We MUST have stricter gun laws. At this point its common sense. Please protect our children and have stricter gun laws in order to keep our children safe at school and beyond.

Stop this gun control crap you people don't know what the difference between a true assault weapon is I carried one during the gulf war and it's not like the one I have in my gun cabinet AR-15 sold in gun shops is not a assault weapon so give public the true information or better yet put it to a vote by the people let the people decide

I am writing in support of HB1597 and the safe storage of a firearm in a vehicle. This is a common sense safe storage gun law to prevent a firearm getting into the hands of a minor. I am writing in support of HB1977 in prohibited possession of a firearm in a hospital with mental health services. I am a nurse in a Richmond city hospital that does provide mental healt services. It is very important that fire arms are prohibited from theses areas to protect the health care workers and patients at this hospital. I am writing in support of HB2064 the providing of locking devices with the sale of a fire arm. This is a common sense and easy safe storage bill. It will provide the purchaser to have easy access to a locking device to keep anyone entering their house or vehicle safe from using this fire arm. I am writing in support of HB2241. I SUPPORT this bill because I believe that hate has no place in our state, and want to protect minority communities in our commonwealth.

VOTE YES on HB1597 - a common sense approach to protect us from unintentional death and injury from firearms. Thank you Del Feggans.

I support this bill. It is common sense to ask that no one leave, place, or store their handgun in an unattended motor vehicle when it is visible to any person outside the motor vehicle. This is not too much to ask to save even one life.

I am writing to request your support for HB1597. On May 8, 2006, 18-year old Michael Kennedy gunned down Detective Vicki Armel and Master Police Officer Michael Garbarino at the Sully Police Station in Chantilly, Virginia right down the road from Westfield High School, where Kennedy had graduated in 2005. Michael Kennedy was then killed by police officers. When police arrived at Michael Kennedy’s home, they discovered a handgun in a vehicle at the home and multiple weapons and ammunition in the home. Michael Kennedy’s parents were well aware of his mental health struggles and sought to give him the help he needed. Despite this knowledge, however, his father, Brian Kennedy, failed to remove multiple weapons and ammunition from their home and on August 13, 2007, pled guilty to federal weapons charges. This bill would address the exact same scenario which led to the incredible tragedy of two police officers who faced a young man armed with multiple firearms, including an AK-47 and over 300 rounds of ammunition, which he had obtained from his home. Had it not been so easy to obtain so many weapons so quickly, there may have been a different outcome to this story. Protecting our citizenry should be paramount. Individuals should be held responsible if they do not responsibly store their weapons from those who may possibly do harm. I urge you to support HB1597.

Ref HB1597: This bill will ruin more lives than it saves. Safe Storage Laws do not save lives, but instead inhibit defensive use to prevent victimization. A Yale Law School Study found that during the first five full years after the passage of the safe storage laws, the group of fifteen states that adopted these laws faced an annual average increase of over 300 more murders, 3,860 more rapes, 24,650 more robberies, and over 25,000 more aggravated assaults.

Criminalizing how one stores a firearm in their house or car is one more step towards a totalitarian government and an infringement on our right to keep and bear arms.

I support the 2nd amendment. As the 2nd amendment is a RIGHT not a privilege I do NOT support these continued attempts to destroy or limit that right in any way shape of form. I support no FEEs on a permit for this right (I SUPPORT HB1569 and HB1559). I support no GUN bills or law that further limits this I right. I DO NOT SUPPORT HB1597. I DO NOT SUPPORT HB 1607.

This bill is a gross invasion of privacy. I’m old enough to remember when Democrats believed that what you did in the privacy of your own home or vehicle was your business, but I guess that concern for civil liberties doesn’t extend to gun owners. These are one-size-fits-all prescriptions that don’t allow the gun owner to make their own reasonable assessment of risk given where they live, where they park, and the responsibility of the minor in question, etc. The provisions of this bill are more likely to make criminals out of otherwise law-abiding citizens than prevent real crimes. Most gun owners would prefer not to leave their firearms in the car, but have to because of Democrat-sponsored laws that restrict where people can lawfully carry their firearms, thus forcing them to leave them in vehicles.

As a combat veteran I know the destructive nature of firearms. Please pass HB1597 because our children shouldn't be put in a position to harm themselves with weapons designed for war. Keep firearms locked up.

I strongly support these common sense gun violence prevention measures! Please vote yes!

I support HB 1597. As a gun owner I take firearm ownership seriously and feel it is important to protect children and loved ones in the home from accidental deaths and self harm. I store all of my firearms securely at all times and believe this to be an easy and important step to reduce death. As a former foster parent securing firearms was a requirement and my family had no issues following this guideline.

Regarding HB 1597, keeping guns secure and out of the hands of children and adults who should not have access to firearms is a common sense way to prevent both accidental and planned gun violence. We have heard too many times that the firearms used in crimes and accidental deaths were too easily accessible by people who should not have had access to them! On HB 1660, there is no reason any law abiding citizen should need to increase their firearm's rate of fire. None. That "feature" can only be used to maximize destruction and harm and no good will come of it. The weapons private citizens already have access to go far beyond what could possibly be justified for hunting or self defense.

I support HB 1597 as requiring that firearms be securely stored in any place where its owner knows (or should know) that a minor or person who is legally prohibited from having guns is likely to be present, as well as in unattended vehicles would save countless lives. Guns are the number one cause of death for children in the United States and reducing access would prevent the tragedies of accidental deaths by children and suicide by adolescents, as well as potentially preventing mass shootings by troubled youths. My own brother may still be alive if his guns had been stored securely in his home - where children were present; as it was, he was murdered by his brother-in-law who had easy access to guns while apparently under the influence of drugs. Additionally, please help stop gun theft by requiring safe storage of firearms in cars would help reduce the rates of illegal guns in society as many are stolen from vehicles. Please pass this legislation to keep Virginians safe.

To the Committee, I strongly support HB 1597 Re: safe gun storage. For 38 years I have provided expert witness testimony in criminal court regarding family homicides. I also conducted research on the adult children who survived uxoricide, when one parent killed the other parent. All of my experiences in evaluating family members has shown that safe gun storage could have made a life-saving difference in these families. The pain and trauma caused lifelong disabilities and has left survivors significantly impacted by these losses. Please support this bill. Thank you.

