the public is unable to defend themselves. Benjamin Franklin once said: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." You writing bills saying "give up your rights and guns and we will protect you". Well ask the Native Americans how that worked out for them. Ask a Jewish person who was under Nazi control how that worked out for them. Well Hitler's first step was to take away the guns from the public so they could not protect themselves and over 6 million people lost their lives. Since you do not know history you are writing bills which will doom us to repeat it. You know 75 years ago when you could just buy a gun in a catalog and it was shipped to your house we did not have this issue. In the 60s and 70s when people would have a gun in their truck at school or take one in for show and tell we did not have a gun issue. This is a mental health issue. Deal with mental health and you will fix the public safety issue. Zero of my guns have killed people because guns do not kill people. People kill people. Look at Ukraine and Israel for just one form of example why we need LESS gun control. All of these gun laws are unconstitutional and should be thrown out. Do the right thing and let us law abiding citizens have their rights as outlined in the constitution. Do not pass laws which infringe on our rights. If the 2nd amendment falls, the 1st will follow . When the 1st and 2nd fall the 13th will fall and our country will be lost and we will be back in chains.
I am very opposed to the vast majority of these bills. I am a legal gun owner with my CHP. Many of these bills heavily restrict my right to bear arms in a legal capacity. I don’t understand why I should be punished for doing everything legally and correctly only to become a felon in the coming months through these legislations
You guys make it harder and harder to vote Democrat every single cycle. Complete ban on Semi Automatics more or less making the state even stricter towards guns then states like Maryland? I oppose all these even the "herp common sense derp" ones because the states party has made it clear they don't give a crap about anything but putting hollow wins for politicians because hhheeeyyy punishing law abiding gun owners is a whole lot easier then creating jobs or reducing crime. If these bills die before getting to the governors desk, especially the bans, then I will gladly continue to vote DNC. But if Youngkin has to veto these and you make me say something I never thought I would "Thank god Youngkin won" then I look forward to blindly going down the ticket in 2024 and checking "R" on everyone. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
I do not support more legislation infringing on my 2nd Ammendment rights. Please fund more enforcement for the proactive enforcement of existing laws and regulations pertaining to firearms.
I oppose this legislation.
First off, knives are a basic tool with myriad uses and have been around since ancient history. Any limitation on them is so insulting, and insane. We are not children. It is infuriating that money was spent to even write that down. The fact that I would need a right to carry a knife spelled out is not something our forefathers could have possibly anticipated, since it’s a simple tool. A screwdriver is exactly as deadly as any knife. I would know, I’ve been an ICU nurse for nearly a decade and I have seen people stabbed with both. Matter of fact, a hammer would be a superior concealed weapon with more lethality than either. Second, many of these new gun laws make sense. Many of them do not. I do not want stalkers, domestic abusers, or drug dealers buying guns. A waiting period and proficiency training is fine, although I believe it to be unconstitutional I would comply. However it appears we are going to make it illegal to purchase specific parts for guns, to build your own serialized and registered firearm, and to concealed carry in many public spaces. I also see a poorly defined and overly restrictive “assault weapons” ban. The most insane is the ban on parents having firearms in the home at all. That is unacceptable. The latter group of laws are an infringement based on the opinions of the woefully uninformed. I should not lose my right to responsible ownership, maintenance and concealed carry with a permit due to the lobbying of a group that has failed to due the due diligence to learn about the rights they wish to throw away for all of us. I have a concealed carry permit. It has saved my life of nearly saved my life multiple times. The police can be great, but they are minutes away when seconds count. For instance, as I was leaving a restaurant in the city I was targeted by 2 men with illegal guns. I did not know them, we had never interacted, but suddenly there was a gun pointing at me from a car circling around me in the parking lot. Without escape available, I drew my pistol in response. The car stopped circling and left, giving me time to alert law enforcement before there were any holes in me. If I come face to face with a mass shooter, as so many do, I prefer to be armed. The organization of mothers pushing for these laws can define the law of their household. But not mine. Learn from the past for gods sake. We do not need and will eventually not accept increasing restrictions and price hikes allowing only the wealthy and connected to be armed. Governor, I ask that you veto these laws which only restrict law abiding citizens. You are the person elected in part because you are the option on the ballot who would not let this stand. So don’t. To those in support of these laws: every right you surrender is one you can never recover without 10 times the struggle it took to get to the place where you were able to throw it away. Learning from your mistakes is not viable when you codify them into law. You are making several mistakes. You can’t restrict and underfund the police department and make personal defense harder at the same time. That is advantageous to no one. It is not how things work in this world where evil people exist, no matter how deep in the sand your head is. And the next time you’re grunting and sweating, tearing a box open like a fucking caveman you might want to try a knife before adding more legislation An armed society is a polite society, let’s keep it that way.
The litany of gun control measures under consideration will do nothing to effectively reduce crime and violence, and will only further restrict the rights of law abiding firearms owners. Not to mention the countless examples from other locales across the country where these same measure have been put into place and the result is more violent crime as criminals can now feel safe that the general population is not armed. Strongly oppose all proposed bills.
The ridiculous litany of gun control measures under consideration will do nothing to effectively reduce crime and violence, and will only further restrict the rights of law abiding firearms owners.
We dont need MORE laws regarding firearms, we need to enforce the laws that are already on the books. If enforcement is done then these laws are redundant and not necessary. Don't pass more laws just for the sake of passing laws. They do nothing but make law abiding citizens confused and they dont do anything to stop problems.
I am writing to express my great concern, to the legislatures that continue to ignore their oath of swearing to protect and uphold the rights of the citizens as protected by the United States Constitution and the Virginian Constitution. "The Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms, SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED". You beaurcrats do not grant that right to he people, it is God given. While you grandstand and ateemlt to make laws to hurt the everydayaw abiding American citizen, you turn a way and do nothing in these bills to punish criminals committing crimes. It is already illegal to murder people. To grandstand and think that any of these bills would stop someone from murdering or harming another person is laughable. Quite literally. You pander screaming about these firearm safety bills while you walk around with security and people with "guns" to keep you safe. Start enforcing the existing laws against criminals who commit crimes vs trying to turn law abiding people, who take training, are serious about protection of family, themselves and others, and trying to disarm them and make them criminals. Or we will vote you out! Uphold your Oath or be prepared for the consequences your actions lead to by the American people. Regards Mr. Harris
I know most modern politicians aren’t historians but the Bill of Rights is really simple. If you read that, you’ll also read the 2nd Amendment which is really simple as well. In the same docket you’re trying to give more benefits to police and take away more rights from citizens. You ought to be ashamed. What a farce freedom is anymore.
I am opposed to additional new laws or further regulations placed on firearms or other means of self defense, or which limit the ability to conduct commerce or carry such items. Not only does the constitution make it clear this is a violation of my rights, it does nothing to address or reduce the actions of criminals.
I strongly oppose any bill, law or ordinance that infringes on the undeniable constitutional right to keep and bear arms. These include any ban, any further age restrictions, if a person (18) is old enough to join the military and use real "assault weapons" then they should be fully capable to purchase a semi automatic firearm of their choice. I oppose any law or ordinance that restricts my ability to defend my family and myself as I see fit, this includes bans on where I can carry my lawful firearm, what type of firearm and the magazine size of my choice. How about we make laws that are tougher on criminals and stop punishing law abiding people who actually care and follow the law.
All infringements on the second amendment are acts of treason and should be treated as such. Acting in favor of such infringements makes you a traitor to this nation and th commonwealth.
All Virginians want our families to be safe from gun violence. However, passing such broad restrictions on firearms commonly used for self defense is not the answer. The updated definition of assault weapons and the associated prohibitions do little to nothing to stop criminals who are willing to illegally buy or steal firearms. There are plenty of firearms out there for criminals to access, with well over 400 million guns in civilian ownership in the United States. It is too late to round them all up. These bills will disproportionately affect those citizens who go out of their way to follow our commonwealth's laws; the people who are unlikely to commit a violent crime in the first place. The solutions to gun violence that stand a chance at working are community-oriented interventions that decrease poverty, drug use, gang activity, combat mental illness, and advocate for the safe storage of firearms. Sociologists know these factors correlate strongly with ALL types of violence. On average, two-thirds of firearms deaths are suicides, an assault weapons ban won't do a thing about those. Of the remaining 1/3 of firearms homicides, more than half are drug, gang, or domestic violence related. Let's pass bipartisan legislation that addresses these underlying problems, instead of preventing average Virginians from protecting themselves with firearms that are already ubiquitous.
I am Opposed to any limitations on the Second Amendment and any restrictive firearm laws. We have adequate, if not already overbearing, laws on the books now and should not be creating more laws restricting all the aspects of firearm use, sales, and any other aspects of the right to bear arms.
These firearm laws are mostly reactionary to the media response on firearms. This is a major infringement on the 2nd amendment and needs to be stopped.
An inordinate focus on the control of firearms only serves to infringe the rights of the law-abiding citizen in defense of his life and property. The State should instead focus on the apprehension and incarceration of individuals engaging in criminal behavior and associated misuse of firearms.
Any law that infringes on my Gods-given right to own and bear arms is UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Any law passed that infringes this right will be answered with a lawsuit.
Hello. There are a plethora of bills that were proposed, which would clearly violate the second amendment rights of many law abiding citizens. First of all, considering concealed carry should be permit-less carry, it is counterproductive to increase the requirements for concealed carry. Restrictions on where law abiding citizens can lawfully carry their now “permitted” firearms is asinine, as well as the proposition of a bill that would make it a penalty to leave a firearm in your car. You would essentially be disarming a large number of people who wish to follow these unlawful order in a day and age where the democratic agenda is to act like there are mass shootings on a daily basis. Effectively disarming the majority and increasing the requirements and legal loopholes to carry is such a vulnerable state to be in and I hope we’re smart enough to avoid that. Restrictions on “Plastic firearms and unfinished frames etc” is not only terrible literature that does nothing to explain, but it is a direct violation of the 2nd amendment considering you have a federal right to make firearms for personal use, which would include additively manufactured parts. Wait periods are also a horrifying thing to think of, considering how many times it has been proven to be a terrible idea, keeping guns out of the hands that need them most to protect themselves and their families. “Assault firearms” and anything to do with them is nonsense considering the blatant inability to define said “assault weapon”. People who don’t understand guns, shouldn’t be making laws on guns. A shorter barrel does not make it more lethal, in fact it lowers the muzzle velocity, causing less force on impact and penetration, in turn causing less collateral damage. Any sort of “assault weapons” bills are targeting law abiding citizens who have every right to use the modern advances in firearm technology just as police officers and military. The only people these bills are effecting are the already law abiding citizens. The criminals who got their hands on said weapons illegally aren’t going to be making sure that their ALREADY ILLEGAL WEAPONS are fully compliant with state laws and regulations before they go commit another crime. In no way shape or form should someone need to disadvantage themselves in a life or death situation because political members with an armed security detail don’t feel the need for a gun. Why would I want to limit myself to a firearm that is going to be inadequate in home defense, or one that does not have a high enough capacity to protect myself from the ever growing threat of home invasion and the increased trend of multiple home invaders breaking in armed. If it was you alone in your house with 6 armed intruders who most definitely must have checked their local laws and firearm regulations and made sure their firearms aren’t violating any rules before they break into your house, would you want to limit yourself to a low capacity firearm that is going to be extremely difficult to use effectively in a high stress situation, or are you taking a rifle which for reasons that don’t make sense, must have a 16 inch barrel, with a larger capacity magazine, and a stock that you can use to safely brace the firearm to prevent stray shots and provide more accurate fire. Personally I’m going to take anything and everything I can get in a situation that means life or death for me and my loved ones EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK. Focus on the mental health crisis.
These laws are mostly going to effect law abiding citizens like myself and all the people I know. WHEN HAVE CRIMINALS FOLLOWED LAWS??? The only thing these criminals that commit gun related offenses is some kind of force of action. Why are you going to try to take our 2nd Amendment Rights away from people who follow the laws and love our great country? We should be focusing on increasing penalties against those who commit the crimes. Stop focusing on the law abiding citizens and focus on the criminals that are terrorizing all of our towns. Our government is letting millions and millions of unknown people in our country without having a clue what kind of person they are. I'm sure most are good people like you and me but not all of them are. We need our guns to be able to protect ourselves, our families, our neighbors, and our country if needed. Our founding fathers have it right and put a lot of thoughts into our constitution and bill of rights. I thought Democrats were about equality and the working man/woman. If you all want good for us law abiding citizens, work together, make compromises, and start doing your duty. We do not need more "big government" taking more rights. What we need is a closed border so we can fight this drug crisis. Slow the flow of drugs and these gangs fall apart. Once they fall apart maybe these shootings would slow down. Please do the right thing and do not sign these gun bills. All this woke crap is ruining our country. Y'all need to please make changes and focus on what's going to help all of us not just the minority.
Gun laws do not prevent firearm homicides, based upon gun control organization's own data (Giffords) •No correlation between strict gun laws and firearm homicide incidents •.07 coefficient of determination (AKA R2) where .90 is a strong association •There likely would be a weak association showing gun laws driving the firearm homicide rate higher if Washington, DC was given a score and ranked by Giffords.
Hello, The right to own and bear firearms is intrinsic in the very nature of the founding of the United States. We must remember the spirit of the 2nd Amendment and the right of all civilians to own and bear arms. Firearms are the great equalizer and can allow and individual to defend themselves when they previously could not. Gun violence and the mental health epidemic are closely interlinked and one cannot pass restrictive firearm laws and expect gun violence to go away. Gun bans and the use of restrictive purchasing requirements, magazine limits, waiting periods, and red flag laws have been shown not to be effective in stemming gun violence. I urge anybody reading this message to say "NO" to 2nd Amendment restrictions.
I strongly, along with many fellow Virginians oppose any villainous disarmament bills disguised as "public safety". The second amendment clearly states "SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED" and out of touch elitist politicians who enjoy the luxury of armed security are choosing to ignore the constitution and force us to rely on sub-par police protection. The same people who want to defund the police want to disarm us. Embracing the second amendment is what is keeping our crime rates low compared to New York and California. We have seen the blatant disregard that criminals have for these so-called laws; emboldened criminals who are not afraid of the consequences and innocent law-abiding people who are forced to live in fear because a bunch of tyrants are letting power corrupt them. I do not want to live in fear and neither do the rest of us. In addition; a lot of counties and cities have declared themselves as second amendment sanctuaries to protect the rights of free individuals from the overreach of tyrannical politicians. These bills are a Trojan horse that will lead to more crime. You anti-gun politicians should be ashamed of yourselves; give up your private security and train yourselves. Then you will change your minds; because in the end, nobody is coming to save you. I would rather have a fighting chance against armed assailants than die waiting for help to arrive. These bills are pure evil
These all seem like infringements that will do nothing to curb any crime. Further they will only create criminals out of everyday law abiding folk. These are laws that seem to be targeting victimless crimes.
I oppose all of these selected bills since I firmly believe they are in conflict with the Second Amendment of the US Constitution. The Second Amendment clearly states that it shall not be infringed upon. Any and all proposed legislation that would place limits on how, where, and when responsible citizens arm themselves runs afoul of that. Our founding fathers correctly held the belief that all people have a natural born right to arm and protect themselves and that the government has no authority to interfere with that. While I agree with the sentiment of reducing violence among our society, gun laws only harm the law abiding citizen and leave criminals who already have a disregard for the law to still be armed. If our elected officials who proposed these bills actually cared about addressing our violence problem, they would focus more on addressing the root causes of violence and crime. More worthwhile pursuits in my opinion would be focused on addressing socio-economic problems that plague disadvantaged communities, creating a more robust and well-equipped mental healthcare system, and overhauling our educational systems to setup our children for better success in life. Thank you all for your time.
I'm against any unconstitutional law, and any law that strips Americans of their rights. These laws are an attack on the 2nd ammendment and hold NO facts in stopping crime. They are a punishment on law abiding people and in no way will make virginia a safer place.
I oppose all these unconstitutional, dangerous, and pointless laws.
I oppose all useless firearm changes. Criminals will not obey
HB113 | Sullivan | Handguns; possession, purchase, or transportation by persons convicted of certain drug offenses. HB1174 | Sickles | Assault firearms; age requirement for purchase, penalty. HB1195 | Hayes | Firearms; waiting period for purchases, penalty. HB12 | Jones | Handguns; firearm locking device required for sale or transfer, child safety warning required. HB1235 | Zehr | Concealed handguns; protective orders. HB1424 | Hope | Firearms; valid permit to purchase, penalties. HB1462 | Laufer | Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; civil penalty. HB158 | McClure | Firearm locking device; required for sale or transfer of firearm. HB16 | Garrett | Firearm or explosive material; carrying within Capitol Square and the surrounding area, etc. HB173 | Simon | Plastic firearms and unfinished frames, etc.; manufacture, import, etc. prohibited, penalties. HB175 | Simon | Assault firearms; carrying in public areas prohibited, penalty. HB183 | Simon | Firearms; storage in residence where minor or person prohibited from possessing is present, penalty. HB2 | Helmer | Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, sales, transfers, etc., prohibited. HB22 | Jones | Auto sears; definition, prohibition on manufacture, importation, sale, etc., penalty. HB270 | Reid | Commonwealth Comprehensive Gun Safety Program; established, etc. HB319 | Helmer | Firearms instructors & safety prog.; removes reference to NRA & U.S. Concealed Carry Assoc. in Code. HB35 | Clark | Firearm safety device; expands definition of device. HB351 | Clark | Firearm; locking device required for purchase, households where minor resides, penalty. HB362 | McClure | Firearms; purchase, etc., following an assault and battery against an intimate or dating partner. HB454 | Callsen | Firearm/explosive material; carrying w/in Capitol Square or bldg. owned or leased by Commonwealth. HB46 | Bennett-Parker | Firearm; transfers to another person from a prohibited person. HB466 | Helmer | Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states. HB791 | Henson | Pneumatic guns; Class 6 felony to possess. HB797 | Hope | Concealed handguns; demonstrated competence for a permit, firearms instructors and safety programs. HB798 | Hope | Firearms; purchase, possession, etc., following an assault and battery or stalking violation. HB799 | Hope | Concealed handgun permit applications; fingerprints required by local governments. HB861 | Hernandez | Weapons; carrying into hospital that provides mental health services. HB945 | Lopez | Firearm safety device; expands definition of device. SB100 | Ebbin | Plastic firearms and unfinished frames, etc.; manufacture, import, etc. prohibited, penalties. SB2 | Deeds | Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, possession, sale, transfer, etc., prohibited. SB210 | Perry | Auto sears; prohibition on manufacture, importation, sale, etc., penalty. SB273 | Subramanyam | Firearms; waiting period for purchases, penalty. I oppose all these bills.