This is legislation that WILL save lives. We practice so many safety measures in our homes and in our cars to keep our children safe. Secure gun storage should be one of those measures, especially as it is the leading cause of death for our children and teens between the ages of 1 and 17. This became personal to me 3 years ago, when my nephew in a moment of despair reached for his father’s firearm. Fortunately, his father practices secure storage and my nephew received the mental health care he needed and is alive today. My daughter and her friends experienced the community trauma that far too many of our kids are experiencing. Unlike my nephew, a boy in her high school did get access to his father’s firearm and took his life. And, we have far too many firearms coming in to our schools. Data shows that kids and teens who get access to firearms are getting them from unsecured firearms in their homes and stolen from vehicles. There are many responsible gun owners out there, I was raised by one of them, but there are many who are not. We need not only to hold unresponsible gun owners accountable but to EDUCATE them on the practice of secure storage to prevent these preventable tragedies. There are many horrible things in this world we have no control over. The Virginia General Assembly DOES have the ability to truly reduce deaths and injuries (from suicides, homicides, unintentional shootings, and mass shootings) among our children and teens and in our community at large by supporting important commonsense gun laws like HB1597.

I do not support this bill. This bill displays a ridiculous amount of overreach. People should not have to lock away their firearms whether or not there may be a minor present. The whole point of owning a firearm is for self defense. Self defense requires firearms be accessible in a timely manner. You need to be able to carry a firearm in order to use it effectively or at the very least you should have it within close range for you to access if a dangerous situation arises. The way this bill is currently written it seems that if there is a minor in a household, all firearms need to be locked up. What happens if the homeowner is attacked while a minor is present? The homeowner has to run to their safe, unlock it, and retrieve their firearm? There's no way someone can defend themselves, and the minor, from a violent attack if they have to retrieve a firearm from a locked safe. Also, not everyone can afford a biometric safe in order to store a loaded weapon. So, only the wealthy are allowed to store loaded firearms when a minor *may be* present. If you are worried about preventing the theft of firearms and protecting minors, why don't you focus on laws pertaining to theft of firearms, specifically in regards to juveniles stealing firearms? If you want to prevent gun violence, it would also help to teach classes in middle school and/or high school that educate children on firearms and safety. You wouldn't need to have real firearms in schools to do this, so 'Moms Demand Action' don't need to worry themselves over that.

To the honorable Committee's and representatives, The bills referenced should be automatically tossed. As representatives, you have an oath to uphold and defend the constitution of the United States including the 2nd Amendment which limits GOVERNMENT authority to control firearms, not citizen. Furthermore, each one of these rules does one of two things: 1. It has not and never will do anything to solve the issue of violence. California, New York, Chicago, and many other cities controlled by democrats, and that have passed some of the most sweeping control, has failed to taper down the violence. Why is this truth ignored when it has been STATISTICALLY proven that more firearms and freedom does limit violence. If it saves one child, is it not worth it? Second, it flies in the face of several landmark rulings. First is D.C. vs Heller, and the Second is Bruen vs New York. Both cases have absolutely been paramount in putting the limitation on these bills and must be brought into consideration when reviewing these bills. I ask that you all apply the Historical clause as prescribed by the Supreme Court, and the measure of the absolute law of the land in the US Constitution, and reject these bills outright. The Constitution is absolute and is not fluid. If it is, then many of the other rights and limitations are no longer valid and the whole basis of society is no longer viable in a country such as ours. Thank you.

HB-1597 I am a Virginia gun owner and respect the right of law abiding citizens to defend themselves, their families and their homes. With that right, however, comes the responsibility to keep our gun(s) safely. Secure storage of our guns is essential, and yet many gun owners don't take adequate precautions to keep their guns away from children, criminals and those who might bring harm to themselves or others. "Guns Safely" should be the Virginia standard!

Yesterday, our local group traveled to Richmond to advocate for sensible gun safety legislation and one vital bill we strongly support is HB1597. We brought with us constituents of Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Chesapeake. They are your citizens, with community partners who work to end gun violence in their neighborhoods and survivors who have suffered the pain of losing loved ones, been injured and forever changed by the tragic results of guns accessed because they were left unsecured in homes and vehicles. Bill 1597 addresses critical loopholes in existing laws and will enhance my family's and loved ones right to feel safe as we work, shop, and live in our Commonwealth. I urge you to support this bill especially in light of the increase in suicide among our veterans and young men. Save lives, do the right thing. Thank you.

I support HB1597, to improve public safety both through the action it requires to be a responsible gun owner, and the education it provides. The provisions are reasonable and would likely prevent more senseless, preventable injuries, traumas, and deaths. As an active voter and community volunteer, it is important to me that our elected representatives take our safety as their highest priority.

My Stepson was murdered by someone he didn't know, who wasn't legally allowed to have a gun on 9/30/24. The mother of the murder's child was able to and did purchase the gun. It was not secured. The suspect killed both the mother of his child and my stepson all in the presence of his 2 yr old daughter. In my view gun ownership in a home should be based on lowest common denominator of all residents of the home. So if you live in a home with someone who doesn't have gun rights, then neither do you. I understand this bill is different. Its at least a step in the right direction. Please support this bill.

On September 30th 2024, my 19-year-old brother, Cash Gaudio, was murdered in my family’s driveway by a convicted violent felon. He did not know his killer, who used a legally purchased firearm he gained access to due to improper storage. He unloaded his gun into my brother, shooting him nine times including shots to the heart. Safe storage is so extremely important and if it had been legally required by the state of Virginia, my sweet, innocent, baby brother would still be alive.

As both a gun owner and a mother of a small child I understand both the right to bear arms and the need for oversight and secure storage of said arms. This is why I SUPPORT HB1597. Too many preventable tragedies occur when there is unfettered access to unsecure firearms. This is common sense legislation that responsible gun owners should respect.

My name is Margaret Steiner from Reston, Virginia and I am a proud member of Moms Demand Action. I was in Richmond yesterday for Advocacy Day and I’m writing today to let you know I support both HB 1597 by Delegate Feggans and HB 1660 by Delate Jones. I support HB 1597 because this bill would require secure storage in any place where minors live. This is important to me because I have two young children. I support HB 1660 because this bill would ban all trigger activators and kits and because automatic and semi-automatic weapons can kill a large number of people in a very short period of time.

Firearm safety begins in the home, the government shouldn't be involved in personal matters. This bill treats honest law-abiding citizens as criminals and as idiots. If you want to do something that makes sense, offer firearm safety in middle schools and give parents the option of letting their child attend.

Gun reform is critical to keeping our communities safe. Every measure we can pass to ensure our loved ones and neighbors are not at risk of the tragedies that has destroyed too many American families and communities already. Background checks need to be more thorough, red flags must be implemented. There is no precaution too small when it comes to senseless violence and loss at the hands of firearms. and, possibly most importantly, no civilian needs to be able to access or use an assault rifle or the materials to build one (ghost guns/kits). These must be banned here and everywhere. Too much carnage has already taken place on our streets, in our schools and in communities across our country. The gun industry has gone unchecked long enough and accountability is needed today. Change is necessary and we can be that change now. Please do whats best and right to keep Virginians safe from gun violence.

The bill, as written, increases penalties for an otherwise law abiding person not storing firearms in such a way as to preclude access by a prohibited party. It's targeted at the wrong people. It's the prohibited parties that may need an increased penalty if one assumes there is a demonstrable problem to solve. If we're concerned about minors' access, the law already provides a penalty. I'm not seeing a problem to solve in the latter case and the former case is questionable. Why not punish criminal behavior e.g. ineligible parties accessing firearms? Oppose this bill.

HB 1597 by Delegate Feggans would require that firearms be securely stored in any place where its owner knows (or should know) that a minor or person who is legally prohibited from having guns is likely to be present, as well as in unattended vehicles. The bill would also create a statewide public awareness campaign about the importance of secure gun storage. HB1660 by Delegate Jones would expand current Virginia law on rapid-fire devices, which currently prohibits bump stocks and auto sears, so that it prohibits any kind of device designed to increase a firearm’s rate of fire. I'm a teacher and a mom with Moms Demand Action. I'm here today to let you know I I support both of these bills, HB 1597 and HB1660. Parents fear sending their children to school because of the increased rate of school shootings. With these laws we can ensure guns are stored safely and reduce the options to make guns mass shooting tools. Let’s protect our children and our state. I support bills HB 1597 and HB1660.

When there are nearly 400,000 firearms stolen from homes and vehicles each year that all too often end up in the hands of felons, peopled who cannot pass a background check or children too young purchase a firearm legally, it is imperative that HB1597 SECURE STORAGE OF FAREARMS be supported and passed into law for the safety of our Virginia residents and most especially our children. Additional statistics tell us that more than half of minor suicides each year take place in the decedents home and are carried out using a firearm that belonged to a family member. It is way past time for us to get serious about public safety and protecting lives!

I support this bill wholeheartedly. On September 30, 2024, my 19 year old son, Cash, was followed home on a typical Monday afternoon, by a convicted violent felon who randomly encountered him on the road after murdering the mother of his child. This man didn’t t have gun rights, but obtained a legally purchased gun that was not properly stored and kept from his access. He held is two year old on his hip while he emptied 9 bullets into my Cash’s chest, including his heart. I was home alone with my 6 year old. Cash called me and said “mom, call 911.” I don’t know how he managed to call me with so many gunshot wounds. I sent my 6 year old to his playroom alone while I ran outside to find my son in his car, body riddled with bullets, head back and mouth agape. I screamed and begged him not to leave me. I did everything I could. But I knew it was too late. Cash impacted everyone he knew. He had plans for his future and was a student at CVCC, with the goal to transfer to UVA. He owned a successful car detailing business that he started in high school, with all 5 star reviews, many of which addressed his character and maturity above and beyond the quality of his work. There were 2500 people at his funeral, a testament to his character, how well he is loved, and how well he loved. Cash died in my arms. I am changed forever, trapped in a prison for the rest of my life. My 6 year old sleeps on my bedroom floor because he is afraid to be alone since he was “alone when Cash died.” He asked me where all the blood on my face came from, something I hadn’t realized he had even seen when being led away from our home by a neighbor and police “with big shields.” His innocence was stolen and he lost his “Bubba.” My 22 year old daughter had to leave college for weeks and lost her first and best friend. Cash’s father is destroyed, and my husband had to retrieve the video from our security camera for police, forcing him to view the entire murder. We are all in therapy. The world lost an incredible human being. I am certain Cash probably thought this person needed help when he saw the baby on his hip. Instead, he was met with a deluge of bullets from a gun that should have been securely stored and not accessible to him. We live in a “safe” neighborhood. Except nowhere is safe. Have you ever cried every single day for over 3 1/2 months? Have you felt a gaping wound in your chest that no one else can see, but part of your heart and soul are gone and the breath is sucked from your lungs? That’s how it feels as a mother to witness your child’s murder at your own home. Your child who loves and encourages everyone. I hope you never experience this torment and PTSD. I relive that day over and over everyday. My young son had to write a New Year’s resolution at school and he wrote “to be alone in my bedroom.” All because a man had a gun that he never should have had, and devastatingly crossed paths with my precious boy. I respectfully ask you to vote to make sure guns are properly locked up and not accessible to those who have been convicted of crimes prohibiting them from gun ownership. This truly seems absurd that it isn’t already a law. #livelikecashgaudio www.cashgaudio.com Respectfully, Shannon Meyers Lynchburg

As a survivor and volunteer member of MOMS Demand Action, I know first hand what it means to loose a loved one by gun violence. My father was mentally ill and was able to access a firearm by which to end his life 17 years ago. Nobody should ever have to go through what my family and I have been through, and this bill will ensure that. Please support the passage of this crucial legislation to keep all Virginians safe. Thank you. Sarah

Comments Document

Greetings, I'm writing today to let you know I support bills 1597 and 1660 because -- secure storage of guns saves lives and helps prevent firearm injuries, and -- prohibiting any kind of device designed to increase a firearm’s rate of fire will counteract intentions to increase that firearm's rate of death and injury. As is often said, "ULLU" saves lives! UnLoad & LockUp! (Logo attached - please share.) Thank you for your commitment to firearm safety.

It is imperative for public safety that HR # 1597 SECURE STORAGE OF FIREARMS be enacted to protect the public…especially children and other vulnerable persons from accidents, injury & other unintended tragic consequences.

This bill is a horrible overreach. It's one thing to have to prove that someone has taken a gun safety course or a course in how to properly handle storage. It's another thing to require a biometric safe, which is completely asinine. So a regular safe isn't good enough, it has to be a biometric safe. Isn't the point of having a firearm in the house to be able to access it quickly if needed? Maybe we should be teaching our children about guns instead of trying to hide it from them would be more helpful. This bill essentially makes a criminal out of people that carry guns for a living if they have a juvenile in the house and don't lock up their firearms in a biometric safe. Most cops don't lock up their firearms in a biometric safe when they get home. Another shocker, criminals don't care about having their guns in a biometric safe. We should be tackling criminals instead of making criminals out of someone that doesn't have a biometric safe that also teaches their children about firearms.

I SUPPORT this bill. Responsible gun owners know better than anyone that safe storage and safe use of weapons are obligations one accepts upon purchase of a firearm. Unsecured weapons and modified weapons are extreme threats to children. As an educator, I demand that our legislators take these basic, common sense steps to protect the students I serve every day. Opposition to these bills is negligence and endangerment of our children.

I support these bills to make our community safer

No new gun control. Enforce the current laws. Stop trying to make good guys into bad guys.