I oppose this bill as it seeks to infringe on the Consitutionally proctected rights of lawabiding citizens to protect themselves from criminals, criminals who do not follow the law. This bill makes it harder for someone to keep themselves safe and is primarily a solution in search of problems to fix. Virginia has one of the lowest crime rates in the country and even less gun related crimes being committed year over year. This is not due to gun control laws, in fact as gun control laws increase, s o does the rate of violent crimes. Criminals are not afraid of police, they are afraid of armed citizens. The subject of this bill has already been defeated in courts, passing this into law will only subject the Commonwealth to more lawsuits to have it repealed costing us more in taxes. Enough of our taxpayers money has been wasted in politicians attempting to pass "feel good" bills to try and prove they are doing their job. I urge the legistature to focus on enforcing and imposing stricter penalties for those that break our exsiting laws over creating new laws that only serve to pe nalize the law abiding citizens.
Oppose this bill. Concealed handgun permit holders are those who have been cleared by the state to carry. This process involves a background check. If another state has deemed another person worthy to carry a handgun concealed, who are we to say they are not good enough to carry in our state? Virginia honors permits from every state and concealed weapon permit holders have not been a problem. This bill seeks to create a solution for a problem that does not exist. Rather, it creates a problem as people who are issued permits from their home state could potentially avoid traveling to this state if we no longer honor their permit. This in turn may negatively affect the economy and divert potential tourism to neighboring states. It could also force people to move out of state to states where they honor all states' permits. Neighboring states West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee are permitless carry, and North Carolina honors all states permits. Should this bill become law, the state may see a decrease in population as those who live on the border with neighboring states that are friendly to firearm owners could move there to exercise their right.
I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I support the following bills: HB1174, HB1181, HB1195, HB12, HB1424, HB1462, HB158, HB175, HB183, HB23, HB270, HB318, HB319, HB351, HB362, HB585, HB602, HB637, HB791, HB797, HB798, HB799, HB861, HB916, & HB945 I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I oppose these bills: HB1030, HB1141, HB1198, HB1230, HB1235, HB1321, HB1325, HB1386, HB289, HB389, HB756, & HB872 Innocent children are dying on our watch. Please do something.
Remember Delegates...you took an Oath to 'Support and Defend the Constitution of the Unites States of America' which includes the 2nd Amendment!
HB466 is nonsensical. Permitting schemes are a paper tiger to begin with: by definition criminals do not bother following laws, only law abiding citizens do. Criminals are also opportunistic. As such, limiting legal possession makes the general population a richer target environment for criminals. If we actually care about individual liberty and public safety, we should be moving towards Constitutional Carry. You're either a legal possessor of a firearm or you are a prohibited person. Inserting government to further gatekeep and throw obstacles at legal possessors is a waste of time and money. Not honoring reciprocity with other states is another huge step backwards. People's rights do not end at imaginary dotted lines on maps. No states should require carry permits in the first place. But since the USA is not 100% Constitutional Carry, we need to honor the permits that do exist. This is just another way to "GOTCHA!" trap otherwise law abiding people instead of actually prosecuting real criminals. This is as absurd as eliminating reciprocity between states with drivers licenses.
Please don't take away the concealed reciprocity with other states It makes you more safe being able to travel around the Commonwealth up and down the East Coast of course until you get to DC and Maryland where you can't go any farther north and quite often my trip stop before those towns. And literally by checking a box you make people become criminals again for doing something they've been allowed to do for a few years now. The only thing this bill would do is make it safer for criminals not for honest people
The Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
The end of solitary confinement must be done My son was murdered in solitary confinement at Red Onion Prison in Pound Va on 1/3/22.
The Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
This bill severely restricts concealed handgun permit recognition with other states. Currently, Virginia honors permits from all other states, which, in turn, allows Virginians to beable to carry in most of those states. And permit holders from other states have been carrying in Virginia without incident for years. This bill is an unjust and demeaning slap in the face to law-abiding Virginia gun owners, as it will reduce the number of states where a Virginia permit holder can carry a handgun for self-defense. It will also discourage gun owners outside of Virginia from visiting the Commonwealth, effecting the state’s economy. This bill is a solution in search of a problem that destroys an extremely successful law. Cannot support any legislation such as this.
I SUPPORT this common sense legislation to make our communities safer. This is my number one issue.
In support of the bills checked above for safer communities .
Our Constitution does not provide citizens with privileges. It establishes a government with checks and balances and specifically limits the governments ability to remove the rights of its people. In regards to the matter at hand, it specifically says the the government cannot place limitations on the right of a citizen to keep and bear arms. Before I get the typical response, I know you are already aware that the phrase "well regulated" specifically refers to an being trained and ready to bear said arms. The language at the time did not use the term "regulated" as we do with modern regulations. It has been proven in the courts repeatedly that the laws you are currently considering are unconstitutional. Of this I am sure you are already aware. By spending time and tax dollars discussing laws that you know to be unconstitutional, you are in fact wasting time and tax dollars that could be spent on productive issues. I can only assume your intent is to intentionally waste time, and force members of the firearms industry to waste money on legal fees defending the constitution you have sworn to uphold. Please consider actual data and actual facts when considering gun legislation. No data supports the claim the "assault weapon" bans actually reduce gun related crime. More guns are being purchased now than ever before, yet now that the latest FBI data has been released, we can see that gun related crimes have not increased. Also, like every year that the FBI has released data, so called "assault weapons" make up a very small portion of all gun crimes. For your general knowledge the term "assault weapon" was first coined by Adolf Hitler. He renamed one of their new automatic firearms, the Sturmgewehr, because he felt that the name "assault weapon" would strike fear in allied forces. This is also the exact reason the gun control community uses this term as well. The fact is that these firearms are not fully automatic and cannot be made so without a high degree of machining skills and mechanical knowhow. Plus doing so is already illegal. The fact is the Biden's latest gun control act has not been equally enforced. It was supposed to provide additional support for school security and mental health services. It was supposed to provide stronger punishments for those cought breaking existing gun laws. It was supposed to allow FFL's to use the NICS system to check employees. It was supposed to allow FFL's to be able to instantly check inventory or potential purchase/trades by their serial number to determine if the firearm has been stolen or used in any crimes. None of these provisions have been acted upon or enforced. Please drop these latest gun control bills. They are unconstitutional and will never pass. Please do not waste your time and our tax dollars on these wasted efforts. Regards, Jonathan Goodman
I have a hard time believing in this day and age, after SCOTUS has made MULTIPLE opinions and decisions in FAVOR of law abiding fire arms owners, that the talk of banning & restriciton IN VIRGINIA, no less, is still a topic for debate. Law abiding gun owners ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. Check the flag! Sic Semper Tyrannis is our motto, and you people are doing everything you can to ensure ALL of VA is NOT adequately represented, tyranny; that we the people go disarmed & at the mercy of criminals WHO DO NOT OBEY LAWS, tyranny; that we the people will be disarmed & dependant upon a government that clearly has forgotten who the governing authority truly is, tyranny; and thats the problem! If we the people, are disarmed, then that means all of you should be as well. No bodygaurds, no police escorts, no firearms of your own. On top of this, all police officers should be disarmed. If we the people can't have protection under our God given, Constitutionally protected RIGHT to keep and bear arms, per James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and many MANY other patriots - then neither should ANY of you!
Dear Committee, I am resident of Richmond City and I am writing in OPPOSITION of these anti Second Amendment bills. The nature, language and prohibitions covered in these bills clearly violate multiple provisions of the US Constitution and in direct violation of simple text reading of Second Amendment of US Constitution - A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. US Supreme Court time and again, including Heller and more recently in Bruen decision reiterated that any law that does not fall into plain reading of Second Amendment Text and lacking Historical analogue at the time of founding clearly violates US Constitution. Multiple recent lower court cases since Bruen has been decided on that ruling and rendered multiple laws across the country as UnConstitutional. You are here by notified that the proposed bills violated both Text and Spirit of US Constitution, more specifically Second Amendment. You are further notified to remind you that you took official oath to uphold US Constitution and Virginia Constitution. Please vote NO on these bills. Thank you
I support these bills as I believe they take positive steps toward reducing gun violence in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I cannot stomach that my daughters (ages 2 and 4) are growing up in a nation where the top cause of death for the 1-19 age group is gun violence. It must change!
THe Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
I support these bills.
I support this legislation. Please help to protect our children!! My family is from the UK and their kids don’t need to practice active shooter drills. There is no reason our children should be put in danger on a daily basis in this country!!!
I support the above bills checked and hope to see them pass out of committee, as they will help improve public safety. Support: - HB2 - Helmer - HB22 - Jones - HB46 - Bennett-Parker - HB113 - Sullivan - HB173 - Simon - HB362 - McClure - HB454 - Callsen - HB466 - Helmer I Oppose: - HB390 - Griffin - HB395 - Griffin
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. Gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. Gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. We believe that gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
My name is Rev. Rachel Sutphin and I live in Earlysville, Virginia. As a pastor, I look forward to the day when swords are turned into plowshares (Isaiah 2:4). For the protection of all life, especially the most vulnerable, including children, I urge you to vote in support of all bills that aim to reduce gun violence. I support HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB 454, and HB466.
The Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
THe Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
THe Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
All these bills violate The Bill of Rights. If you violate The Second Amendment, you violate the Bill of Rights.
Every gun law is an infringement. In addition, I oppose HB 466 because it severely restricts concealed handgun permit recognition with other states. This bill is a solution in search of a problem, as there have been no problems in Virginia with recognizing concealed handgun permits from other states. This bill would do serious harm to my ability to carry in other states.
The Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
I'm a volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and I support this bill.
HB489 - Fire Programs Fund; increases annual assessment used to fund.
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Please stop trying to make criminals of law abiding citizens who just want to protect themselves. Me and my partner have recently become firearm owners because of situations that have arisen in our day to day lives, such as harassment of my wife almost to the point of altercation, sketchy characters waiting in front of our door/ducking in and out of our bushes at all times of the night, people breaking into cars in the neighborhood etc (many times the police/security were called only to arrive 45mins to an hour later). with many of these nonsensical bills you condemn us to allowing any possible violence to happen to us without a chance of defending our selves. Instead of helping fix the problem, you seek to make criminals out of any Virginian who has followed the law and legal purchased a firearm. Shame on you. I am Virginian native and since I was 18 I voted leaning blue in local and state elections you all are making me think this was a mistake. I am not proud of Virginia “progressives” who would rather strip my wife of her chance and right to defend her self rather than try to address the root of crime. Don’t make law abiding people criminals. Do some actual work and address the criminals! 2 of the proposed bills would make in illegal to bring your concealed firearm into a restaurant and another makes it a crime to have the firearm in your vehicle…. Like really? This is literally just to fill jails and strip people of their rights.
The 2nd amendment states "shall not be infringed". All of these bills are infringement and are therefore unconstitutional. Should we pass laws that people must pass a test before they can have freedom of speech? What about pass a test before you can vote? What about if someone does not have training they will be slaves again? Name one other right outlined in the constitution where a citizen has to jump through hoops before they can use that right? I oppose all of these bills as they will do more harm than good. I can understand wanting to keep people safe but gun control does the opposite. These bills will only make it harder for law abiding citizens to exercise their rights while criminals will still ignore the law. Criminals will still get illegal guns or weapons and will commit more crimes since they know the public is unable to defend themselves. Benjamin Franklin once said: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." You writing bills saying "give up your rights and guns and we will protect you". Well ask the Native Americans how that worked out for them. Ask a Jewish person who was under Nazi control how that worked out for them. Well Hitler's first step was to take away the guns from the public so they could not protect themselves and over 6 million people lost their lives. Since you do not know history you are writing bills which will doom us to repeat it. You know 75 years ago when you could just buy a gun in a catalog and it was shipped to your house we did not have this issue. In the 60s and 70s when people would have a gun in their truck at school or take one in for show and tell we did not have a gun issue. This is a mental health issue. Deal with mental health and you will fix the public safety issue. Zero of my guns have killed people because guns do not kill people. People kill people. Look at Ukraine and Israel for just one form of example why we need LESS gun control. All of these gun laws are unconstitutional and should be thrown out. Do the right thing and let us law abiding citizens have their rights as outlined in the constitution. Do not pass laws which infringe on our rights. If the 2nd amendment falls, the 1st will follow . When the 1st and 2nd fall the 13th will fall and our country will be lost and we will be back in chains.
I strongly, along with many fellow Virginians oppose any villainous disarmament bills disguised as "public safety". The second amendment clearly states "SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED" and out of touch elitist politicians who enjoy the luxury of armed security are choosing to ignore the constitution and force us to rely on sub-par police protection. The same people who want to defund the police want to disarm us. Embracing the second amendment is what is keeping our crime rates low compared to New York and California. We have seen the blatant disregard that criminals have for these so-called laws; emboldened criminals who are not afraid of the consequences and innocent law-abiding people who are forced to live in fear because a bunch of tyrants are letting power corrupt them. I do not want to live in fear and neither do the rest of us. In addition; a lot of counties and cities have declared themselves as second amendment sanctuaries to protect the rights of free individuals from the overreach of tyrannical politicians. These bills are a Trojan horse that will lead to more crime. You anti-gun politicians should be ashamed of yourselves; give up your private security and train yourselves. Then you will change your minds; because in the end, nobody is coming to save you. I would rather have a fighting chance against armed assailants than die waiting for help to arrive. These bills are pure evil
I oppose all these unconstitutional, dangerous, and pointless laws.
Alexandria is a vibrant city based on history, culture, a waterfront and lots of tourism. If Virginia has money and space to build an arena then you have money and space to build new schools. Our school system is deplorable. It’s overcrowded. Think of your citizens before thinking about your quick money grab that eventually leads to an inevitable loss. We don’t want or need an arena. This is pure greed.
I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I support the following bills: HB1174, HB1181, HB1195, HB12, HB1424, HB1462, HB158, HB175, HB183, HB23, HB270, HB318, HB319, HB351, HB362, HB585, HB602, HB637, HB791, HB797, HB798, HB799, HB861, HB916, & HB945 I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I oppose these bills: HB1030, HB1141, HB1198, HB1230, HB1235, HB1321, HB1325, HB1386, HB289, HB389, HB756, & HB872 Innocent children are dying on our watch. Please do something.
The end of solitary confinement must be done My son was murdered in solitary confinement at Red Onion Prison in Pound Va on 1/3/22.
Our Constitution does not provide citizens with privileges. It establishes a government with checks and balances and specifically limits the governments ability to remove the rights of its people. In regards to the matter at hand, it specifically says the the government cannot place limitations on the right of a citizen to keep and bear arms. Before I get the typical response, I know you are already aware that the phrase "well regulated" specifically refers to an being trained and ready to bear said arms. The language at the time did not use the term "regulated" as we do with modern regulations. It has been proven in the courts repeatedly that the laws you are currently considering are unconstitutional. Of this I am sure you are already aware. By spending time and tax dollars discussing laws that you know to be unconstitutional, you are in fact wasting time and tax dollars that could be spent on productive issues. I can only assume your intent is to intentionally waste time, and force members of the firearms industry to waste money on legal fees defending the constitution you have sworn to uphold. Please consider actual data and actual facts when considering gun legislation. No data supports the claim the "assault weapon" bans actually reduce gun related crime. More guns are being purchased now than ever before, yet now that the latest FBI data has been released, we can see that gun related crimes have not increased. Also, like every year that the FBI has released data, so called "assault weapons" make up a very small portion of all gun crimes. For your general knowledge the term "assault weapon" was first coined by Adolf Hitler. He renamed one of their new automatic firearms, the Sturmgewehr, because he felt that the name "assault weapon" would strike fear in allied forces. This is also the exact reason the gun control community uses this term as well. The fact is that these firearms are not fully automatic and cannot be made so without a high degree of machining skills and mechanical knowhow. Plus doing so is already illegal. The fact is the Biden's latest gun control act has not been equally enforced. It was supposed to provide additional support for school security and mental health services. It was supposed to provide stronger punishments for those cought breaking existing gun laws. It was supposed to allow FFL's to use the NICS system to check employees. It was supposed to allow FFL's to be able to instantly check inventory or potential purchase/trades by their serial number to determine if the firearm has been stolen or used in any crimes. None of these provisions have been acted upon or enforced. Please drop these latest gun control bills. They are unconstitutional and will never pass. Please do not waste your time and our tax dollars on these wasted efforts. Regards, Jonathan Goodman
HB507 - Careers in Law Enforcement Incentive Grant Program; established.