Please pass these comments sense safety laws. The county desperately needs them.

I support HB 1559 because it clarifies what is and is NOT required to renew one's CHP. If the General Assembly wishes to ensure Virginians are all educated in gun safety, then restore requirements for all students to be instructed in gun safety as part of physical education or health classes. I support HB 1569 because it lowers the cost of a permit making self-defense more accessible for lower income individuals. Futhermore, since VA no longer requires FBI fingerprinting for this process, the $25 fee for FBI printing incorporated into the fee structure is no longer needed. Localities keeping the higher fees are merely committing theft. I oppose HB 1597 because my hands are too small to use biometric safes. My fingers cannot reach the fingerprint readers/scanners, AND my fingerprints are difficult to read by electronic devices. Furthermore, I resent the government interference in how I manage my own home. This law puts me in danger in the event of a home intrusion. I do not appreciate this reckless attempt to regulate how I protect myself and my family in my own home. Furthermore, enforcement of these requirements would require egregious violations of privacy in our own homes. I oppose HB 1660 because it is too vague to be enforceable. If I can use my own hands or my shirt sleeves or a belt loop to "bump fire" a semi-automatic firearm, will I be arrested? Will my clothing be seized? Will my hands be cut off? Furthermore, at what exact point does a firearm 'mimic automatic weapon fire,' considering that different automatic firearms have different rates of fire? And how does someone determine what the rate of fire is for a person shooting a firearm unassisted? There are professional shooters, such as world champion Jerry Miculek, who can shoot a firearm without assisting devices at eye-popping speeds. Unadulterated semi-automatic firearms can be 'bump fired' by simply holding them the right way. If we put violent criminals in prison and keep them there as long as possible - even restore the death penalty for those who murder repeatedly or commit mass killings, we have no need to regulate firearms or their users in this way.

HB1559: I support this bill. This is a simple, common-sense bill to correct a misunderstanding that some circuit court clerks have. It does not change who is eligible for a concealed handgun permit. It only prevents people from being needlessly hassled by clerks who don't know the law. HB1569: I support this bill. Concealed handgun permit fees are being set higher than necessary by some localities as a source of extra revenue or as a way of discouraging applicants. The existing fee caps were set based on a fingerprinting requirement that no longer exists, so it makes perfect sense to reduce the cap. HB1597: I oppose this bill, which reads like a laundry list of gun storage ideas which may be good ideas in many circumstances, but which should not be mandated by law. The bill even contradicts itself, suggesting that allowing minors to have unsupervised access to firearms should result in a jail sentence, but also saying that if an unsupervised minor uses a firearm in self-defense, it should not be a violation of the law. This bill's provisions related to storage in a vehicle would serve only to punish theft victims. Some people wouldn't need to store their firearms in their vehicles if not for laws passed in 2020 which made it illegal to carry a gun in many public places. HB1660: I oppose this bill. The General Assembly should not attempt to regulate firearm components based on subjective criteria which can vary from person to person.

Shall NOT be infringed.

SUPPORT HB1559-CHP Renewal Proof Of Training: This common-sense bill clarifies for judges and circuit court clerks that once the proof of training is furnished with the initial permit application, that proof carries over to renewals. It is in keeping with 18.2-308.02 (B) which states, "The court shall require proof that the applicant has demonstrated competence with a handgun in person and the applicant may demonstrate such competence by one of the following, but no applicant shall be required to submit to any additional demonstration of competence, nor shall any proof of demonstrated competence expire:" The fact that the applicant has previously held a Virginia CHP is a matter of record and establishes that they have demonstrated competence previously. SUPPORT HB1569-Reduction of fees for CHP: The fee for Virginia Resident Concealed Handgun Permits (CHP) was set based on the cost to the localities and the state, and was ONLY intended to reimburse the government for the expense of processing the permit applications. It was NOT intended as a tax. In fact, if it were a tax it would be akin to a poll tax, which we all can agree is unconstitutional. The allowable amount for the local law enforcement was set at UP TO $35 and included $25 for the FBI fingerprint processing. Fingerprints are no longer allowed for resident concealed handgun permits, and the processing of applications is much less labor intensive due to digital records being widely available. The allowable fee should be reduced accordingly. OPPOSE HB 1597-Secure storage of firearms: The proposed 18.2-308.7:1 is in conflict with the referenced 18.2-56.2, which allows access to firearms by minors age 14 and older, provided the access does not reclessly endanger life or limb of a child under age 14. HB1597 also does not take into account access for hunting. Youth age 12 and above who have successfully completed the hunter education safety course and obtained a hunting license can legally hunt unsupervised according to current Virginia code. In addition, this does not allow for all kinds of firearm locks, including the padlock type that is typically supplied with new firearms. The requirement for biometric safes is unaffordable for many, and biometrics are notoriously unreliable, which could result in injury or loss of life in emergency situations. The section of this bill applying to firearm storage is not always achievable. Some vehicles do not have a place that will adequately conceal a safe. And the penalty section punishes the victim for actions beyond their control if a criminal breaks into the vehicle and steals the gun, which is compounded if that person uses it in a crime and/or harms himself or someone else with it. OPPOSE HB1660-Altering the definition of Trigger Activator: The bill as proposed is ambiguous and unenforceable. What is the definition of "...rate of fire...faster thant that possible for a person to fire such semi-automatic firearm unassisted?" Who sets the standard for this?

View in browser Virginia Citizens Defense League Defending Your Right to Defend Yourself ** NOTE: If you forward this email, be sure to delete the "unsubscribe" information at the very bottom so someone else can't unsubscribe you by accident ** 1. URGENT VCDL Legislative Action Item 2. Help needed: Salem gun show THIS WEEKEND! 1. URGENT VCDL Legislative Action Item Two gun-rights bills and two gun-control bills are going to be heard THIS Thursday, January 16, at 4pm in the House Public Safety Firearms subcommittee held in House North Subcommittee Room 200. Seven gun-control bills are going to be heard in the House Public Safety committee THIS Friday, January 17, at 8 am in House Committee Room A 008. Click here to send a prewritten email to your Delegate to OPPOSE those nine gun-control bills. And click here to send a prewritten email to your Delegate to SUPPORT the two gun-rights bills. If you can attend either of the meetings in person, that is a plus. If you can’t attend in person, you can attend the Firearms subcommittee electronically by clicking here. At that link you can sign up to speak virtually and/or you can leave a written public comment on the four bills being heard in the subcommittee. Your written comments stay with the bills as they move through the General Assembly. NOTE: The VCDL 2025 Legislative Tracking System is now up and running! https://vcdl-lis.org - These are the nine gun-control bills with a description and notes for each bill: HB 1597, Delegate Feggans, requires all firearms in a home, that are not being carried on or about a person, to be unloaded and placed in a locked container if there is a minor in the home or if there is a prohibited person in the home. A gun may only be stored loaded if it is in a biometric safe. Guns left in a vehicle must be secured in a locked box or container that is not visible from outside the vehicle, must be affixed to the vehicle, and the vehicle must be locked, too. Glove boxes and consoles cannot be used unless specifically designed for gun storage. Gun dealers must post signage about the law and there is also a provision to educate the public on firearm storage. Biometric safes are more expensive than non-biometric safes. Biometric safes can be unreliable when being used under stress and require batteries to work. Why are biometric safes the only option for storing a loaded firearm? This bill punishes the victim if their gun is stolen from a vehicle and the firearm is not stored per the requirements of this bill. Not all lock boxes have a way to be affixed to a vehicle. Not all lock boxes can be easily hidden. If a person is a passenger in someone else’s vehicle and must leave their gun in the car to use a restroom at a Virginia rest area, for example, they would have no way to comply with this bill.

HB1597 is more ammo to attack legal gun owners. Gun owners try to follow the law and avoid taking their firearm into prohibited spaces and so they leave them in the car. If you want to avoid theft from that it is best to make these spaces concealed carry allowed. However there is no such provision in this bill leading to me to believe this is not in order to promote public safety but a cynical power play.

I am against any gun control legislation for adults over 18 years old.

I'm a volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and I support this bill. Gun owners can make their homes and communities safer by storing their guns securely – locked, unloaded,and separate from ammunition. Securing firearms also protects children and adults by preventing unintentionalshootings and gun suicides, and can also prevent gun violence at schools by reducing school-age children’saccess to guns.

We MUST have stricter gun laws. At this point its common sense. Please protect our children and have stricter gun laws in order to keep our children safe at school and beyond.

Stop this gun control crap you people don't know what the difference between a true assault weapon is I carried one during the gulf war and it's not like the one I have in my gun cabinet AR-15 sold in gun shops is not a assault weapon so give public the true information or better yet put it to a vote by the people let the people decide

Addendum to my previous comment: I reviewed comments by other VA residents and found a number of people supporting this bill who also mentioned the April 16, 2007 Virginia Tech shooting and claimed that they were present for said shooting. Well, I have something to add -- I was a student at Virginia Tech during the 4/16/2007 massacre. I lived very close to campus and heard ambulance sirens blaring as those ambulances raced to campus to help the shooting victims. I had a class that day that was cancelled a few days before 4/16/2007. It would have been held at the same time those shootings took place and 4-6 buildings away from the buildings away from Norris Hall. I knew three of the victims. -- There is something very important to note that the Virginia Tech alumni supporting this bill have failed to bring up: namely that guns of any kind were not allowed on campus at the time of the 4/16 Massacre. If you were not a police officer, or had special written consent from the school administration and Virginia Tech police, then you were not permitted to have a firearm of any type on campus. That rule/law did not prevent the shootings. -- Once again, 'gun control laws' are only followed by law-abiding citizens. Criminals and bad actors care nothing for laws. If you restrict the types of firearms law-abiding citizens can use, and/or restrict where they can carry firearms, you are only creating a larger population of potential victims for criminals. Please do not disarm law-abiding citizens and thus create a larger population of potential firearm victims. ---Another item that Virginia Tech alumni supporting this bill have failed to mention in their comments: the 4/16/2007 shooter, Seung-Hui Cho, had mental health issues. Some of his teachers at Virginia Tech warned the administration about noticing these issues, but their concerns and warnings were never properly addressed by Virginia Tech leadership. This is yet another example of where root cause mitigation would have solved a problem that gun laws failed to prevent. If Cho's mental health issues had been addressed in the proper manner and in a timely fashion, then this shooting (and any other violent act perpetrated by Cho) very likely never would have happened. If the Virginia General Assembly truly wants to prevent gun violence, then they need to focus on addressing and resolving the root causes of gun violence, instead of passing laws that are only going to disarm innocent, law-abiding, citizens and not disarm the ranks of criminals actually committing these shootings.

I do not support this bill. This bill is unconstitutional and only hurts law-abiding citizens. It will not prevent shootings of any kind. It will only increase gun violence as law-abiding citizens will be punished by having their firearms taken away from them, and they will have one less tool with which to defend themselves with. This bill is supposed to prevent gun violence by formally punishing the sale of "assault firearms". Firearms of any kind are only a tool. They are not inherently evil, destructive, or dangerous in and of themselves. If this bill were to become law then law-abiding citizens would not have access to "assault firearms", but criminals and bad actors will find a way around this. If you don't believe me, I ask that you please consider the War on Drugs, which has been going on by one name or another since the 1980s. Yet, illegal drugs are still found throughout every city and state in the US. In fact things only got worse with opioid, and fentanyl in specific, due to our southern border being left wide open by former President Biden and his administration. How many deaths resulted from that decision and in particular due to illegal drugs coming into the US, but Biden's administration and political party cared nothing for this travesty? But I digress. My point is that there are many drugs that are illegal, yet innumerable laws have not been able to stop the spread of those aforementioned substances. Criminals care nothing for laws and so continue to push illegal drugs into our communities. Well, those same criminals do not care about gun laws, so they will continue to find ways to get around those laws and use firearms to hurt innocent, law-abiding, citizens. If you want to stop gun violence by any type of firearm then let's focus on root cause mitigation instead: dealing with the mental health crisis throughout the US, dealing with drug abuse and counseling addicts, dealing with poverty in our communities instead of sending billions of dollars overseas as foreign aid, ensuring our communities have adequate numbers of professional police and specifically "patrol officers" not just "support officers", focus on teaching respect in schools instead of pushing "oppressor-victim" mentalities, ensuring parents are informed 100% of happenings in schools and especially in regards to their children...instead of schools being able to hide information from parents when the administration sees fit. You can ban all the firearms you want and make millions of 'gun control laws' and gun violence will not drop. Criminals do not care and law-abiding citizens being disarmed will only increase the population of potential shooting victims. Please do not pass the bill, it is a complete sham.

I support this bill as assault weapons make it easier to kill a large number of people in a short period of time. We have seen this happen time and time again in schools, places of worship, concerts, and many other places. Assault weapons have no place in civilian life. This is common sense, and not an infringement on anyone's 2nd amendment rights.

Assault weapons make it easier for a person to kill a large number of people in a very short period of time – including children in schools. I support an assault weapons ban.