I oppose all these unconstitutional, dangerous, and pointless laws.
The end of solitary confinement must be done My son was murdered in solitary confinement at Red Onion Prison in Pound Va on 1/3/22.
HB555 - Corrections Ombudsman, Office of the Department of; created, annual report.
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Hi I am writing to you on behalf of The Well Connection UK, a media and publishing company. We could easily get virginia.gov featured in various publications such as magazines, online blogs and news sites. This would undoubtedly help virginia.gov with publicity, reputation, domain authority and organic search engine rankings. We have a wide range of options including completely free collaborations, sponsored posts, guest posts and banner ads. If this sounds of interest, please reach out to the senior business development manager, Anita at info@thewellconnection.co.uk and whatsapp +447395206515 (GMT) Kind regards Clifton Junior Outreach Assistant
I oppose all these unconstitutional, dangerous, and pointless laws.
I support this bill! Prisons should be safer and more productive for the people who reside and work in them, and more accountable and transparent to taxpayers, who cover this expense, the LARGEST one in the entire Commonwealth! I want to know who what when where and how my money is being spent!
It's time for accountability and transparency for the VADOC. With a $1.8 billion budget and no accountability, it's time for independent oversight. Please vote YES for HB555.
Good morning, I'm in support of HB 555 because the conversation of providing a Corrections Ombudsman (independent) has been long overdue. An ombudsman is needed to ensure that accountability be applied to the responsible parties as needed while also give the correctional officer who perform their sworn duties as mandated have a voice. Correctional officers are often forgotten heroes but serve an important role in public safety and law enforcement by ensuring custody, control and accountability of sentenced offenders assigned to their care. There are dedicated correctional officers within this profession who take pride in the uniform, but due to reduced staffing levels and inadequate compensation, it is contributing to unreasonable job expectations and vicarious liable situations within the ranks. Their service and sacrifice in protecting the citizen of the Commonwealth of Virginia should be supported by the passing of HB 555.
This practice is so detrimental to the well-being of all people. It has been studied and confirmed to cause more harm than good and it is well past time to discontinue. We need oversight of the jails and prisons to assure it stops.
This practice is so detrimental to the well-being of all people. It has been studied and confirmed to cause more harm than good and it is well past time to discontinue. We need oversight of the jails and prisons to assure it stops.
I am writing in support of HB 555. I will simply take Greensville Correctional Center as an example. 3 over dose deaths, an escaped individual, and a fire in one of the buildings, just days apart. Families had no contact with incarcerated loved ones for nearly a month. Families had to contact the media to get answers. Furthermore, there are men at Red Onion State Prison who are on a hunger strike to protest treatment by staff. Through our the DOC, there is an issue with drugs in the facilities, the lack luster medical treatment, the horrible food and small portions, the need for better mental health care, etc. There needs to be OUTSIDE oversight to see what is actually happening inside these facilities and to see how $1.5 Billion in taxpayer money is being spent.
The end of solitary confinement must be done My son was murdered in solitary confinement at Red Onion Prison in Pound Va on 1/3/22.
I support this bill! As we've all heard, the police should not be able to police themselves and I believe the same thing applies to VADOC! We need a 3rd party who will not be harassed or threatened by those employed by the VADOC, to go in and do thorough reporting. We cannot and will not continue to trust an agency that continues to sweep it's mess under the rug right in from of us and tell us we didn't see what we just witnessed. Pass this Bill!
Recently an independent study was conducted, it showed Virginia used their attack dogs 271 times. The highest in the country. The state in second place is Arizona, they used their dogs 15 times over the same period. So, are Virginia prisoners that much worse or does Virginia need to go back to the drawing board? There needs to be accountability and oversight if for this reason alone.
Recently an independent study was conducted, it showed Virginia used their attack dogs 271 times. The highest in the country. The state in second place is Arizona, they used their dogs 15 times over the same period. So, are Virginia prisoners that much worse or does Virginia need to go back to the drawing board? There needs to be accountability and oversight if for this reason alone.
The VADOC is a 1.5 billion dollar state funded agency. It also employees 11,000 state employees and incarcerates around 24,522 individuals. We must ask ourselves how can a State agency this large not receive any outside checks and balances? With an increase in overdoses, deaths, and reports of inhumane and unsafe conditions, I believe outside independent oversight is long overdue in Virginia's correctional system. Independent oversight will increase safety amongst staff and incarcerated individuals. It will also decrease lawsuits and provide public transparency to a state funded institution.
I write as formerly incarcerated, as well as someone hired by the Virginia Community College system office in January 2023 in part to coordinate opportunities between vendors providing education classes through the 23 member colleges and the jails and prisons in Virginia -- until I was fired in August of that same year due t o DOC's machinations. The position required me to visit the jails and prisons so that I could interact with inmates and staff to assess needs. Though (falsely) convicted of a felony, I was told that was not a bar to working again at VCCS (I had worked there from 2004-2015) nor would it be to the DOC, at which , I was told by DOC personnel, the department has many felons working there when I fretted to them that I had a felony. The woman working on my credential said, "You think you're special?" in regard to my admission. All knew; in fact, it was a requirement of the job. Almost immediately, DOC began to undermine my position while I waited for the credential. I was repeatedly stymied at the prison level by warden's and staff who refused to even provide up-to-date info as to who worked where so that I had accurate directory of contacts with which to work. The former DOC director and senior staff ignored my emails. The head of the education department also ignored me, as did his downline contact, Dr. Maddie., who refused to work cooperatively and took affirmative steps to avoid working with my newly created office. Accountability was the fear, as told to me confidentially by principals of facilities, staff, or coordinators, who feared for their jobs. A robust oversight committee of formerly incarcerated, experts in prison reform and education, and others -- no cronies!! -- must be instituted with broad oversight powers, which includes unscheduled visits, educational opportunities for older incarcerated people, and an address to staffing shortages. Oversight must include the strong recommendation that if adequate staff is not available or otherwise is not hired, less violent inmates should be released on parole -which must be expanded to address inhumane prison conditions. Reports of staff stealing rations and food, abuse of inmates including the intellectually disabled, and care for all through improved housing cannot be ignored any longer.
Interfaith Action for Human Rights (IAHR) issued a 45 page report in December summarizing correspondence we've had over the past 5 years with over 600 inmates in Virginia prisons. It highlights the numerous issues and problems they face that, if not addressed, can lead to needless litigation. We strongly support HR 555 that will provide legislative authority for an independent ombudsman to oversee the Department of Corrections. We believe it will benefit all involved -- the Virginia taxpayer, the Virginia legislature, the Department of Corrections, and, of course, the prisoners and their families. We hope you can read the full report -- we call it the Red Report (attached) -- but if not, please read the brief executive summary.
Interfaith Action for Human Rights (IAHR) issued a 45 page report in December summarizing correspondence we've had over the past 5 years with over 600 inmates in Virginia prisons. It highlights the numerous issues and problems they face that, if not addressed, can lead to needless litigation. We strongly support HR 555 that will provide legislative authority for an independent ombudsman to oversee the Department of Corrections. We believe it will benefit all involved -- the Virginia taxpayer, the Virginia legislature, the Department of Corrections, and, of course, the prisoners and their families. We hope you can read the full report -- we call it the Red Report (attached) -- but if not, please read the brief executive summary.
HB2 - Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, possession, sale, transfer, etc., prohibited.
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Hi I am writing to you on behalf of The Well Connection UK, a media and publishing company. We could easily get virginia.gov featured in various publications such as magazines, online blogs and news sites. This would undoubtedly help virginia.gov with publicity, reputation, domain authority and organic search engine rankings. We have a wide range of options including completely free collaborations, sponsored posts, guest posts and banner ads. If this sounds of interest, please reach out to the senior business development manager, Anita at info@thewellconnection.co.uk and whatsapp +447395206515 (GMT) Kind regards Clifton Junior Outreach Assistant
Please do not make life more difficult for responsible gun owners. Many of the proposed laws are clearly unconstitutional and will be struck down anyway. Others may be constitutional but are completely draconian. Virginia already has some of the toughest gun laws in the country All the bills I am providing feedback for would not make VA safer. Next time Republicans are in power they will reverse those anyway. But even if that does not happen, you are contributing to the further polarization of politics. There won't be any bipartisanship left on 2nd amendment issues or even other issues
Law abiding citizens should not be punished for exercising their constitutional rights. Bill HB2 causes half of the state to become felons, just for exercising their rights to own firearms. HB1424 is unconstitutional because nothing in the second amendment says anything about having to have a license to own a gun. SB522 , similarly to HB1424 , is unconstitutional. The second amendment states that the right to bear arms shall not be infringed. People shouldn’t have to take a training course to own a gun. It’s your right to bear arms without government approval, or having to take a training course. It forces you to give up your ability to exercise your own rights. SB57 causes law abiding people to be in danger of criminals coming into a restaurant with a gun and not being able to defend themselves. SB327 once again is unconstitutional. The second amendment says nothing about an age restriction on any type of firearm. SB273 is unconstitutional because nothing states that you have to wait a certain amount of time to own a firearm. SB2 , just like HB2, shouldn’t cause law abiding people to not be able to own an “Assault weapon” or ammunition for an “Assault weapon”; because the second amendment doesn’t prohibit any style of firearm or ammunition from being sold or possessed.
I am opposed to all of these unconstitutional and anit-american gun laws and regulations. There is no room for more gun laws and regulations in this state.
Contrary to how certain government officials treat it, the second amendment is written using plain, easy to understand language, and insists that government has no right to take away the right for ordinary people like us to defend ourselves, as the constitution and bill of rights do not simply give people rights, but protects them from government manipulation and control. It’s incredibly disappointing and a tragedy that people choose to commit acts of violence with these rights, but restricting those who wish to exercise their rights peaceably due to those who wouldn’t follow these rules in the first place is incredibly naive. I, as well as every other person in the United States, deserve to protect my family with the best technology available. While some people look at certain defense weapon setups as a “why do you need that” situation, 1) I have the right to defend myself with the best tool available, and so I will choose that every time, 2) why do you “need” anything other than basic necessities (fast car, Gucci clothes, etc)? The government has no place in deciding what I “need”, 3) people with the intent to harm will not care what laws govern peaceful people, so what would limiting the victim’s access to proper tools do? You may think that by “banning” or otherwise restricting access to a certain thing would mean that all of the “bad” things would magically go away, but they will not. Evil has always and will always exist, and I have every right to defend myself from it using the best tool available wherever I, or my family, choose to go. Restricting access on certain properties (the government isn’t actively protecting me everywhere), requiring certain training (who is paying for this?), limiting certain types of firearms (go ahead and define “assault weapon” in plain language please), and restricting ammo purchasing (I thought you wanted us to train; how does this help then?) are all means that end up hurting the average person and helping those who wish to hurt others, as the rest of us will be left in a position to insufficiently defend ourselves. I urge you to understand that while, yes, it is awful that evil people commit horrific acts, this right ultimately allows me to protect myself and my family from these evil people as well and as evil will always exist (we certainly like to delusion ourselves into believing that we live in a utopia, but we do not), I will protect my family accordingly. The government has no right to restrict this. Leave the peaceful citizens alone, more firmly punish those who hurt others, and help communities where this is an issue to prevent the upbringing of more evil people.
I oppose these bills that are attacking the rights of law-abiding gun owners.
I oppose these unconstitutional gun control bills. They will only affect law abiding citizens, not the criminals that intend to do harm.
Please stop trying to make criminals of law abiding citizens who just want to protect themselves. Me and my partner have recently become firearm owners because of situations that have arisen in our day to day lives, such as harassment of my wife almost to the point of altercation, sketchy characters waiting in front of our door/ducking in and out of our bushes at all times of the night, people breaking into cars in the neighborhood etc (many times the police/security were called only to arrive 45mins to an hour later). with many of these nonsensical bills you condemn us to allowing any possible violence to happen to us without a chance of defending our selves. Instead of helping fix the problem, you seek to make criminals out of any Virginian who has followed the law and legal purchased a firearm. Shame on you. I am Virginian native and since I was 18 I voted leaning blue in local and state elections you all are making me think this was a mistake. I am not proud of Virginia “progressives” who would rather strip my wife of her chance and right to defend her self rather than try to address the root of crime. Don’t make law abiding people criminals. Do some actual work and address the criminals! 2 of the proposed bills would make in illegal to bring your concealed firearm into a restaurant and another makes it a crime to have the firearm in your vehicle…. Like really? This is literally just to fill jails and strip people of their rights.
Many of these gun laws are unfair to law abiding citizens and do not affect criminals. These gun laws should be vetoed.
Leave law abiding citizens alone.
The number of bills that the Virginia legislature is attempting to pass that will infringe on the constitutional rights of its citizenry is appalling. We as law abiding citizens are afforded the right to defend ourselves and families. None of these laws will reduce crime as it is purported to do. Crimes are committed by individuals not the firearm. Start placing the blame where it should be which is the person committing the crime. Instead these laws will only punish and limit the rights of law abiding citizens.
State Legislature members, A right delayed is a right denied. Quoting the 2022 NYSRPA v. Bruen Supreme Court Case: 'The constitutional right to bear arms in public for self-defense is not “a second-class right, subject to an entirely different body of rules than the other Bill of Rights guarantees.” McDonald, 561 U. S., at 780 (plurality opinion). The exercise of other constitutional rights does not require individuals to demonstrate to government officers some special need. The Second Amendment right to carry arms in public for self defense is no different.' The recent NYSRPA v. Bruen case highlighted the significance of individual self-defense, and it's crucial to consider the rights of law-abiding citizens in crafting firearm legislation. While the goal of enhancing public safety is commendable, an outright ban on certain firearms and magazines will disproportionately impact responsible gun owners who use these tools for legitimate purposes, such as self-defense and sport. It is essential to strike a balance between public safety and the preservation of individual rights. Instead of blanket bans, and bureaucratic obstacles that only harass lawful firearm owners, we should focus on comprehensive measures that address the root causes of gun violence. This approach respects the constitutional rights of citizens while fostering a safer society. Criminals are not deterred by restrictions on lawful purchase at federally-licensed FFL Dealers. They do not bother going through the process of applying for a concealed carry permit, because they do not intend to carry lawfully. People who want to use weapons to hurt innocent citizens of Virginia will not be impeded by these House and Senate Bills. Instead, the only individuals who will have their behavior modified are lawful men and women who are unable to defend themselves against those who will commit crimes regardless of what is written into law this Legislative Session. If you pass the above laws, it will only serve to waste hard-working Taxpayers' money fighting them in Federal Court. California and New York have lost their cases seeking to uphold unconstitutional gun laws, and the sponsors of these bills will lose too. Do the right thing - the hard thing - enforce the laws we already have, get the small minority of violent criminals off the streets of Virginia, and uphold the constitutional rights of your polity.
These bills infringe on the rights of the United States citizens given to us by the second amendment. The only thing these bills will accomplish will take the firearms out of the hands of law abiding citizens, while criminals will still have access.
I do not support any bill that removes any right from law abiding citizens to protect themselves from those who WILL NOT abide by these laws. These laws ONLY give CRIMINALS the upper hand.
There are approximately 47 bills regarding gun control between the House and Senate. Rather than fix issues that actually protect and enhance the lives of Virginians, many of these bills seek to disenfranchise and reduce the safety of the citizens in this great Commonwealth. Firearms are so fundamental to the founding and continued existence of our free society that they are listed just second to the freedom of speech in amendments to the constitution. It is plainly clear to all that countries and states who have banned or severely restricted firearms that violence does not end with their banning. Unjust deaths are not prevented. It simply ensures that law abiding citizens are left defenseless from those that wish to harm them, whether that be individuals or an organization. I write this knowing that it will be completely disregarded by the bills authors, but in hopes that others feel galvanized to speak up against unjust actions made in the name of progress. To those who wish to protect themselves with firearms while simultaneously stripping them from the common man, may you take heed of the Virginia state motto.
A lot of these laws contradict one another. I can’t support them. Both of our parties have failed us.
Stop trying to strip 2nd Amendment rights from law abiding citizens with a constitutional right to own and carry firearms. Not a single one of these laws/bills you’re trying to enact would have stopped any of the mass shootings we’ve seen.
I oppose all of these blatantly unconstitutional bills and wish our elected officials would actually get to work on fixing things that matter to Virginians.
It is obvious these elected officials want you to die at the behest of an anarcho tyrannical state where violent perpetual offenders are off with a slap on the wrist, while YOU tax payer are criminalized for not wanting to be a victim to these perpetual perpetrators. The elected officials funded by big Pro-Death lobby of Giffords and Bloomberg sit in their cushy NOVA HOAd mansions behind security while you plebs go to work everyday to pay their salary. These same officials effectively bribe the police state by giving them a way to pay off a mortgage and boat in exchange for your oppression. YOU citizen must morally oppose these pro-Death bills. Democracy has fallen and its only driven by money hungry Babylonians who swim in excess and delicacy while YOU PLEBS cant even afford milk, eggs or pampers. Remember these people do not hold dominion over you. Call your congressman/woman and CHRIST IS KING!