With reference to HB1607: The definition of ‘assault firearms’ used for this bill (as defined in 18.2-308.2:2) is completely arbitrary and includes the most popular firearms in use today by hundreds of thousands of law-abiding citizens in this country. Ref HB1569: The fee for a CHP was always supposed to be used to cover the time and manpower it took to do the background check. As we all know, that can be done now with two minutes on a keyboard. Some localities have set their fees as low as $10. Since a citizen having a CHP, indicating that they have passed a government mandated background check, is only a benefit to the public and not the citizen, the burden should be carried by the public, not the citizen.

HB1607 criminalizes the most commonly used firearms and magazines in use in Virginia. The law would only affect the law abiding and would not reduce crime. It is a clear civil rights violation that has no benefit to Virginians.

I strong oppose this HB1607. This bill prohibits the sale, possession, transfer, and transport of an 'assault firearm' made on or after July 1, 2025. It also prohibits sale, possession, transfer, and transport of an 'assault firearm' to anyone under the age of 21. Magazines that hold more than 10 rounds and were made on or after July 1, 2025, are prohibited. 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.

SUPPORT this bill. My goddaughter was murdered by an assault weapon in 2018 and no family should have to go through what our family and countless others have. Limiting access to assault weapons will improve safety for our communities.

HB1608 Allows gun owners to keep their guns but puts safeguards in place These bills allow for those that wish to have guns to still have them, yet put safeguards in place. Please vote for these common sense gun laws so that children can live safely in our community with gun owners who prioritize safety. How many more children have to die before you act?

These bills allow for those that wish to have guns to still have them, yet put safeguards in place so that the guns do not get into the wrong hands, are misused or changed into weapons meant to kill many people in a short amount of time. Please vote for these common sense gun laws so that children can live safely in our community with gun owners who prioritize safety.

I support HB1607 because I believe it would make our Commonwealth a safer place for everyone, including our children. Gun violence must be addressed and this is one of the many common sense laws proposed this session that can do that. Please take action and vote for this bill that could save lives.

I'm a volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and I support this bill.

I support the 2nd amendment. As the 2nd amendment is a RIGHT not a privilege I do NOT support these continued attempts to destroy or limit that right in any way shape of form. I support no FEEs on a permit for this right (I SUPPORT HB1569 and HB1559). I support no GUN bills or law that further limits this I right. I DO NOT SUPPORT HB1597. I DO NOT SUPPORT HB 1607.

My husband and I FULLY SUPPORT this bill because assault weapons make it easier for a person to kill a large number of people in a very short period of time – including children in schools. We are gun owners and he is a retired military member of 30 years. Please enact common sense gun safety laws!

HB1607 I am a Virginia gun owner and respect the right of law abiding citizens to defend themselves, their families and their homes. With that right, however, comes the responsibility to keep our gun(s) safely. Our legitimate needs for self-protection do not require rapid fire or extended ammunition magazines. "Guns Safely" should be the Virginia standard!

HB-1597 I am a Virginia gun owner and respect the right of law abiding citizens to defend themselves, their families and their homes. With that right, however, comes the responsibility to keep our gun(s) safely. Secure storage of our guns is essential, and yet many gun owners don't take adequate precautions to keep their guns away from children, criminals and those who might bring harm to themselves or others. "Guns Safely" should be the Virginia standard!

Assault weapons have no place in our community. This bill would at least help limit more of these incredibly deadly guns. They kill so many people in a short time, including children in our schools.

These bills allow for those that wish to have guns to still have them, yet put safeguards in place so that the guns do not get into the wrong hands, are misused or changed into weapons meant to kill many people in a short amount of time. Please vote for these common sense gun laws so that children can live safely in our community with gun owners who prioritize safety.

As a resident of Richmond with children approaching school age, this bill provides safety to our communities that no additional automatic rifles will be added. Please support this bill.

I write as a taxpayer, a mother, a resident, a voter and a citizen of the Commonwealth of Virginia is strong SUPPORT of these bills. Our federal government refuses to do anything to save our children and make our country a safer place because they have all sold out to the NRA so the states is where is going to be so important! I am thankful for the efforts of our elected officials to do the right thing and high encourage passage of these bills.

Gun reform is critical to keeping our communities safe. Every measure we can pass to ensure our loved ones and neighbors are not at risk of the tragedies that has destroyed too many American families and communities already. Background checks need to be more thorough, red flags must be implemented. There is no precaution too small when it comes to senseless violence and loss at the hands of firearms. and, possibly most importantly, no civilian needs to be able to access or use an assault rifle or the materials to build one (ghost guns/kits). These must be banned here and everywhere. Too much carnage has already taken place on our streets, in our schools and in communities across our country. The gun industry has gone unchecked long enough and accountability is needed today. Change is necessary and we can be that change now. Please do whats best and right to keep Virginians safe from gun violence.

As a sentient being, human, mother, grandmother and former teacher, I support this bill as there is no reason to have a weapon that can kill so many innocents so quickly in citizens' hands.

HB1607 - I SUPPORT this bill as assault weapons make it easier for a person to kill a large number of people in a very short period of time – including children in schools, families at the mall or movies, congregations in houses of worship, etc. Assault weapons have no place in civilian life. HB1608 - I SUPPORT this bill as industry accountability is a great way to force manufacturers to raise standards of safety. HB1622 - I SUPPORT this bill as it would crack down on vehicle gun thefts and make our communities safer. This should be especially important in Virginia as 2022 FBI crime data shows that Richmond, Virginia is among the top 5 cities with the highest rates of gun theft from cars HB1660 - I SUPPORT this bill as automatic and semi-automatic weapons can kill a large number of people in a very short period of time and converting more guns to function this way is terrifying for the safety of our families. HB1797 - I SUPPORT this bill as visitors wishing to carry concealed handguns in Virginia should meet the same level of safety requirements that we require of our state’s residents. In many scenarios, visitors are held to the legal requirements of the state they are visiting, and applying this to gun safety should be common sense. HB1869 - I SUPPORT this bill as it expands critical protections to additional relationship categories. Especially in a time where people marry at a later age and/or more commonly cohabitate prior to marriage, allowing intimate partner, or dating relationships, to be protected keeps Virginians safer. HB1876 - I SUPPORT extending the protection of k-12 schools to our institutions of higher education. This is very personal to me as I spent 9 years working at a university and was involved in a scary situation where a student made violent threats with a firearm. HB1960 - I SUPPORT this bill, as it strengthens protections for domestic violence survivors.

I strongly OPPOSE HB1607 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 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.

I support these bills to make our community safer

These are incredibly important mechanisms to protect our citizens especially children from unnecessary gun violence from individuals that are not registered or legally allowed to carry firearms and could be very dangerous in this setting.