There is no acceptable reason to infringe upon the Constitutionally-protected (both US and Virginia's Constitutions) rights of Americans and Virginians. None of these bills purported to reduce gun-related violence actually seem to prioritize the reduction of causal effects of overall violence. Many of these are merely attempts to curb the rights of the People to keep and bear arms, because our legislative bodies are full of corrupt, weak, and contemptible individuals. Show us the bills for addressing the root causes of violence: mental health, income inequality, social instability, lack of education and educational opportunities, drug & human trafficking, or employment & wages (this list is not all-inclusive).
Time and time again it has been proven that criminals do not care about or follow restrictive firearm laws. Virginia already has some of the most restrictive firearms laws in the country ("B+" rating from Giffords), more unconstitutional infringements upon law abiding citizens is not the answer. We need to address the root causes (access to mental health resources for example) and not throw bandaids at it by punishing responsible, law abiding, gun owners. I oppose these bills and urge you to do the same.
I am writing to voice my opposition to the multiple house and senate bills that do nothing to penalize violent criminals and arbitrarily turn law abiding gun owning citizens into criminals or strip these citizens of their rights and valuable property without due process. I am also opposed to further limitations being placed on citizens who have fulfilled the requirements to obtain a VA Concealed Handgun Permit. Again, the very people who have invested time and money in their committment to adhere to the law are being penalized.
As a fellow Democrat, it’s important to acknowledge the complexities surrounding gun ownership and the Second Amendment. 1. Self-Defense: Firearms can be a crucial tool for individuals to protect themselves, especially in high-crime areas or situations where law enforcement response times are slow. 2. Sport and Recreation: Many Americans enjoy shooting sports like hunting, skeet shooting, and target practice as a recreational activity, fostering a sense of community and skill-building. 3. Cultural Tradition: Gun ownership is deeply ingrained in American culture, with a rich history of hunting and marksmanship passed down through generations. 4. Economic Impact: The firearms industry contributes significantly to the economy, generating jobs and revenue through manufacturing, sales, and related services. 5. Civil Liberties: Upholding the right to bear arms is fundamental to preserving individual freedoms and safeguarding against government overreach. 6. Empowerment of Marginalized Communities: For historically marginalized groups, owning firearms can serve as a means of empowerment and protection against hate crimes or discriminatory violence. 7. Emergency Preparedness: In times of natural disasters or civil unrest, responsible gun owners can help maintain order and protect their families and communities. 8. Deterrence of Crime: Research suggests that the presence of armed civilians can deter potential criminals and reduce overall crime rates in certain contexts. 9. Veterans and Law Enforcement: Many veterans and law enforcement officers transition to civilian life with a continued appreciation for firearms, utilizing their expertise for civilian defense and security. 10. Balanced Approach: Instead of blanket gun control measures, we can advocate for comprehensive solutions that address root causes of violence, such as mental health support, poverty reduction, and community intervention programs.
I oppose the proposed firearms legislation put forward by this legislature and any legislation that violates the 1st, 2nd, and 4th, amendment rights of any Virginian. The desire for safer communities, a more united nation, and healing for our public health is something that we all can share in but these bills do not achieve that. Rather, they regulate and penalize. They unconstitutionally restrict the rights of the many in the name of safety and serve only to harm our rights. I would be doing a disservice to our state and my fellow citizens if I did not also provide potential solutions or remedies to the violence we face. First, we as communities need to promote voluntary storage facilities for those who are experiencing hardship and are concerned about suicide. Ideally making it easier to put firearms safely out of reach when suicide risks are greater. To do this it would need to be a system at the lowest level with minimum government involvement besides funding and partnership with local ranges. We would also need to reach out to those in our lives who are in a bad place and encourage the use of these facilities. Second, we should promote a culture of safe handling and respect for firearms through school courses and community organizations because assault weapons or not suicide, or accidents only take one bullet from a single action firearm. Lastly and more broadly we should focus on the issues surrounding the violence. Whether it is drugs and organized criminal activity or the mental health crisis as it has become known we should be working to fix these issues first. I.e. legalize weed, adapt police training, and push to root out organized crime, promote common social values and family cohesion, increase freedom, physical activity, and discipline in the school system.
These firearms bill are either redundant or unless in any meaningful way. If you care about reducing violence, please focus on criminals. Please stop trying to disarm families and law abiding citizen from protecting themselves.
I am a liberal through and through, I believe in individual rights and the opportunity for prosperity for all. I vote democrat because I care about my community, the rights of minorities, and women’s rights. The proposed legislation limiting the ability of free, law abiding citizens to purchase firearms, carry, and general use should not be limited further. I have witnessed violence at the hands of criminals, some later caught and it was shown that they did not legally acquire these firearms. The proposed legislation will effectively stop those who abide by the laws of Virginia from being able to properly protect themselves. It is known that police will not protect you, and they have no legal obligation to do so. This puts us at a dilemma, it’s either blindly trust the police to protect us and our families or have the ability to protect ourselves. I am not advocated for looser gun laws by any means, but I am advocating for more common sense gun laws. What do I mean by this you may ask? Well I mean background checks are a must and proper certification to conceal carry. I am a former Marine, I was a firefighter, and am a current student at a great university in our nations capital. I like to think I am reasonable in my thinking, but after looking and reading the propositions I checked above, I can’t help but feel betrayed by my own party. There is more than 5 guns for every American in this country. Gun control must target the people who do not follow the law and try to prevent violence from occurring, and the proposed legislation above does not help in that manner. I am hopeful that you will read this and reconsider the language in the legislation and I am even more hopeful that I can protect my family as necessary. I will always vote for progress but that’s not to say that I will always vote against my interests. Locally, crime has been on the rise and I have had to deal with it directly with little to no help from the police. I will (to the fullest extent of the law) protect myself as necessary from anyone who wishes to inflict harm on myself or family, and I hope you see that the average citizen in Virginia can not afford a security detail or rely on our police for protection. Thank you and have a great day.
Please stop infringing on our god given right, protected by the constitution of the United States (which you all have sworn to uphold and protect), to keep and bear arms. Responsible gun owners are not the problem in America’s gun violence epidemic. We follow the law. Criminals don’t. We use our firearms to protect ourselves, loved ones, and community. Chipping away at this right we have makes us more vulnerable to becoming victims of gun violence, not protect us from it. These laws only serve to empower those with evil intentions. Rather, might I suggest harsher penalties for those who commit senseless acts of violence with firearms instead of going after the good men and women of the commonwealth who wish only to use their firearms for lawful purposes.
Dear House of Delegates, I'm writing to you today as a concerned citizen. The introduction of bills aimed at heavily regulating firearms, is not warranted or wanted by the people of Virginia. Our nation stands at a crossroads, where the desire to address gun violence intersects with the constitutional rights affirmed by the Supreme Court. The Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms is not just a legal directive but a reflection of our commitment to individual freedom. In this context, the proposed regulations, while motivated by a commendable desire to reduce violence, raise significant concerns about their effectiveness and the potential consequences for law-abiding citizens. Research, including findings published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, suggests that the relationship between strict gun laws and the reduction of gun violence is not as straightforward as one might hope. Cities with stringent gun regulations continue to face challenges with gun-related crimes, indicating that those intent on violence often find ways to circumvent the law. This reality prompts us to question whether new restrictions will achieve their intended goal or merely place additional burdens on those who seek firearms for legitimate purposes, including self-defense. Moreover, the abundance of firearms in the United States presents a logistical challenge to the enforcement of such regulations. With more guns than people in the country, the task of significantly reducing the availability of firearms to criminals, without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens, is daunting. It is within this complex landscape that I urge you to consider the broader implications of the proposed gun control measures. The parallels drawn with other contentious issues, such as the regulation of women's healthcare, highlight the potential for policy decisions to inadvertently infringe upon individual freedoms and deepen societal divisions. Such outcomes not only detract from the intended goals of enhancing public safety but also risk alienating segments of the population whose support is essential for the advancement of our collective well-being. I respectfully ask that you consider the potential consequences of the proposed gun control measures, not just for the immediate future but for the legacy we leave for generations to come. It is my hope that, together, we can find a way to address the challenges of gun violence in a manner that honors our values, respects our freedoms, and genuinely enhances the safety and well-being of our communities.
STOP INFRINGING OUR RIGHTS. Get rid of every single gun control bill that is here and START ENFORCING THE LAWS WE ALREADY HAVE. Stop trying to turn law abiding citizens into criminals. I am disgusted that all of these nonsense bills have even made it this far. You can have these laws in Northern Virginia where everyone hates guns but don’t force this garbage into the rest of the state. GET RID OF ALL OF THIS GARBAGE and keep your noses out of everyone’s business. More government is not the answer.
Please stop attempting to infringe on my 2nd amendment rights. Responsible gun owners are not behind any gun violence. Maybe focus on bills that will actually keep guns out of the hands of those that should not have them rather than stripping the rights away of law-abiding citizens. Not a single one of those bills will stop criminals from breaking the law, all they will do is prevent me from being able to effectively defend myself and my family against said criminal.
Virginia already has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation. We can all agree violence is an issue but making more unconstitutional, on a national and state level, gun laws will not help with the rates of violent crimes and property crimes as we see from states with stricter gun laws. We need to increase access to mental health and community resources to address the root causes of issues rather than criminalizing responsible gun owners. I am opposed to this attack on the second amendment which is the fundamental backbone that protects the other freedoms guranteed in the constitution.
The second amendment is very clear in its intent that these rights “shall not be infringed”. Removing/ restricting law abiding citizens right to self defense and protection against unwitting organizations and persons is not only more harmful, but a clear violation of the rights this country was founded on.
Dear Honorable Members of the House of Delegates, I write to you today as a concerned citizen, deeply invested in the well-being and safety of our communities, and as someone who values the principles upon which our nation was founded. The issue at hand, the introduction of bills aimed at heavily regulating firearms, is one that I believe warrants a thoughtful reconsideration in light of its broader implications. Our nation stands at a crossroads, where the desire to address gun violence intersects with the constitutional rights affirmed by the Supreme Court. The Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms is not just a legal directive but a reflection of our commitment to individual freedom. In this context, the proposed regulations, while motivated by a commendable desire to reduce violence, raise significant concerns about their effectiveness and the potential consequences for law-abiding citizens. Research, including findings published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology, suggests that the relationship between strict gun laws and the reduction of gun violence is not as straightforward as one might hope. Cities with stringent gun regulations continue to face challenges with gun-related crimes, indicating that those intent on violence often find ways to circumvent the law. This reality prompts us to question whether new restrictions will achieve their intended goal or merely place additional burdens on those who seek firearms for legitimate purposes, including self-defense. Moreover, the abundance of firearms in the United States presents a logistical challenge to the enforcement of such regulations. With more guns than people in the country, the task of significantly reducing the availability of firearms to criminals, without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens, is daunting. It is within this complex landscape that I urge you to consider the broader implications of the proposed gun control measures. The parallels drawn with other contentious issues, such as the regulation of women's healthcare, highlight the potential for policy decisions to inadvertently infringe upon individual freedoms and deepen societal divisions. Such outcomes not only detract from the intended goals of enhancing public safety but also ***risk alienating segments of the population whose support is essential for the advancement of our collective well-being.*** Constituents see this robust effort to "see what sticks" as a weakness within our party. Comparatively imbalanced with the diverse range of issues and concerns that we face everyday. A waste. As we move forward, I encourage you to approach this issue with a balanced perspective, one that recognizes the need for effective strategies to combat gun violence while also safeguarding the constitutional rights and freedoms that define our nation. The path to meaningful change is complex, requiring a nuanced understanding of the issues at hand and a commitment to policies that truly serve the best interests of all our citizens. In closing, I respectfully ask that you consider the potential consequences of the proposed gun control measures, not just for the immediate future but for the legacy we leave for generations to come. It is my hope that, together, we can find a way to address the challenges of gun violence in a manner that honors our values, respects our freedoms, and genuinely enhances the safety and well-being of our communities.
You guys need to stop attacking our 2nd amendment and get help for these kids growing up with identity crisis’s . You coming after law abiding citizens is appalling and the fact that your leaning towards becoming the despicable state of California is saddening. If the president can have security which uses firearms that even the normal civilian can’t have this raises the issue of how can a civilian defend against a tyrannical government with a featureless 10 round ar-15 ? Keep this up and we know exactly what your end goal is.
As a left leaning voter and citizen of Virginia, these new restrictions on our right to bear arms are sickening. Stop proposing so many bans and limits, and maybe a realistic bill, like the safe credit, won’t be universally protested. If you actually want to quell gun violence, keep focused on affordable mental and physical healthcare, improving the education system, and reducing income inequality. While the right may not support these real improvements, I cannot in good faith support or vote for any politician who supports banning or restricting the rights of law abiding citizens in our beautiful commonwealth. Thank you.
The 2nd amendment states "shall not be infringed". All of these bills are infringement and are therefore unconstitutional. Should we pass laws that people must pass a test before they can have freedom of speech? What about pass a test before you can vote? What about if someone does not have training they will be slaves again? Name one other right outlined in the constitution where a citizen has to jump through hoops before they can use that right? I oppose all of these bills as they will do more harm than good. I can understand wanting to keep people safe but gun control does the opposite. These bills will only make it harder for law abiding citizens to exercise their rights while criminals will still ignore the law. Criminals will still get illegal guns or weapons and will commit more crimes since they know the public is unable to defend themselves. Benjamin Franklin once said: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." You writing bills saying "give up your rights and guns and we will protect you". Well ask the Native Americans how that worked out for them. Ask a Jewish person who was under Nazi control how that worked out for them. Well Hitler's first step was to take away the guns from the public so they could not protect themselves and over 6 million people lost their lives. Since you do not know history you are writing bills which will doom us to repeat it. You know 75 years ago when you could just buy a gun in a catalog and it was shipped to your house we did not have this issue. In the 60s and 70s when people would have a gun in their truck at school or take one in for show and tell we did not have a gun issue. This is a mental health issue. Deal with mental health and you will fix the public safety issue. Zero of my guns have killed people because guns do not kill people. People kill people. Look at Ukraine and Israel for just one form of example why we need LESS gun control. All of these gun laws are unconstitutional and should be thrown out. Do the right thing and let us law abiding citizens have their rights as outlined in the constitution. Do not pass laws which infringe on our rights. If the 2nd amendment falls, the 1st will follow . When the 1st and 2nd fall the 13th will fall and our country will be lost and we will be back in chains.
I am very opposed to the vast majority of these bills. I am a legal gun owner with my CHP. Many of these bills heavily restrict my right to bear arms in a legal capacity. I don’t understand why I should be punished for doing everything legally and correctly only to become a felon in the coming months through these legislations
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Whether or not a person chooses to exercise this right is up to them. Otherwise, it shall not be infringed.
I can not, and nobody should, support these unconstitutional laws. THROW THEM ALL OUT.
You guys make it harder and harder to vote Democrat every single cycle. Complete ban on Semi Automatics more or less making the state even stricter towards guns then states like Maryland? I oppose all these even the "herp common sense derp" ones because the states party has made it clear they don't give a crap about anything but putting hollow wins for politicians because hhheeeyyy punishing law abiding gun owners is a whole lot easier then creating jobs or reducing crime. If these bills die before getting to the governors desk, especially the bans, then I will gladly continue to vote DNC. But if Youngkin has to veto these and you make me say something I never thought I would "Thank god Youngkin won" then I look forward to blindly going down the ticket in 2024 and checking "R" on everyone. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
I do not support more legislation infringing on my 2nd Ammendment rights. Please fund more enforcement for the proactive enforcement of existing laws and regulations pertaining to firearms.
I oppose this legislation.
First off, knives are a basic tool with myriad uses and have been around since ancient history. Any limitation on them is so insulting, and insane. We are not children. It is infuriating that money was spent to even write that down. The fact that I would need a right to carry a knife spelled out is not something our forefathers could have possibly anticipated, since it’s a simple tool. A screwdriver is exactly as deadly as any knife. I would know, I’ve been an ICU nurse for nearly a decade and I have seen people stabbed with both. Matter of fact, a hammer would be a superior concealed weapon with more lethality than either. Second, many of these new gun laws make sense. Many of them do not. I do not want stalkers, domestic abusers, or drug dealers buying guns. A waiting period and proficiency training is fine, although I believe it to be unconstitutional I would comply. However it appears we are going to make it illegal to purchase specific parts for guns, to build your own serialized and registered firearm, and to concealed carry in many public spaces. I also see a poorly defined and overly restrictive “assault weapons” ban. The most insane is the ban on parents having firearms in the home at all. That is unacceptable. The latter group of laws are an infringement based on the opinions of the woefully uninformed. I should not lose my right to responsible ownership, maintenance and concealed carry with a permit due to the lobbying of a group that has failed to due the due diligence to learn about the rights they wish to throw away for all of us. I have a concealed carry permit. It has saved my life of nearly saved my life multiple times. The police can be great, but they are minutes away when seconds count. For instance, as I was leaving a restaurant in the city I was targeted by 2 men with illegal guns. I did not know them, we had never interacted, but suddenly there was a gun pointing at me from a car circling around me in the parking lot. Without escape available, I drew my pistol in response. The car stopped circling and left, giving me time to alert law enforcement before there were any holes in me. If I come face to face with a mass shooter, as so many do, I prefer to be armed. The organization of mothers pushing for these laws can define the law of their household. But not mine. Learn from the past for gods sake. We do not need and will eventually not accept increasing restrictions and price hikes allowing only the wealthy and connected to be armed. Governor, I ask that you veto these laws which only restrict law abiding citizens. You are the person elected in part because you are the option on the ballot who would not let this stand. So don’t. To those in support of these laws: every right you surrender is one you can never recover without 10 times the struggle it took to get to the place where you were able to throw it away. Learning from your mistakes is not viable when you codify them into law. You are making several mistakes. You can’t restrict and underfund the police department and make personal defense harder at the same time. That is advantageous to no one. It is not how things work in this world where evil people exist, no matter how deep in the sand your head is. And the next time you’re grunting and sweating, tearing a box open like a fucking caveman you might want to try a knife before adding more legislation An armed society is a polite society, let’s keep it that way.
The litany of gun control measures under consideration will do nothing to effectively reduce crime and violence, and will only further restrict the rights of law abiding firearms owners. Not to mention the countless examples from other locales across the country where these same measure have been put into place and the result is more violent crime as criminals can now feel safe that the general population is not armed. Strongly oppose all proposed bills.
The ridiculous litany of gun control measures under consideration will do nothing to effectively reduce crime and violence, and will only further restrict the rights of law abiding firearms owners.
We dont need MORE laws regarding firearms, we need to enforce the laws that are already on the books. If enforcement is done then these laws are redundant and not necessary. Don't pass more laws just for the sake of passing laws. They do nothing but make law abiding citizens confused and they dont do anything to stop problems.
I am writing to express my great concern, to the legislatures that continue to ignore their oath of swearing to protect and uphold the rights of the citizens as protected by the United States Constitution and the Virginian Constitution. "The Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms, SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED". You beaurcrats do not grant that right to he people, it is God given. While you grandstand and ateemlt to make laws to hurt the everydayaw abiding American citizen, you turn a way and do nothing in these bills to punish criminals committing crimes. It is already illegal to murder people. To grandstand and think that any of these bills would stop someone from murdering or harming another person is laughable. Quite literally. You pander screaming about these firearm safety bills while you walk around with security and people with "guns" to keep you safe. Start enforcing the existing laws against criminals who commit crimes vs trying to turn law abiding people, who take training, are serious about protection of family, themselves and others, and trying to disarm them and make them criminals. Or we will vote you out! Uphold your Oath or be prepared for the consequences your actions lead to by the American people. Regards Mr. Harris
I know most modern politicians aren’t historians but the Bill of Rights is really simple. If you read that, you’ll also read the 2nd Amendment which is really simple as well. In the same docket you’re trying to give more benefits to police and take away more rights from citizens. You ought to be ashamed. What a farce freedom is anymore.
As an Afghan American I understand freedoms and my right to bare arms, please do not take this god given right away from us. Thank you
These anti gun laws are an infringement on all Virginian's 2A rights.
I am opposed to additional new laws or further regulations placed on firearms or other means of self defense, or which limit the ability to conduct commerce or carry such items. Not only does the constitution make it clear this is a violation of my rights, it does nothing to address or reduce the actions of criminals.
I am against all of these blatantly unconstitutional firearms restrictions. I'm strongly against: SB2| Deeds | Assault firearms certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, possession, sale, transfer, etc., prohibited. This tries to ban things that are in common use, which has never worked well for the government, remember Prohibition? Remember the war on drugs? Just like the last assault weapons ban, this will literally just make AR-15s more popular and easier to get illegally. And I am against: HB585 | Mundon King | Home-based firearms dealers; prohibited near schools, penalties. That specifically targets home-based FFLs whose house is somewhere near a school. This would put hundreds of Virginia residents out of business just because of where they live.
I strongly oppose any bill, law or ordinance that infringes on the undeniable constitutional right to keep and bear arms. These include any ban, any further age restrictions, if a person (18) is old enough to join the military and use real "assault weapons" then they should be fully capable to purchase a semi automatic firearm of their choice. I oppose any law or ordinance that restricts my ability to defend my family and myself as I see fit, this includes bans on where I can carry my lawful firearm, what type of firearm and the magazine size of my choice. How about we make laws that are tougher on criminals and stop punishing law abiding people who actually care and follow the law.
All infringements on the second amendment are acts of treason and should be treated as such. Acting in favor of such infringements makes you a traitor to this nation and th commonwealth.
All Virginians want our families to be safe from gun violence. However, passing such broad restrictions on firearms commonly used for self defense is not the answer. The updated definition of assault weapons and the associated prohibitions do little to nothing to stop criminals who are willing to illegally buy or steal firearms. There are plenty of firearms out there for criminals to access, with well over 400 million guns in civilian ownership in the United States. It is too late to round them all up. These bills will disproportionately affect those citizens who go out of their way to follow our commonwealth's laws; the people who are unlikely to commit a violent crime in the first place. The solutions to gun violence that stand a chance at working are community-oriented interventions that decrease poverty, drug use, gang activity, combat mental illness, and advocate for the safe storage of firearms. Sociologists know these factors correlate strongly with ALL types of violence. On average, two-thirds of firearms deaths are suicides, an assault weapons ban won't do a thing about those. Of the remaining 1/3 of firearms homicides, more than half are drug, gang, or domestic violence related. Let's pass bipartisan legislation that addresses these underlying problems, instead of preventing average Virginians from protecting themselves with firearms that are already ubiquitous.
I am Opposed to any limitations on the Second Amendment and any restrictive firearm laws. We have adequate, if not already overbearing, laws on the books now and should not be creating more laws restricting all the aspects of firearm use, sales, and any other aspects of the right to bear arms.
I strongly oppose this bill. It has been proven time and again that criminals don't obey the law, so all you are doing is making it impossible for the law abiding citizen to own one of these semi-automatic rifles. This is from the National Institute of Justice on the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban. "The ban has failed to reduce the average number of victims per gun murder incident or multiple gunshot wound victims." Based on history these so called Assault Weapons Ban's do not do anything except be feel good legislation while doing nothing to resolve the root of the issue.
These firearm laws are mostly reactionary to the media response on firearms. This is a major infringement on the 2nd amendment and needs to be stopped.
An inordinate focus on the control of firearms only serves to infringe the rights of the law-abiding citizen in defense of his life and property. The State should instead focus on the apprehension and incarceration of individuals engaging in criminal behavior and associated misuse of firearms.
A solution without a problem, HB 2 and SB 70 do nothing except criminalize the innocent Neither the House passed HB 2, nor Senate-amended SB 70 address the largest source of illegal guns, namely: straw purchases, which continue to occur despite the legal requirements of background checks, and the felony penalties for violating the law. A 2013 memo from the U.S. Justice Department’s National Institute of Justice stated that out of the universe of all guns in the United States, of the very small percent of firearms ever used in crimes, 47% were obtained through straw purchases, 20% from unregulated private sales, 13% from Gun shows/flea markets and 8% from retail sales. The National Institute of Justice memo also stated, “A perfect universal background check system can address the gun shows and might deter many unregulated private sellers. However, this does not address the largest sources (straw purchasers and theft), which would most likely become larger if background checks at gun shows and private sellers were addressed.” While the Senate Amended SB 70 has fewer problems than the draconian House passed HB 2, neither can fix the problem of straw purchases of guns by criminals. Obviously, criminals are undeterred by gun laws which they disobey even when faced with a felony prosecution threat. I agree with Gun Owners of America; either bill impacts only law-abiding citizens, not those intent on harming their neighbor. Please vote NO on both SB 70 and HB 2 and advise me how you vote. Thank you.
Any law that infringes on my Gods-given right to own and bear arms is UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Any law passed that infringes this right will be answered with a lawsuit.
I'm against any unconstitutional law and any law that strips Americans of their rights. These laws are an attack on the 2nd amendment and hold NO facts in stopping crime. They are a punishment for law-abiding people and will not make Virginia safer.
Hello. There are a plethora of bills that were proposed, which would clearly violate the second amendment rights of many law abiding citizens. First of all, considering concealed carry should be permit-less carry, it is counterproductive to increase the requirements for concealed carry. Restrictions on where law abiding citizens can lawfully carry their now “permitted” firearms is asinine, as well as the proposition of a bill that would make it a penalty to leave a firearm in your car. You would essentially be disarming a large number of people who wish to follow these unlawful order in a day and age where the democratic agenda is to act like there are mass shootings on a daily basis. Effectively disarming the majority and increasing the requirements and legal loopholes to carry is such a vulnerable state to be in and I hope we’re smart enough to avoid that. Restrictions on “Plastic firearms and unfinished frames etc” is not only terrible literature that does nothing to explain, but it is a direct violation of the 2nd amendment considering you have a federal right to make firearms for personal use, which would include additively manufactured parts. Wait periods are also a horrifying thing to think of, considering how many times it has been proven to be a terrible idea, keeping guns out of the hands that need them most to protect themselves and their families. “Assault firearms” and anything to do with them is nonsense considering the blatant inability to define said “assault weapon”. People who don’t understand guns, shouldn’t be making laws on guns. A shorter barrel does not make it more lethal, in fact it lowers the muzzle velocity, causing less force on impact and penetration, in turn causing less collateral damage. Any sort of “assault weapons” bills are targeting law abiding citizens who have every right to use the modern advances in firearm technology just as police officers and military. The only people these bills are effecting are the already law abiding citizens. The criminals who got their hands on said weapons illegally aren’t going to be making sure that their ALREADY ILLEGAL WEAPONS are fully compliant with state laws and regulations before they go commit another crime. In no way shape or form should someone need to disadvantage themselves in a life or death situation because political members with an armed security detail don’t feel the need for a gun. Why would I want to limit myself to a firearm that is going to be inadequate in home defense, or one that does not have a high enough capacity to protect myself from the ever growing threat of home invasion and the increased trend of multiple home invaders breaking in armed. If it was you alone in your house with 6 armed intruders who most definitely must have checked their local laws and firearm regulations and made sure their firearms aren’t violating any rules before they break into your house, would you want to limit yourself to a low capacity firearm that is going to be extremely difficult to use effectively in a high stress situation, or are you taking a rifle which for reasons that don’t make sense, must have a 16 inch barrel, with a larger capacity magazine, and a stock that you can use to safely brace the firearm to prevent stray shots and provide more accurate fire. Personally I’m going to take anything and everything I can get in a situation that means life or death for me and my loved ones EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK. Focus on the mental health crisis.
These laws are mostly going to effect law abiding citizens like myself and all the people I know. WHEN HAVE CRIMINALS FOLLOWED LAWS??? The only thing these criminals that commit gun related offenses is some kind of force of action. Why are you going to try to take our 2nd Amendment Rights away from people who follow the laws and love our great country? We should be focusing on increasing penalties against those who commit the crimes. Stop focusing on the law abiding citizens and focus on the criminals that are terrorizing all of our towns. Our government is letting millions and millions of unknown people in our country without having a clue what kind of person they are. I'm sure most are good people like you and me but not all of them are. We need our guns to be able to protect ourselves, our families, our neighbors, and our country if needed. Our founding fathers have it right and put a lot of thoughts into our constitution and bill of rights. I thought Democrats were about equality and the working man/woman. If you all want good for us law abiding citizens, work together, make compromises, and start doing your duty. We do not need more "big government" taking more rights. What we need is a closed border so we can fight this drug crisis. Slow the flow of drugs and these gangs fall apart. Once they fall apart maybe these shootings would slow down. Please do the right thing and do not sign these gun bills. All this woke crap is ruining our country. Y'all need to please make changes and focus on what's going to help all of us not just the minority.
Gun laws do not prevent firearm homicides, based upon gun control organization's own data (Giffords) •No correlation between strict gun laws and firearm homicide incidents •.07 coefficient of determination (AKA R2) where .90 is a strong association •There likely would be a weak association showing gun laws driving the firearm homicide rate higher if Washington, DC was given a score and ranked by Giffords.
Hello, The right to own and bear firearms is intrinsic in the very nature of the founding of the United States. We must remember the spirit of the 2nd Amendment and the right of all civilians to own and bear arms. Firearms are the great equalizer and can allow and individual to defend themselves when they previously could not. Gun violence and the mental health epidemic are closely interlinked and one cannot pass restrictive firearm laws and expect gun violence to go away. Gun bans and the use of restrictive purchasing requirements, magazine limits, waiting periods, and red flag laws have been shown not to be effective in stemming gun violence. I urge anybody reading this message to say "NO" to 2nd Amendment restrictions.
I strongly, along with many fellow Virginians oppose any villainous disarmament bills disguised as "public safety". The second amendment clearly states "SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED" and out of touch elitist politicians who enjoy the luxury of armed security are choosing to ignore the constitution and force us to rely on sub-par police protection. The same people who want to defund the police want to disarm us. Embracing the second amendment is what is keeping our crime rates low compared to New York and California. We have seen the blatant disregard that criminals have for these so-called laws; emboldened criminals who are not afraid of the consequences and innocent law-abiding people who are forced to live in fear because a bunch of tyrants are letting power corrupt them. I do not want to live in fear and neither do the rest of us. In addition; a lot of counties and cities have declared themselves as second amendment sanctuaries to protect the rights of free individuals from the overreach of tyrannical politicians. These bills are a Trojan horse that will lead to more crime. You anti-gun politicians should be ashamed of yourselves; give up your private security and train yourselves. Then you will change your minds; because in the end, nobody is coming to save you. I would rather have a fighting chance against armed assailants than die waiting for help to arrive. These bills are pure evil
These all seem like infringements that will do nothing to curb any crime. Further they will only create criminals out of everyday law abiding folk. These are laws that seem to be targeting victimless crimes.
I oppose all of these selected bills since I firmly believe they are in conflict with the Second Amendment of the US Constitution. The Second Amendment clearly states that it shall not be infringed upon. Any and all proposed legislation that would place limits on how, where, and when responsible citizens arm themselves runs afoul of that. Our founding fathers correctly held the belief that all people have a natural born right to arm and protect themselves and that the government has no authority to interfere with that. While I agree with the sentiment of reducing violence among our society, gun laws only harm the law abiding citizen and leave criminals who already have a disregard for the law to still be armed. If our elected officials who proposed these bills actually cared about addressing our violence problem, they would focus more on addressing the root causes of violence and crime. More worthwhile pursuits in my opinion would be focused on addressing socio-economic problems that plague disadvantaged communities, creating a more robust and well-equipped mental healthcare system, and overhauling our educational systems to setup our children for better success in life. Thank you all for your time.
I'm against any unconstitutional law, and any law that strips Americans of their rights. These laws are an attack on the 2nd ammendment and hold NO facts in stopping crime. They are a punishment on law abiding people and in no way will make virginia a safer place.
I oppose all these unconstitutional, dangerous, and pointless laws.
I oppose all useless firearm changes. Criminals will not obey
As a resident of VA I am against any and all infringements on our constitution. These arms are used in sports, hunting, rec, self defense. I will not be punished because a criminal. 83 estimated gun owners. We are not the problem.
HB113 | Sullivan | Handguns; possession, purchase, or transportation by persons convicted of certain drug offenses. HB1174 | Sickles | Assault firearms; age requirement for purchase, penalty. HB1195 | Hayes | Firearms; waiting period for purchases, penalty. HB12 | Jones | Handguns; firearm locking device required for sale or transfer, child safety warning required. HB1235 | Zehr | Concealed handguns; protective orders. HB1424 | Hope | Firearms; valid permit to purchase, penalties. HB1462 | Laufer | Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; civil penalty. HB158 | McClure | Firearm locking device; required for sale or transfer of firearm. HB16 | Garrett | Firearm or explosive material; carrying within Capitol Square and the surrounding area, etc. HB173 | Simon | Plastic firearms and unfinished frames, etc.; manufacture, import, etc. prohibited, penalties. HB175 | Simon | Assault firearms; carrying in public areas prohibited, penalty. HB183 | Simon | Firearms; storage in residence where minor or person prohibited from possessing is present, penalty. HB2 | Helmer | Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, sales, transfers, etc., prohibited. HB22 | Jones | Auto sears; definition, prohibition on manufacture, importation, sale, etc., penalty. HB270 | Reid | Commonwealth Comprehensive Gun Safety Program; established, etc. HB319 | Helmer | Firearms instructors & safety prog.; removes reference to NRA & U.S. Concealed Carry Assoc. in Code. HB35 | Clark | Firearm safety device; expands definition of device. HB351 | Clark | Firearm; locking device required for purchase, households where minor resides, penalty. HB362 | McClure | Firearms; purchase, etc., following an assault and battery against an intimate or dating partner. HB454 | Callsen | Firearm/explosive material; carrying w/in Capitol Square or bldg. owned or leased by Commonwealth. HB46 | Bennett-Parker | Firearm; transfers to another person from a prohibited person. HB466 | Helmer | Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states. HB791 | Henson | Pneumatic guns; Class 6 felony to possess. HB797 | Hope | Concealed handguns; demonstrated competence for a permit, firearms instructors and safety programs. HB798 | Hope | Firearms; purchase, possession, etc., following an assault and battery or stalking violation. HB799 | Hope | Concealed handgun permit applications; fingerprints required by local governments. HB861 | Hernandez | Weapons; carrying into hospital that provides mental health services. HB945 | Lopez | Firearm safety device; expands definition of device. SB100 | Ebbin | Plastic firearms and unfinished frames, etc.; manufacture, import, etc. prohibited, penalties. SB2 | Deeds | Assault firearms & certain ammunition, etc.; purchase, possession, sale, transfer, etc., prohibited. SB210 | Perry | Auto sears; prohibition on manufacture, importation, sale, etc., penalty. SB273 | Subramanyam | Firearms; waiting period for purchases, penalty. I oppose all these bills.