I support HB1607. As a Virginia Tech alumna who was on campus during the April 16, 2007 Virginia Tech mass shooting, I strongly support increased regulations on guns and gun violence prevention legislation. Assault weapons make it easier for a person to kill a large number of people in a very short period of time, including children in schools. As a mother working to keep all children safe from gun violence, I support HB1607 and reducing the number of gun-related deaths in our community and in our nation.

I support this bill because I believe it would make our Commonwealth a safer place for everyone, including our children. Gun violence must be addressed and this is one of the many common sense laws proposed this session that can do that. Please take action and vote for this bill that could save lives.

As a graduate of Virginia Tech who was on campus during the mass shooting that occured on April 16, 2007, I strongly support increased regulations on guns. Having witnessed first half the devastation on communities that guns can cause, we need to prevent high capacity automatic and semi-automatic guns from being sold and ensure that loopholes that allow guns to be sold continue to be closed. As a mother of three young school aged children now, the sense of fear at which all families deal with on a daily basis is unfathomable and shouldn't be allowed to continue.

I support HB1607 as assault weapons make it easier for a person to kill a large number of people in a very short period of time – including children in schools, and we have seen this happen time and time again. As an elementary school teacher I see the fear and anxiety that has developed in our children each time they hear of the most recent school shooting and while we practice our code red drills. This legislation is LONG overdue. Please do the right thing so that we can feel safer in our communities!

Please pass these comments sense safety laws. The county desperately needs them.

I support these bills as data shows common sense gun laws save lives.

I support these eight bills, as we need to take action against the senseless violence and deaths caused by guns. We need to ban assault weapons, hold the industry more accountable, prohibit people from leaving firearms visibly unattended in cars, ban kits that create automatic weapons, tighten concealed handgun permits, expand critical protections to additional relationship categories, extend protection against firearms to higher education, and protect domestic violence survivors. As a country and a state, we cannot continue to accept gun violence and deaths as the norm.

I support HB1607 as assault weapons make it easier for a person to kill a large number of people in a very short period of time – including children in schools. I felt the impact of this at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007 as 32 students and teachers lost their lives. I support HB1608 as industry accountability is a great way to force manufacturers to raise standards of safety. It shouldn't be easier to buy a gun than it is to rent a car. I support HB1622 as it would crack down on vehicle gun thefts and make our communities safer. I support HB1660 as automatic and semi-automatic weapons can kill a large number of people in a very short period of time. I felt the impact of this at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007 as 32 students and teachers lost their lives. I support HB1797 as visitors wishing to carry concealed handguns in Virginia should meet the same level of safety requirements that we require of our state’s residents. I support HB1869 as it expands critical protections to additional relationship categories. For example, this bill would include a relationship where a woman cohabitates with her boyfriend. I support HB1876 as it extends the protection of k-12 schools to our institutions of higher education. I support HB1960 as it strengthens protections for domestic violence survivors.

I support this bill because I support any bill that seeks to create a safer community for our children to grow up in, that keeps guns away from schools, and that keep deadly weapons out of the hands of violent people who wish to violate our most protected right: the right to life. This is my number one issue.

Stop this gun control crap you people don't know what the difference between a true assault weapon is I carried one during the gulf war and it's not like the one I have in my gun cabinet AR-15 sold in gun shops is not a assault weapon so give public the true information or better yet put it to a vote by the people let the people decide

I support this bill as no device that makes a firearm more lethal has a place in civilian life. This is a commonsense law that provides a clear description of the devices being prohibited and penalties for those who seek to take advantage of loopholes, and does not infringe on the rights of those who are in compliance.

Automatic and semi-automatic weapons can kill a large number of people in a very short period of time. I support this bill as it would help to stop their proliferation.

My husband and I are gun owners and he is a retired military member of 30 years. We support common sense gun safety laws. We FULLY SUPPORT this bill as automatic and semi-automatic weapons can kill a large number of people in a very short period of time.

I support HB 1597. As a gun owner I take firearm ownership seriously and feel it is important to protect children and loved ones in the home from accidental deaths and self harm. I store all of my firearms securely at all times and believe this to be an easy and important step to reduce death. As a former foster parent securing firearms was a requirement and my family had no issues following this guideline.

Regarding HB 1597, keeping guns secure and out of the hands of children and adults who should not have access to firearms is a common sense way to prevent both accidental and planned gun violence. We have heard too many times that the firearms used in crimes and accidental deaths were too easily accessible by people who should not have had access to them! On HB 1660, there is no reason any law abiding citizen should need to increase their firearm's rate of fire. None. That "feature" can only be used to maximize destruction and harm and no good will come of it. The weapons private citizens already have access to go far beyond what could possibly be justified for hunting or self defense.

I support HB1660 by Delegate Jones which would expand current Virginia law on rapid-fire devices, which currently prohibits bump stocks and auto sears, so that it prohibits any kind of device designed to increase a firearm’s rate of fire. This legislation helps close loop holes around the intent behind Virginia's prohibition of bump stocks. The intent of the previous bill was approved and passed; let's help ensure the intent is fully realized.

To the Committee, I strongly support HB 1660 regarding rapid fire devices. Rapid fire devices have been used by mass shooters to kill people in larger numbers before there’s even time for a public safety response. I remember the Las Vegas mass shooting which killed over 50 people in only a few minutes. Most “advanced” countries have zero or one homicide per year because they regulate guns for public safety. As a Clinical Psychologist for over 40 years, I have seen the severe impact of mass shootings. I met a person in the General Assembly yesterday who survived the shooting at Virginia Tech. She lost her favorite French Professor and friends in this terrible event. Please support this legislation. Thanks you. Dr. Twining

To the honorable Committee's and representatives, The bills referenced should be automatically tossed. As representatives, you have an oath to uphold and defend the constitution of the United States including the 2nd Amendment which limits GOVERNMENT authority to control firearms, not citizen. Furthermore, each one of these rules does one of two things: 1. It has not and never will do anything to solve the issue of violence. California, New York, Chicago, and many other cities controlled by democrats, and that have passed some of the most sweeping control, has failed to taper down the violence. Why is this truth ignored when it has been STATISTICALLY proven that more firearms and freedom does limit violence. If it saves one child, is it not worth it? Second, it flies in the face of several landmark rulings. First is D.C. vs Heller, and the Second is Bruen vs New York. Both cases have absolutely been paramount in putting the limitation on these bills and must be brought into consideration when reviewing these bills. I ask that you all apply the Historical clause as prescribed by the Supreme Court, and the measure of the absolute law of the land in the US Constitution, and reject these bills outright. The Constitution is absolute and is not fluid. If it is, then many of the other rights and limitations are no longer valid and the whole basis of society is no longer viable in a country such as ours. Thank you.