I oppose this bill as it seeks to infringe on the Consitutionally proctected rights of lawabiding citizens to protect themselves from criminals, criminals who do not follow the law. This bill makes it harder for someone to keep themselves safe and is primarily a solution in search of problems to fix. Virginia has one of the lowest crime rates in the country and even less gun related crimes being committed year over year. This is not due to gun control laws, in fact as gun control laws increase, s o does the rate of violent crimes. Criminals are not afraid of police, they are afraid of armed citizens. The subject of this bill has already been defeated in courts, passing this into law will only subject the Commonwealth to more lawsuits to have it repealed costing us more in taxes. Enough of our taxpayers money has been wasted in politicians attempting to pass "feel good" bills to try and prove they are doing their job. I urge the legistature to focus on enforcing and imposing stricter penalties for those that break our exsiting laws over creating new laws that only serve to pe nalize the law abiding citizens.
Because this bill recently passed along party lines, with Democrats supporting it and Republicans opposing it, I am primarily addressing Democrat legislators and their supporters with this comment. --- Many of you believe that on January 6, 2021 an attempted insurrection took place at the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. . If you all truly believe that an attempted insurrection took place on 1/6/2021, then I pose you this question: If this alleged insurrection succeeded and the US Government was overthrown by "MAGA Republicans" and similar individuals, that would mean the vast majority of the US military and Federal Government would be run by a regime that most Democrats believe to be evil. So, if these evil people are in charge of the Federal Government and the "Red States" (like Florida and Texas) joined them in taking complete control over the entirety of the US....how exactly did you all plan on protecting yourselves if firearms were outlawed for the average citizen? --- Even if only "assault rifles" were outlawed for private citizens....how do you propose people in "Blue States" (often the States with the most bans on firearms, anyway) defend themselves against a tyrannical regime run by people you deem as evil? --- Many of you all are worried that Trump will win in 2024 and plunge our Country into chaos. If he does indeed win the 2024 election and then goes on to fulfill your all's prophecy of plunging the US into chaos, how exactly do you all plan on defending yourselves if the police, National Guard, and US Military are in a state of disarray due to Trump's command and yet you can't be armed with an "assault rifle"? How are you all going to protect yourselves and your families if you aren't armed with effective firearms and your communities are devolving into anarchy? You know that criminals have no problems obtaining and utilizing any/all forms of firearms and weaponry. If our Country were to slip into anarchy, there will most certainly be criminals taking advantage of that opportunity and committing crimes using "assault rifles" or even more sophisticated weapons systems. In that scenario, or anything close to it, do you really not want to be appropriately armed with an "assault rifle" or similar model firearm?
The U.S. Supreme Court has said in both DC v Heller, and recently The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v Bruen, that any firearm “in common use” is protected by the Second Amendment. The guns and magazines targeted by this bill are among the most common guns and magazines in the United States, making this bill unconstitutional.
I strongly oppose HB2. I am a member of the Liberal Gun Club and I do not believe that this will have any meaningful impact on the prevention of gun violence in Virginia. HB2 would have a massive impact on the firearms and magazines regularly used by lawful citizens, while presenting no significant change to address gun violence. HB2 only present the illusion of action to prevent gun crime, as it does nothing to address the various causes behind that crime and only superficially addresses the items with which the crime is performed. This will have no impact on the vast majority of shootings within this state, and will not even be effective in preventing mass shootings. I strongly encourage our legislators to focus their efforts on enacting meaningful changes to address poverty, inequality, social division, and isolation as the causes of these issues, rather than trying to prevent them by focusing on superficial actions such as this that will have little impact on crime, but will significantly impact lawful citizens.
I am in opposition to these bills as a long time concealed carry permit holder who has lived in Virginia for. 30 years and has voted in Virginian elections since I was 18. These bills make it harder for someone to keep themselves safe while are primarily solutions in search of problems to fix. Virginia has one of the lowest crime rates in the country and even less gun related crimes being committed year over year. This is not a success of the gun control lobby but they would certainly have you believe it is. They are often unconstitutional limits on a persons 2nd amendment rights and do not serve to make Virginians safer. The ban on assault firearms is written in such a way that it would ban most modern defensive handguns carried by men and women across the commonwealth. These are law abiding concealed carry holders or regular citizens who have purchased regular firearms with regular features. Much akin to wanting a car with leather seats or GPS. These are not features only found on “scary” guns they are features that assist those with hearing or sight issues to use a handgun safely. We already have laws preventing firearms usage in crimes but these would simply disempower lawful citizens from having features on their guns that are normal and regular modern features. These bills would do nothing to prevent actual criminals from obtaining or using prohibited firearms in crime but would disenfranchise law abiding citizens from enjoying a Virginian hobby that has a history older than the state itself.
I am writing to request that you OPPOSE HB2. The idea of banning so-called assault weapons is not only an infringement on the rights of the people to own firearms, but it lacks common sense. Currently, an assault weapon is defined under § 18.2-308.2:2 (f)(4) as: “any semi-automatic center-fire rifle or pistol which expels single or multiple projectiles by action of an explosion of a combustible material and is equipped at the time of the offense with a magazine which will hold more than 20 rounds of ammunition or designed by the manufacturer to accommodate a silencer or equipped with a folding stock.” Under this current law, an assault weapon is defined as a firearm that has (1) a threaded barrel, (2) a folding stock, or (3) a magazine with 20 or more rounds of ammo. If such weapons were banned, this would only ban cosmetic features of various commonly and lawfully used weapons. The proposed law in itself is nothing more than a feel-good approach to make it seem like the government is banning weapons that look scary. Further, The bill would only target individuals who are planning on following the law. It is unlikely that individuals who are planning to commit evil acts would follow such a law and would likely attach a folding stock 20-round magazine regardless of what the law says. Finally, this law prohibits individuals from using or obtaining handguns and rifles that are commonly used in the public for a variety of lawful uses, such as hunting, self-defense, or target shooting. I strongly OPPOSE this bill as it lacks any evidence of evidentiary support and is repugnant to both the United States Constitution and the Virginia Constitution.
Oppose this bill. Assault firearm is term that itself is ambiguous as there has not been a history of its usage outside of the US. It merely refers to the style of the firearm, rather than the actual mechanics and functions. Assault rifles are defined and have a characteristic of being select-fire (able to be fired fully automatic). Assault weapons are not. The fact that this bill includes possession of the firearm infers that legal gun owners will become criminals should this bill pass. There are gun owners who are government employees at the local, state, and federal level. We have passed our background checks and happily work to provide for our families. But this bill intends to criminalize those who have not even shown intent to use it for a nefarious purpose. Many gun owners shoot for sport, myself included. This bill could possibly ruin our sources of livelihood and and future employment. If this is about public safety, please note that according to the FBI, only 3% of firearms murders were because of "assault weapons". The problem is not as widespread as the public is driven to believe it actually is. Large capacity magazines are also being targeted with this bill but this also does not solve any problem. Those who are set on terrorizing a community will use any means necessary. They have already decided to break the law. Whether they have 1-30 round magazine or 3-10 round magazines will not make a difference. Instead of blaming the tool a criminal uses to commit a crime, blame the criminal. Put forth an effort to stop a person from committing a crime, whether it be mental health or stricter penalties for known criminals that are repeat offenders. In the case of the 2021 Waukesha Christmas parade attack, where 6 people lost their lives with 62 more injured, the car was the tool to hurt people. No one blamed the car. Had it been a firearm, the firearm would have be the center of attention. The perpetrator was a known felon with a history of mental health issues having committed a crime using a vehicle less than a month before. He could have been incarcerated but the justice system failed by allowing him back on the streets. Bills such as these seek to solve problems without going to the root cause. This bill will do more harm than damage as tens of thousands, if not more, will become criminals should this bill become law.
I am a member of the Liberal Gun Club and I strongly OPPOSE HB2 for the following reasons. 1) Banning AR-15s or magazines will not reduce mass shootings - to do that we must address the root causes of gun violence. Any firearm can be used to commit a mass shooting - including shotguns, pistols, revolvers, and bolt action rifles - so if ARs are banned, mass shooters will turn to the next available gun. 2) Banning possession creates serious legal pitfalls for law-abiding gun owners. Even if currently-owned weapons are grandfathered in, law enforcement will likely be obliged to arrest anyone if they see them in possession of an AR-15, as the police officer will not know if it is grandfathered. Then you would have to go to court to clear your name and retrieve your firearm. 3) AR-15s and similar semi-automatic firearms are used by millions (yes, millions) of law-abiding Americans for self/home-defense, sport shooting, hunting, and collecting. 4) Any ban of AR-15s or similar semi-automatic firearms will be a clear violation of the SCOTUS Heller decision, which protects any firearm in common use. 5) Bans on possession and grandfathering schemes also prevent gun owners experiencing a mental health crisis from temporarily and voluntarily transferring their grandfathered-in firearm to someone else, such as a family member or FFL, while they seek appropriate care. Instead of a gun ban, I urge you to reduce mass shootings by preventing notoriety of mass shooters. Mass shooters are typically seeking attention, and the current media environment - which repeatedly broadcasts shooters’ names, photos, and manifestos - creates a dangerous situation where mass shootings are an easy way to achieve national and international fame. Therefore, we should direct the Virginia State Police to not release names, photos, or manifestos of mass shooters. Virginia could become a leader in this, and hopefully other states will follow this practice. Furthermore, direct the Virginia State Police to provide suggested - but voluntary - guidance to media outlets on how to report on mass shootings. Such as not sensationalizing the event, not broadcasting the shooter’s name, photos, manifestos, etc. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.
In regards to HB2 and additional proposed firearm-related legislation. I do not believe adding additional restrictions, especially financial burdens, is a fair and ethical way of combating crime and violence with firearms. I believe there should be more freedom for owning and carrying firearms, but like the idea of additional training requirements and locking devices (gun safes) when in a home with minors. If the state were to enact any bills or policies further restricting access, there needs to be a free (government funded) way to access these rights for law-abiding citizens free of discrimination of any kind.
I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I support the following bills: HB1174, HB1181, HB1195, HB12, HB1424, HB1462, HB158, HB175, HB183, HB23, HB270, HB318, HB319, HB351, HB362, HB585, HB602, HB637, HB791, HB797, HB798, HB799, HB861, HB916, & HB945 I am a member of Virginia Moms for Change, a gun violence prevention group, and I oppose these bills: HB1030, HB1141, HB1198, HB1230, HB1235, HB1321, HB1325, HB1386, HB289, HB389, HB756, & HB872 Innocent children are dying on our watch. Please do something.
I do not agree with this bill nor does the constitution of the united states. This is an infringement of our rights and will not be adhered to.
This bill does not target criminals, it targets law abiding citizens. It will not do anything to reduce gun crime and there is no common sense involved.
Hello, I am writing to you today to urge you to vote AGAINST HB2. Per the US Department of Justice, assault weapons are responsible for very few deaths in the United States and an outright ban will not reduce crime and will lead to an erosion of the right to bear arms. Many criminals would be unaffected by an assault weapons ban and acquire their weapons through theft or unauthorized/unregulated sales (i.e not through FFLs). I understand your desire to curb gun violence in the United States but I urge you to accomplish this via other means that address the root causes of gun violence. Other causes such as poverty, truancy, mental health, and gang violence would be worthwhile causes to address and would prove effective at tackling gun violence. An assault weapons ban would not be a ban on fully automatic firearms. A semiautomatic weapon requires the shooter only to load a quantity of cartridges into its magazine before firing and then to squeeze the trigger for each successive shot. Semiautomatic weapons can be fired rapidly, but they are not fully automatic, like the machine gun. They do not fire continuously for as long as the trigger is held back or cartridges remain in the magazine. An assault rifle is a member of a class of weapons first developed for military use by the Germans in World War II. Assault rifles are capable of selective fire, that is, they can be fired in both semiautomatic and automatic modes as the situation demands. The so-called "assault rifles" marketed in the United States by both domestic and foreign manufacturers do not have the built-in capability to produce fully automatic fire. Although most semiautomatic weapons of any type can be altered to be permanently fully automatic, such procedures are currently illegal. Please exercise careful judgement when considering measures to stop or reduce gun violence. An outright ban using a nebulous definition of assault weapons is misguided and will not curb gun violence. Thank you for your time!
Remember Delegates...you took an Oath to 'Support and Defend the Constitution of the Unites States of America' which includes the 2nd Amendment!
I oppose this bill. A 2023 article from the Pew Research Center, "Key facts about Americans and guns", states that about 1/3rd of all US adults surveyed reported owning a firearm. If gun ownership was the sole determining factor (or even simply the most important factor) in determining the number of cases of gun violence and the number of gun owners was directly correlated with the amount of gun violence in the US, then if we extrapolate the survey data and assume that approximately 1/3rd of the adult population in the US owns a firearm...that means all of us should be living in something close to a war zone. Fortunately, most of us do not live in anything close to a war zone. Gun violence occurs and it is tragic every time it happens, but legal possession of firearms by law-abiding citizens is not what is causing gun violence and shootings in the US. Limiting the rights of law-abiding citizens is not going to miraculously stop shootings from happening. In fact, it will only increase crimes involving firearms because law-abiding citizens will not be able to protect themselves with their legally acquired firearms, and criminals will definitely not be following these laws. Even if all 50 States passed laws restricting or completely abolishing firearms, criminals would still find ways to obtain guns. One glaring example is that our Southern Border is completely wide open and not being actively protected. Our Federal, State, and Local governments are well aware of the Fentanyl crisis which is only being made worse by our open Southern Border. Why would anyone assume that only Fentanyl is being illegally brought into our Country and not other things like illegally procured firearms? In addition, until the 1950s it was fairly common for high schools around the Country to have riflery teams. Firearms were on school property and students were actively using them. Yet, there are no reports of shootings at schools during that time period. Currently, firearms are no longer allowed anywhere near schools, yet we have school shootings. Instead of focusing on laws to restrict firearms access for those of us following the laws, I firmly believe we would be better served by focusing our efforts on figuring out what inspires gun violence. Whether it's a school shooter or your "typical gun-toting criminal", there are reasons behind violence whether a gun is used or not. We're not going to get anywhere close to solving the problem by simply passing laws to restrict gun access that only the people who aren't committing these crimes are going to follow. In the meantime, while we figure out what conditions inspire violent actors, and work to mitigate those factors, we should protect our most vulnerable members of society (like students and teachers) with armed security officers. I'll end with a quote that I think perfectly captures the absurdity of trying to end gun violence by restricting the rights of peaceful and dutiful citizens: “To ban guns because criminals use them is to tell the law abiding that their rights and liberties depend not on their own conduct, but on the conduct of the guilty and the lawless.” - Lysander Spooner
This bill goes against the spirit of the constitution and violates recent Supreme Court decision NYSRPA v Bruen which says Americans have a right to self defense as well as saying gun laws must show historical relevance (which this bill does not) as well as Heller v DC which protects guns in common use to which there is assumed to be over 100 million rifles meeting the specific definition provided in this bill in circulation in the United States. That’s 1 lawfully and legally armed “assault weapon” per 3 citizens. We all have the same goal which is to provide a safer community for our posterity , but stripping rights of Virginians is not the way we accomplish this.
"...shall not be infringed." The founding fathers did not enshrine the right to keep and bear arms so that we would restrict the types and uses of those arms. It doesn't matter if it's a Brown Bess musket or the latest, faddish AR15 variant--the US Constitution makes it extremely clear that it is not up to any law lower than a Constitutional amendment to infringe or alter this right. If you are so focused on further restricting the rights of everyday Americans to protect themselves and their loved ones against enemies, both foreign and domestic, then suggest a Constitutional amendment. Do what you really mean, and try to alter or revoke the 2nd Amendment, instead of dancing around the topic and trying to get away with further infringement. This bill is unconstitutional and needs to be chopped.
Comments Document
As a concerned citizen, I believe that the proposed Virginia State House Bill to ban 'Assault Firearms' and 'High Capacity Magazines' goes against the spirit of the Second Amendment. The recent NYSRPA v. Bruen case highlighted the significance of individual self-defense, and it's crucial to consider the rights of law-abiding citizens in crafting firearm legislation. While the goal of enhancing public safety is commendable, an outright ban on certain firearms and magazines will disproportionately impact responsible gun owners who use these tools for legitimate purposes, such as self-defense and sport. It is essential to strike a balance between public safety and the preservation of individual rights. Instead of a blanket ban, we should focus on comprehensive measures that address the root causes of violence and enhance background checks to prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands. This approach respects the constitutional rights of citizens while fostering a safer society. It's particularly poignant to recognize the historical context in which the Second Amendment operates. Black Americans like myself have, throughout recent American history, faced systemic barriers that impeded their ability to exercise their rights fully. It is no coincidence that some of the earliest 19th and 20th century restrictions on weapon ownership were racially-defined. Martin Luther King died after being denied a concealed weapon permit. Today, acknowledging and addressing these historical injustices is paramount. Ensuring that all citizens, regardless of their background, can enjoy the rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment is a step toward a more just and equitable society.
The proposed ban on certain firearms and ammunition is purely a ban on poor people’s right to defense themselves and their families. The rich and elite, like our lawmakers, will still have armed men protecting them. They like that, because they believe that they are more important than the normal citizenry. Regardless of all that, it’s unconstitutional. Anyone who supports this is against not only the Constitution of the United States, but against the common people of this great and mighty nation.
I’m surprised to see that this bill is trying to be pushed through again after it failed miserably just a few short years ago. I’m perplexed as to what the motivation could possibly be for our elected officials to try to push through such an unconstitutional amendment stripping us of rights. “Assault weapons” make up literally such a minute number of gun deaths in the United States that more people are killed with fists or hammers and especially knives, which means this bill would have absolutely zero impact on gun deaths in the commonwealth of Virginia. Not to mention the fact that criminals don’t follow laws, if any legislation should be introduced it should be constitutional carry or other legislation giving citizens back their rights so wrongfully stripped from them. The Supreme Court already has determined that we as citizens have the right to bear arms. There are also lawsuits going on all over the country, winning at the matter overturning even more unconstitutional gun restricting laws. It is only a matter of time before the NFA is repealed for being unconstitutional as well. There is a big question that you politicians need to ask yourself because your representatives are already starting to, at what point does repeatedly pushing unconstitutional 2nd amendment restricting gun laws become treason? As a multigenerational active duty service-member, I remember my oath to support and defend the constitution from enemies foreign and domestic. It’s time you high and mighty politicians re-take a look at your oath and think mighty hard on what it means, and the repercussions for breaking that oath.
I just recently moved back to Virginia. After the most recent election I was elated to see that my home state was taking the right steps in trying to strengthen women’s access to healthcare. That elation quickly turned to anger seeing HB2 immediately proposed in the next paragraph. I did not move back to home state to have my rights trampled right after I got back. You can’t solidify rights to a group while trying to take them away from others. It’s not a give and take. Not only that, HB2 is wholly unconstitutional. I expect better from elected officials from a state whose motto is “Sic Semper Tyrannis.” To become the tyrants of Virginia with HB2 has to be the ultimate irony. Strengthen Virginia, don’t tear it down by trying to strip constitutional right from its citizens. Democrats have the ability to improve their citizens’ lives if they could just stop fighting against the second amendment. It’s just another culture war that further divides normal voting folks. Until then democrats will continue to lose votes over this singular issue. I promise you that if HB2 passes it will either be vetoed, ignored, overturned after the next election, and it will drive this state so far red that democrats might as well up and leave. It will not be a Virginia many will want to move to if HB2 passes. It will not hold the people that make this state great on a daily basis. And without the ability to protect ourselves from criminals that will ignore the law regardless, it will become a crime ridden cesspool. I highly encourage anyone who may read this to vote no on HB2. Vote no like your seat depends on it, because it does.
Dear Chairman Krizel and Members of the Transportation and Safety Subcommittee, I see that I am about the only person on this comment page who STRONGLY supports this bill. Have you ever seen the damage that is actually done by these weapons. Just ask parents of children killed at Uvalde. It is horrific. I think gun owners have many options for guns that don't include these military style weapons. Why does anyone except military need this type of gun. VA has had its own mass shootings yet that doesn't seem to phase some folks. We have to start somewhere, so please pass this bill. (HB2) Thank you.
Yet another attempt at infringing upon the rights of law abiding citizens. This won't keep firearms out of the hands of criminals.
This bill is yet another attempt to target firearms that have not had statistically significant impact on gun violence. It is obvious to me that our legislators either will not or can not dive further into the proven FBI data and statistics.
SCOTUS and other numerous federal court rulings have consistently been striking down so called "assault weapon" bans (a lie, considering all civilian arms are already semiautomatic and not assault weapons) and magazine capacity restrictions because of them being unconstitutional. Additionally, these laws do absolutely nothing to enhance public safety, and the statistics demonstrate this time and time again. Place this bill in the shredder where it belongs.
This bill is once again an infringement on Amendments set forth in the Constitution. It will only push more people to distrust the people they voted to represent them. This bill will not decrease gun violence or violence of any kind for that matter but increase it if passed due to self defense being more difficult to accomplish with the proper tools needed.
This bill is unconstitutional under the U.S. Supreme Court's NYSRPA v. Bruen decision in 2022, as such firearms and magazines are in common use. More and more home invasions and other violent crimes are being committed by more than one person. Semi-automatic firearms with magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds are perfect for defense in such a case. Police also carry these items because they are excellent for self-defense.
None of what the bill aims to do will be accomplished in this bill besides infringe on the rights of law abiding citizens and not the criminals who keep many citizens of this Commonwealth feel scared in their day to day lives.
This is unconstitutional. An "assault rifle" is nothing more than a rifle that looks scary. More effort needs to be put into PUNISHING those who commit crimes rather than disarming innocent Americans. Pass this bill and the state will go more Conservative.
I oppose this bill. It is blatantly unconstitutional and I’m not sure how lawmakers get paid to come up with this. If it passed, it would be stricken by the courts. A law should be passed that if a lawmaker sponsors a bill that is later found to be unconstitutional, the lawmaker is removed from office. Again, this law is unconstitutional and infringes on my rights as an American and as a free human. I oppose every aspect of HB2.
Blatantly unconstitutional proposals.
You cannot limit the weapons I purchase when I do not know what enemy I may have to face and that includes my own government which seems to be elitist and communist and seeking control of every inch of my life. It is unconstitutional.
You cannot limit the weapons I purchase when I do not know what enemy I may have to face and that includes my own government which seems to be elitist and communist and seeking control of every inch of my life. It is unconstitutional.
In short, I oppose this legislation. What exactly does it aim to achieve? The text of HB2 exists merely so that legislators can claim that they made strides in the realm of regulating firearms to entice single-issue voters. My question isn't rhetorical, what does this actually do to make people safer? The most egregious sections to me: § 18.2-308.2:2 A): This bill requires consent from the state police to purchase a firearm. Purchasing a firearm already requires filling out an ATF Form 4473, which requires involvement from the state police anyway. This is redundant and similar bills of its nature have been deemed unconstitutional in other states. It is also worth noting that Virginia's constitution has a section very similar to the US constitution's 2nd amendment. "Assault firearms" under this legislation's definition includes most semi-automatic firearms produced in the past century. Let's go section by section: 1) More than 10 rounds in a fixed magazine makes a semi-automatic pistol or rifle an "assault weapon". I assume the purpose of this is such to allow the banned features in sections 2 & 3, but with the caveat of a magazine size limit. Fixed magazines can be reloaded quickly through the use of various tools. It does nothing but impose arbitrary restrictions. 2) Non-fixed stocks and pistol grips are ergonomic features and do not in any way change lethality of a weapon. Grenade launchers and suppressors are already Federally regulated under the National Firearms Act of 1934, requiring a lengthy and costly approval process from the ATF. Anyone that has one of these legally has been thoroughly vetted, and anyone who illegally has one is already committing a felony. The other muzzle devices listed do not change lethality. It'd be great to hear the rationale behind why they are deemed "assault" characteristics. 3) This is mostly re-enumerated text from section 2. A barrel shroud being prohibited is deliberately making the pistol more dangerous to its user which makes no sense. I do not understand why a magazine loading from outside the pistol grip is considered an "assault" feature. By design, this makes the pistol less concealable, which is the whole reason handguns are used in crime over other firearms. It is also amusing that it is listed a threaded barrel "capable of accepting ... (d) a forward handgrip" is included. Did the sponsor of this bill even read what they supposedly wrote? 4) Detachable magazines being an "assault" feature is odd, as detachable shotgun magazines are prohibitively heavy and unwieldy. Again, adjustable stocks and pistol grips do not change anything outside of ergonomics. 5) The authors of this section are either malicious or ignorant of how shotguns operate, because this makes every semi-automatic shotgun in existence an "assault weapon" due to the existence of mini-shells. I suggest that if legislators still desire to make arbitrary regulations, they at least try to write coherent text. I would also suggest that legislators familiarize themselves with court rulings regarding regulation they would like to pass- I despise seeing taxpayer money be wasted and citizen's rights be eroded defending legislation on cases that have already had rulings from the US Supreme Court. If you genuinely care about reducing the number of deaths by firearms, please address the topics of suicide and domestic violence and implement programs to prevent cases of them. Enforcing existing laws would also be a good start.
Vehemently opposed to HB2 or any bans to "assault firearms" or any ammunition. First the 2nd amendment of Federal Bill of Rights and section 13 of the Virginia Bill of Rights include the language of "the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." ANY infringement like a ban on any firearms or ammunition is a violation of the citizen's rights. Thus this bill is unconstitutional in its entirety. This also means it's going to be unenforceable and cost the taxpayers a huge amount of money to litigate. Second, this bill does nothing to actually prevent violence . Isn't that the point, a safer community? How many violent crimes are committed in Virginia with an "assault firearm" ? (Which by the real definition is an automatic rifle and not anAR-15). How many homicides in VA used an AR-15 style or AK style weapon? The number is very low, tens a year. Also are these murderers going to follow the law before they illegally buy their "assault firearm" ? No by definition they are criminals, they will break the law. So this bill effectively does nothing while also violating our rights and leaving us all as good law abiding citizen vulnerable.
This is absolutely unconstitutional and needs to be stopped in its tracks. I own firearms to protect myself and my family in a rural part of the state where it takes police upwards of 10-15 minutes to respond. My right to bear arms SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED.
Not only would this bill do very little to nothing to stop criminals from continuing to own and use what is referred to as "assault firearms", it is also unconstitutional and will hinder the average citizen in defending themselves from these criminals. A majority of homicides are committed by existing criminals aged 18-20 with handguns. Seeing that the existing law prohibits legally purchasing a handgun under 21 years of age, that felons cannot legally purchase any firearm, and that straw purchases are already illegal, this bill would do nothing to lower homicide rates in the state. If anything, it may raise homicide rates due to making it more difficult for the citizens to arm themselves, allowing easier and more plentiful targets for illegally armed criminals. What would be more effective is to have stricter punishments for criminals committing the crimes you're attempting to stop in this bill, keeping them off the streets as long as possible and pushing more legislation for rehabilitation for those who are imprisoned for these crimes. This way, they have a lower chance of becoming a repeat offender. More funding for our police and other emergency services would do more to lower crime rates than anything described here, and keep more ILLEGALLY purchased guns off the streets.
Like most gun control bills, this lacks any foundation in logic, opportunistically preys on emotional based responses, and seeks to maliciously criminalize law abiding citizens who enjoy their COMMON USE firearms and accessories. These attacks are blatantly unconstitutional based on several existing Supreme Court precedents and similar laws are being struck down in courts nationwide. Please stop wasting our state legislature's limited time and money seeking to turn law abiding citizens into "overnight criminals".
I OPPOSE HB2 because I don’t believe that the government should be able to restrict what firearms I choose to own. It’s a constitutional right to own firearms, and infringing upon that right is both unconstitutional and un-American. It is asinine to think that hobbyists are part of the greater issue when criminals don’t acquire guns through conventional legal means.
I oppose hb2.
I'm not sure why you believe that punishing law abiding gun owners will make any meaningful difference when it comes to preventing and stopping gun violence. If you truly cared about saving lives, you would put resources towards things like community outreach programs or...I don't know...enforcing the laws we already have on the books. All of those things are proven to either mitigate crime or stop it dead in its tracks. It's pretty pathetic, Del. Helmer fought so hard for rights he doesn't even believe we should be able to exercise. He clearly has a vendetta against law-abiding gun owners, this bill is proof enough. Might I remind you that these laws WILL NOT affect criminals in the slightest. These are just another set of laws that they will ignore. I'm sure he's well aware of this, but he doesn't care. He just doesn't want the average, every day citizen to have these weapons. What is funny is that these same weapons that, under this bill would be deemed as "assault weapons", will be sitting in ever squad car and holster of every police officer in the state. Why do cops need so-called "assault weapons" any more or less than normal citizens? Who are they at war with, exactly? Del. Helmer also is championing a bill that would limit state reciprocity for concealed carry. For what purpose? How is limiting reciprocity beneficial to anybody, except for those who want to strip law abiding citizens of their rights. As I've said, it's painfully clear that he seeks to punish lawful gun owners and make our lives difficult, all because he hates the 2nd amendment and views it as a lesser right.
I am writing to show my support against this bill. This is wildly unconstitutional rhetoric that unfairly punishes law abiding citizens. The nebulous phrasing used makes this bill incredibly disingenuous when the meanings can be changed at any time. No firearm bans of any kind should be passed.
I am OPPOSED to this bill, and any similar that would seek to further restrict the rights of law abiding citizens.
I OPPOSE HB2 as it is an affront to everything the second amendment stands for. The arbitrary restriction of certain types of firearms and accessories has no merit and only serves to impede the ability of the people to exercise their natural rights.
NOBODY gets to tell another person what type of gun they are allowed to have and not to have. VETO this unconstitutional GARBAGE.
HB2 is blatantly unconstitutional and spits in the face of the Constitution and the law abiding citizen. To willingly violate the constitutional right of Americans is a betrayal of your oath of office . The Constitution is not a suggestion to government, it is a restriction on what the government is allowed to do. We the people have a right to choose how and what we arm ourselves with and will not accept this attack on our rights. Uphold your oath of office, do not support this unconstitutional action.
I oppose this legislation. As a constituent and a gun-owner, I urge you to OPPOSE these bills that infringe on my abilities to protect myself and my family: * HB2 - Del. Helmer, bans many semi-automatic firearms and magazines that hold more than 10 rounds made after July 1, 2024. This bill is unconstitutional under the U.S. Supreme Court's NYSRPA v. Bruen decision in 2022, as such firearms and magazines are in common use. More and more home invasions and other violent crimes are being committed by more than one person. Semi-automatic firearms with magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds are perfect for defense in such a case. Police also carry these items because they are excellent for self-defense.
I oppose this legislation and many others that have recently surfaced. I especially oppose legislation titled “assault weapons ban”. or “assault firearms and ammunition ban”. What exactly is an “assault firearm” or “assault ammunition”. These attacks on the 2A and lawful firearm owners needs to stop. We have more than enough laws on the books to target criminals yet they aren’t enforced. Why? Why am I being targeted because I enjoy shooting as a sport? I operate within the boundaries currently set up for all of us. I follow all laws. Yet for some reason I’m the one being targeted and treated like a criminal. I have done nothing wrong!! Please focus on confiscating the guns from the ACTIVE criminals/gang members on the streets and stop penalizing your neighbors by turning the innocent into criminals. We are not the problem!! We have never been the problem!! Vote no. Veto.
As a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, and a former police officer, disarming the citizens of the commonwealth is absurd and dangerous. The fact that an elected official would even think limiting or taking away our rights is frightening. This is exactly why the second amendment exists and includes the verbiage of shall not be infringed, which is what this is. This is frankly un-American.
It’s funny because it’s so bad and the logic so broken. It’s sad because people like these jokers are driving bmw’s to work (or being driven) and getting paid absolute bank to cheat on their wives with Chinese spy’s and propose blatantly unconstitutional laws that, quite literally, infringe on the rights of American citizens. Laws and rights didn’t stop the former director of National intelligence (clapper) from spying on Americans and openly lying to congress on national tv. Clearly the government has no interest in your thoughts, opinions, or rights. Only power.. and money. Don’t pay your taxes? Jail. Get rich off insider trading like pelosi? No problem. It’s simple, folks, all gun laws are an infringement and the government is not here to protect anything but their own interests. Assault weapons bans won’t reduce gun crime, just look at the data. Where is firearms related crime the highest? Now ask yourself why.. ask the relevant questions. It all makes sense. I read all the NAACP clowns comments and they’re delusional but most importantly, not backed by data. This bill is absurd. This guy should be fired for wasting taxpayer money to come up with this trash. I’d rather see the roads paved. Or police officers being given an extra $100 every time they ticket someone texting and driving.. or driving slow in the left lane. Spend some time and write something that might actually matter. I want National pancake day to be mandatory celebration by every business in VA. I also want free healthcare for all VA residents. There are so many productive things we can do with this guys salary instead of paying him to think up garbage and then somehow push it onto the house for voting. We’re all living in crazyville va and it’s not what I expected. Where are the talking dogs and flying sharks?
I am against this bill. If the police officers use AR rifles or alike, or if they use high-capacity magazines for their firearms, Virginia citizens should have at least the same capability and magazine capacity to defend ourselves or our loved ones until the police arrive. Does US government sends soldiers with superior or inferior equipments to fight terrorists? Unfortunately, this bill instead will put law abiding innocent Virginia citizens in an inferior position when defending aggressors/criminals. Please reject the bill. Thank you.
I oppose this bill as it does not take adequate steps to fix the violence in our state. Instead it aims to strip Virginia citizens of their rights arbitrarily by banning firearms whose features and functions do not constitute any added threat over what would be “legal” firearms. There is a way forward through community violence prevention/education initiatives,, non-mandatory safe storage incentives, mental crisis health access, voluntary community storage sites for those worried about their current mental state, and re-introduction of common firearms safety and safe handling instruction in schools.
Hello, I am writing this comment in opposition of this bill. The banning of weapons simply by the way they look or the way they function will have zero reflection in crime statistics. The number of people shot/killed by rifles is a miniscule number. We need to do more in the way of crime prevention that does not involve banning weapons that are not the root cause and criminalizing law-abiding citizens that have done nothing wrong. With the passage of the Bruen SCOTUS case. This law has no history or tradition, that makes it unconstitutional per the Supreme court. Please seek better criminal reform, stop giving weak sentences to criminals who commit gun crimes. Thank you for your time,
It is in my opinion that a ban on so called “assault weapons” would be intrinsically unconstitutional and a huge mistake. The grounds for what determines a weapon an “assault weapon” would include such a broad variety of common use firearms that it wouldn’t, and couldn’t be enforced. The ability for a gun to hold more bullets due to a larger magazine, has absolutely no effect of the lethality of said firearm. Banning things like pistol grips on rifles would be extraordinarily affective to disabled Virginians who rely on comfort to safely and comfortably enjoy shooting sports. Much of this bill will undoubtedly effect persons of color much more thoughtly than more privileged groups of Virginians while doing absolutely nothing to prevent career criminals from obtaining and possessing these items. Responsible and comprehensive gun ownership is the backbone of this nation, and as a life king and proud Virginian, I would appalled at the infringements of rights that our founding fathers ensured, for us to remain a free and accountable nation. It would drive crime up simply by turning common use features into felonies overnight, while stripping responsible owners of constitutionally protected tools of protection out of their grasp. Surely the Virginia House understands that the few people who consistently break the law, will continue to do so regardless of this bills passage. But it is the disabled, the responsible, the lifelong law abiding residents of this commonwealth who will suffer, while doing absolutely nothing to reduce crime in our state. Furthermore, the banning of any component of a firearm will drastically reduce the innovation and research abilities of Virginia gun manufacturers to improve and make firearms safer. It is already a federal offense to manufacture a machine gun, those who do, know they are breaking the law, and will continue to do so no matter what. The job providers and GDP of the state will be forever tarnished by the inclusion of HB22 into our states law books. For an auto seat to be installed into a fire control group, it requires a level of precision and accuracy that the person doing it could surly simply manufacture one with simple tools. The ones who do so legally will have to either rely on unsafe, untested, and home made sears to further the development of safety ensuring mechanics in a fire arm. The passing of either of these bills would be a huge blow on the image of Virginia and the rights that we as Americans are god given. Please consider the nations in the world who had their gun rights stripped from them, only to me invaded and subsequently unprepared for the defense of their nation, foreign or domestic. Their governments then rushed to get them the appropriate measures to defend their homeland, while simultaneously lacking any level of previous training, experience or knowledge of the weapons they then had to rely on to ensure their pursuit of freedom and happiness.
Hello, This law is unconstitutional. Please vote again it. Thanks.
I oppose this bill. The further restrictions on firearms will have no effect on the amount of crime or homicides and in fact will place tens if not hundreds of thousands of family at further risk of be victims to such incidents. The data collected shows that the restriction of firearms to everyday laws abiding citizens does not affect the statistics. Furthermore, the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution of the United States clearly states that the right to bear arms shall not be infringed. This type of action is the definition of infringement. Thirdly, the political ideology that continually requests for stricter firearms laws and enforcement are also attempting to defund safety services and bring this country ever closer to a totalitarian regime. Less government interference is always a better outcome.
An assault weapons ban was already done in the 90s and the DOJ reviewed it's efficacy. The ban had a sundown clause based on a review of it's effectiveness. They determined the ban had no measurable effect on gun violence at all. The only people that will be effected by any ban are law abiding citizens. There is also recent higher court present that an "assault weapons ban" is unconstitutional.
Good evening, To the legislators that are proposing this, I understand your jump to action with what’s going on in the world. This is just a Band-Aid to a larger issue going on with our society. We are blaming tools and not a holding the people accountable for their actions. The only people you are restricting are law-abiding citizens. Let’s work towards finding the actual root cause of the issue and why we as a society do not value human life. Let’s put our focus on mental health and better training in regards to firearms. We go through countless hours for driving motor vehicles, and I believe we should have a better respect and understanding of firearms instead of just taking them away. These tools are the equalizer and self defense scenarios. When a person cannot physically defend themselves, a firearm gives them that advantage, when protecting themselves or their families. These tools are also recreational and one can attend competitions and build on fundamentals and their skills. I asked that before you try to take away our rights to these firearms let us sit down and have a discussion.
I oppose this bill. The term assault weapons, in reference to the firearms targeted in this bill, is a misnomer created to incite an emotional reaction. I, along with many others, enjoy these firearms purely recreationally. In addition, the argument cannot be made that these firearms are not hunting equipment. Conservation agencies and contractors of those agencies routinely use these types of firearms and magazines for controlled animal herd reductions. In conclusion, I oppose this bill because it is a restriction of the rights of the people to bear arms, and is not a good faith attempt to resolve any issues related to firearm deaths.
I'm strongly against this legislation as it does nothing to deter illegal possessions or use of any firearms. It will however make it difficult and illegal for millions of law abiding Virginia's to own and obtain the firearms avoided yo them by the Constitution of the United States. This type of legislation has already been found to be violation of 2A by the Supreme Court. I don't think spending more money and time on something that will be struck down is in the interest of the lawmakers or citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
HB2 is an attempt to recreate what was already tried and proven a failure - the overwhelming majority of crimes which are committed with firearms would not be prevented by HB2, even assuming criminals follow the law and don't acquire them illegally. HB2 is merely a political "feel good" for the liberal base to feel like "something is being done," while not actually doing anything to prevent violent crime. Criminals are not hindered by HB2. HB2 would result in a waste of state resources defending the bill against the recent SCOTUS Bruen decision, which would undoubtedly rule HB2 entirely unconstitutional. Rather than HB2, lawmakers should engage in the more difficult and worthy task of discovering what leads people to choose violent crime and enforce existing laws. Plenty of gangs and other organized crime exist in VA, and they all have illegal modifications or stolen weapons. We need better and more thorough policing, not useless and un-enforcable laws which punish only the innocent.
Please do not further erode our civil liberties with this gun/power grab.
What is the purpose of this bill other than to waste taxpayer money and infringe on rights? What is this supposed to address in Virginia? Because it is a fact that these so-called mass shootings are gang violence and are being committed with pistols, not rifles. This will do nothing to fix the issue but attack peaceful citizens who obey the law and will do nothing to prevent crime. Not only is this unconstitutional, but you know that the FPC will sue you for this, and the courts will find it unconstitutional. This bill makes laws that were previously legal illegal, which is unconstitutional; these weapons you are trying to ban are not only in everyday use but also protected under the Second Amendment, as demonstrated in the Heller decision. There have been plenty of studies showing that the ban on so-called assault weapons to reduce gun violence is conclusive and will create a black market for firearms. This bill will do nothing but erode trust in the Virginia government and create more divisiveness. Please, let's focus on things that matter.
I do NOT support this bill, this bill is entirely in violation of our constitution. Firearms don’t take lives, people do. Gun legislation does not work, because it is not the firearm that harms people, it is the person committing the crime. Time and time again, we have seen how unconstitutional the thought of taking “assault weapons” (not a viable term) is. Propose bulls towards helping mental health, not taking away pieces of metal that CRIMINALS use to harm others with.
I am opposed to this bill. This type of ban has been shown to have no statistically significant impact on homicide. The '94 ban is only heralded as a success as it appeared in a time when murders were falling. Noticeably that trend continued even a decade after the sunset clause. This is also true in VA despite a previous commenter stating that magazine capacity increased. It appears that the magazine capacity had no effect on whether people were being killed and that rings true today.
This bill is blatantly unconstitutional and should not be allowed to pass. The 2nd amendment states The Right of the People to keep and Bare Firearms shall not be infringed. It does say that your can only have certain kids of guns. This bill would be shot down by the courts if it was allowed to pass.
Nearly any inanimate object can be used by a determined individual to assault another person or persons. Firearms require an person to function. They do not indiscriminately cause harm to other by themselves. Like many other tools, when used improperly or maliciously, they can. The term "Assault Firearm" is in itself illogical. No where in military vernacular will you find certain firearms labeled as "assault firearm". It is also a fallacy to even think that this ban would do anything to curb the "gun violence" as so many proponents of this bill state. These proponents like to forget that these so-called "assault firearms" as defined in this bill, are used in an extremely small number of crimes. More crimes are committed with knives and blunt objects (such as baseball bats) then these "assault firearms". Furthermore, not only did the Federal Assault Weapons Ban fail to reduce crime, several states that have restrictions on "assault weapons" also show no significant decrease in any firearm related crimes. In fact, mass shootings are more prevalent in those states or locations where firearms are heavily restricted. (Criminals do not care about any laws). If the State Assembly is truly concerned with curbing gun violence, they would be better to focus their time and energy to better and more strictly enforce the current laws in place. For example, create mandatory lengthy sentencing for those who are illegally found in possession of a firearm and force DA's to actually prosecute all gun related charges.
I oppose this bill as being detrimental to my rights as a citizen of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Refer to the following United States Supreme Court cases. United States v. Miller in which the Court affirmed that the Second Amendment protects military-type firearms. District of Columbia v. Heller in which the Court upheld the individual right to keep and bear arms. Refer also to the pending case in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Miller v. Bonta, which has also found assault weapons bans to be unconstitutional. To pass this bill would also be a gross violation of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in which it is stated... 'Article I. Bill of Rights Section 13. Militia; standing armies; military subordinate to civil power That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state, therefore, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power.'
Please do not submit bill HB2. They're already many laws on the books that cover the same ground that you were covering here other than to make stuff illegal that has been perfectly legal for years. Is your intention to turn honest people into criminals overnight and remove their self-protection? Nothing that is in this bill is going to do a thing to stop crime so I urge you to not submit this bill
I strongly oppose this bill. It has been proven time and again that criminals don't obey the law, so all you are doing is making it impossible for the law abiding citizen to own one of these semi-automatic rifles. This is from the National Institute of Justice on the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban. "The ban has failed to reduce the average number of victims per gun murder incident or multiple gunshot wound victims." Based on history these so called Assault Weapons Ban's do not do anything except be feel good legislation while doing nothing to resolve the root of the issue.
I oppose this bill and urge members of the general assembly not to vote in favor of it. This bill is assuredly unconstitutional under the current Supreme Court case law, gun violence statistics do not support the conclusion that it will have a significant impact on crime or gun violence, and it needlessly deprives law abiding citizens of the ability to access ordinary modern tools necessary to engage in self defense. Simply compare the statistics for how many such weapons are owned by private persons in comparison to how many are used in crimes. They are not generally used for illegal purposes. It is not in the best interest of the Commonwealth for this bill to be enacted.
Assault weapons bans are useless at preventing gun violence and are an infringement on the Second Amendment. Banning certain features on modern sporting rifles is just political theater
I strongly oppose this bill and the spirit in which it was drafted. Right to self defence is one of the most fundamental rights bestowed on us. Any attempt to limit one's right to self-defense and the 2nd Amendment is no less insidious that an assault on the 1st or 15th Amendment.
Don't do this
The Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
The end of solitary confinement must be done My son was murdered in solitary confinement at Red Onion Prison in Pound Va on 1/3/22.
The Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
The U.S. Supreme Court has said in both DC v Heller, and recently The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v Bruen, that any firearm “in common use” is protected by the Second Amendment. The guns and magazines targeted by this bill are among the most common guns and magazines in the United States, making this bill unconstitutional.
I SUPPORT this common sense legislation to make our communities safer. This is my number one issue.
In support of the bills checked above for safer communities .
I support this bill! Please keep our communities safe. Gun regulations work.
Our Constitution does not provide citizens with privileges. It establishes a government with checks and balances and specifically limits the governments ability to remove the rights of its people. In regards to the matter at hand, it specifically says the the government cannot place limitations on the right of a citizen to keep and bear arms. Before I get the typical response, I know you are already aware that the phrase "well regulated" specifically refers to an being trained and ready to bear said arms. The language at the time did not use the term "regulated" as we do with modern regulations. It has been proven in the courts repeatedly that the laws you are currently considering are unconstitutional. Of this I am sure you are already aware. By spending time and tax dollars discussing laws that you know to be unconstitutional, you are in fact wasting time and tax dollars that could be spent on productive issues. I can only assume your intent is to intentionally waste time, and force members of the firearms industry to waste money on legal fees defending the constitution you have sworn to uphold. Please consider actual data and actual facts when considering gun legislation. No data supports the claim the "assault weapon" bans actually reduce gun related crime. More guns are being purchased now than ever before, yet now that the latest FBI data has been released, we can see that gun related crimes have not increased. Also, like every year that the FBI has released data, so called "assault weapons" make up a very small portion of all gun crimes. For your general knowledge the term "assault weapon" was first coined by Adolf Hitler. He renamed one of their new automatic firearms, the Sturmgewehr, because he felt that the name "assault weapon" would strike fear in allied forces. This is also the exact reason the gun control community uses this term as well. The fact is that these firearms are not fully automatic and cannot be made so without a high degree of machining skills and mechanical knowhow. Plus doing so is already illegal. The fact is the Biden's latest gun control act has not been equally enforced. It was supposed to provide additional support for school security and mental health services. It was supposed to provide stronger punishments for those cought breaking existing gun laws. It was supposed to allow FFL's to use the NICS system to check employees. It was supposed to allow FFL's to be able to instantly check inventory or potential purchase/trades by their serial number to determine if the firearm has been stolen or used in any crimes. None of these provisions have been acted upon or enforced. Please drop these latest gun control bills. They are unconstitutional and will never pass. Please do not waste your time and our tax dollars on these wasted efforts. Regards, Jonathan Goodman
Let law abiding citizens protect themselves and put law breakers behind bars.
I have a hard time believing in this day and age, after SCOTUS has made MULTIPLE opinions and decisions in FAVOR of law abiding fire arms owners, that the talk of banning & restriciton IN VIRGINIA, no less, is still a topic for debate. Law abiding gun owners ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. Check the flag! Sic Semper Tyrannis is our motto, and you people are doing everything you can to ensure ALL of VA is NOT adequately represented, tyranny; that we the people go disarmed & at the mercy of criminals WHO DO NOT OBEY LAWS, tyranny; that we the people will be disarmed & dependant upon a government that clearly has forgotten who the governing authority truly is, tyranny; and thats the problem! If we the people, are disarmed, then that means all of you should be as well. No bodygaurds, no police escorts, no firearms of your own. On top of this, all police officers should be disarmed. If we the people can't have protection under our God given, Constitutionally protected RIGHT to keep and bear arms, per James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and many MANY other patriots - then neither should ANY of you!
I oppose legislation that infringes on the rights of law-abiding citizens. I applaud efforts to increase prosecution of those who commit violent crimes against others.
I support these bills as I believe they take positive steps toward reducing gun violence in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I cannot stomach that my daughters (ages 2 and 4) are growing up in a nation where the top cause of death for the 1-19 age group is gun violence. It must change!
In the interests of public SAFETY, I strongly support the above marked bills.
THe Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
I support these bills.
My name is Jeanne Hanewich and am submitting comments on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Virginia in support of this bill. Since 1990, The League of Women Voters has recognized that the proliferation of semi-automatic/automatic weapons in the United States is a major health and safety threat to the citizens of the United States. Assault weapons are exceptionally deadly firearms commonplace in mass fatality shootings and should be banned in Virginia.
I write on behalf of the Justice & Witness Action Network, United Church of Christ Potomac Assn. to express our support for the HB2 bill as proposed. Such weapons do not defend individuals from harm; on the contrary, they are used all too often to kill innocent people who had the misfortune of being in the line of fire. The public must be protected from weapons that are designed to kill large numbers of folk in short order—this bill is a start in that direction.
I support this legislation. Please help to protect our children!! My family is from the UK and their kids don’t need to practice active shooter drills. There is no reason our children should be put in danger on a daily basis in this country!!!
I support the above bills checked and hope to see them pass out of committee, as they will help improve public safety. Support: - HB2 - Helmer - HB22 - Jones - HB46 - Bennett-Parker - HB113 - Sullivan - HB173 - Simon - HB362 - McClure - HB454 - Callsen - HB466 - Helmer I Oppose: - HB390 - Griffin - HB395 - Griffin
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. Gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. Gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
Virginia Moms for Change supports bills HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB454, & HB466. We believe that gun violence is preventable and want our state laws to protect kids not guns.
My name is Rev. Rachel Sutphin and I live in Earlysville, Virginia. As a pastor, I look forward to the day when swords are turned into plowshares (Isaiah 2:4). For the protection of all life, especially the most vulnerable, including children, I urge you to vote in support of all bills that aim to reduce gun violence. I support HB2, HB22, HB46, HB113, HB173, HB362, HB 454, and HB466.
Oppose HB2: Avoid banning guns due to ergonomic features such as how grip, hold; or adjustable stock; which not impact damages. Avoid banning shotgun with detachable magazine; feature common to other guns. Oppose infringing on 2nd amendment rights of average, good adult.
The U.S. Supreme Court has said in both DC v Heller, and recently The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v Bruen, that any firearm “in common use” is protected by the Second Amendment. The guns and magazines targeted by this bill are among the most common guns and magazines in the United States, making this bill unconstitutional.
The Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
THe Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
THe Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
All these bills violate The Bill of Rights. If you violate The Second Amendment, you violate the Bill of Rights.
Every gun law is an infringement. In addition, I also oppose HB2 because it bans many semi-automatic firearms and magazines that hold more than 10 rounds made after July 1, 2024. This bill is unconstitutional under the U.S. Supreme Court's NYSRPA v. Bruen decision in 2022, as such firearms and magazines are in common use. More and more home invasions and other violent crimes are being committed by more than one person. Semi-automatic firearms with magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds are perfect for defense in such a case. Police also carry these items because they are excellent for self-defense.
The Virginia NAACP supports this bill. We support common sense gun legislation that will have a significant impact on reducing gun violence and saving lives; this includes comprehensive background checks on the sale of firearms, limitations on purchasing firearms and prohibition of selling and transporting assault weapons - this is necessary legislation to keep Virginians safe.
I'm a volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and I support this bill. In Virginia, the federal law was associated with significant reductions in the share of guns used in crimes that were equipped with high-capacity magazines, down to an all-time low of 10 percent in 2004. After the federal prohibition expired, the share of Virginia crime guns equipped with high-capacity magazines rapidly increased, reaching 22 percent by 2010.