Kits that allow a gun to be even MORE deadly to not have a place in our communities. I can think of absolutely NO REASON why these kits are needed in our cities and neighborhoods!

I support HB1660 as it provides clear and relevant description of the functional purpose of the devices being prohibited. By not relying on a simple name for the devices, and instead including current and future based on their function, this bill will protect us going into the future. The rapid fire function is not needed for legitimate responsible owners , but instead only serves to make a dangerous action much more lethal in both degree and number of people affected. As a Sunday School teacher of 5 & 6 year old children, I support legislation and legislators who prioritize keeping these children alive.

These bills allow for those that wish to have guns to still have them, yet put safeguards in place so that the guns do not get into the wrong hands, are misused or changed into weapons meant to kill many people in a short amount of time. Please vote for these common sense gun laws so that children can live safely in our community with gun owners who prioritize safety.

As both a gun owner and a mother of a small child I understand both the right to bear arms and, in light of the many preventable tragedies that occur with startling frequency, the need for oversight of said arms. With great power comes great responsibility and safety must be a top priority for gun owners. Devices that are specifically designed to dramatically increase a firearm’s rate of fire pose significant risks to public safety. Responsible gun ownership means recognizing the distinction between tools for lawful use and those that endanger lives by enabling rapid, uncontrolled fire. By expanding the prohibition to include other auto-sears-like devices, this legislation takes an important step in closing dangerous loopholes and preventing tragedies. I urge you to pass this bill to promote responsible gun culture and protect our communities. This is common sense legislation that any responsible gun owner should respect.

My name is Margaret Steiner from Reston, Virginia and I am a proud member of Moms Demand Action. I was in Richmond yesterday for Advocacy Day and I’m writing today to let you know I support both HB 1597 by Delegate Feggans and HB 1660 by Delate Jones. I support HB 1597 because this bill would require secure storage in any place where minors live. This is important to me because I have two young children. I support HB 1660 because this bill would ban all trigger activators and kits and because automatic and semi-automatic weapons can kill a large number of people in a very short period of time.

I do NOT support this bill! It will not do anything to make people safer or to limit crime. It is putting a band-aid on a wound that doesn't exist.

I write as a taxpayer, a mother, a resident, a voter and a citizen of the Commonwealth of Virginia is strong SUPPORT of these bills. Our federal government refuses to do anything to save our children and make our country a safer place because they have all sold out to the NRA so the states is where is going to be so important! I am thankful for the efforts of our elected officials to do the right thing and high encourage passage of these bills.

HB 1597 by Delegate Feggans would require that firearms be securely stored in any place where its owner knows (or should know) that a minor or person who is legally prohibited from having guns is likely to be present, as well as in unattended vehicles. The bill would also create a statewide public awareness campaign about the importance of secure gun storage. HB1660 by Delegate Jones would expand current Virginia law on rapid-fire devices, which currently prohibits bump stocks and auto sears, so that it prohibits any kind of device designed to increase a firearm’s rate of fire. I'm a teacher and a mom with Moms Demand Action. I'm here today to let you know I I support both of these bills, HB 1597 and HB1660. Parents fear sending their children to school because of the increased rate of school shootings. With these laws we can ensure guns are stored safely and reduce the options to make guns mass shooting tools. Let’s protect our children and our state. I support bills HB 1597 and HB1660.

I support all of these bills that will make our Commonwealth safer, adding critical protections for all.

HB1607 - I SUPPORT this bill as assault weapons make it easier for a person to kill a large number of people in a very short period of time – including children in schools, families at the mall or movies, congregations in houses of worship, etc. Assault weapons have no place in civilian life. HB1608 - I SUPPORT this bill as industry accountability is a great way to force manufacturers to raise standards of safety. HB1622 - I SUPPORT this bill as it would crack down on vehicle gun thefts and make our communities safer. This should be especially important in Virginia as 2022 FBI crime data shows that Richmond, Virginia is among the top 5 cities with the highest rates of gun theft from cars HB1660 - I SUPPORT this bill as automatic and semi-automatic weapons can kill a large number of people in a very short period of time and converting more guns to function this way is terrifying for the safety of our families. HB1797 - I SUPPORT this bill as visitors wishing to carry concealed handguns in Virginia should meet the same level of safety requirements that we require of our state’s residents. In many scenarios, visitors are held to the legal requirements of the state they are visiting, and applying this to gun safety should be common sense. HB1869 - I SUPPORT this bill as it expands critical protections to additional relationship categories. Especially in a time where people marry at a later age and/or more commonly cohabitate prior to marriage, allowing intimate partner, or dating relationships, to be protected keeps Virginians safer. HB1876 - I SUPPORT extending the protection of k-12 schools to our institutions of higher education. This is very personal to me as I spent 9 years working at a university and was involved in a scary situation where a student made violent threats with a firearm. HB1960 - I SUPPORT this bill, as it strengthens protections for domestic violence survivors.

Comments Document

Greetings, I'm writing today to let you know I support bills 1597 and 1660 because -- secure storage of guns saves lives and helps prevent firearm injuries, and -- prohibiting any kind of device designed to increase a firearm’s rate of fire will counteract intentions to increase that firearm's rate of death and injury. As is often said, "ULLU" saves lives! UnLoad & LockUp! (Logo attached - please share.) Thank you for your commitment to firearm safety.

I SUPPORT this bill. Responsible gun owners know better than anyone that safe storage and safe use of weapons are obligations one accepts upon purchase of a firearm. Unsecured weapons and modified weapons are extreme threats to children. As an educator, I demand that our legislators take these basic, common sense steps to protect the students I serve every day. Opposition to these bills is negligence and endangerment of our children.

I support these bills to make our community safer

I support HB1660 as automatic and semi-automatic weapons can kill a large number of people in a very short period of time. As a Virginia Tech alumna who was on campus during the April 16, 2007 Virginia Tech mass shooting, I strongly support increased regulations on guns and gun violence prevention legislation. As a mother working to keep all children safe from gun violence, I support HB1660 and reducing the number of gun-related deaths in our community and in our nation.

These are incredibly important mechanisms to protect our citizens especially children from unnecessary gun violence from individuals that are not registered or legally allowed to carry firearms and could be very dangerous in this setting.

I support this bill because I believe it would make our Commonwealth a safer place for everyone, including our children. Gun violence must be addressed and this is one of the many common sense laws proposed this session that can do that. Please take action and vote for this bill that could save lives.

As a graduate of Virginia Tech who was on campus during the mass shooting that occured on April 16, 2007, I strongly support increased regulations on guns. Having witnessed first half the devastation on communities that guns can cause, we need to prevent high capacity automatic and semi-automatic guns from being sold and ensure that loopholes that allow guns to be sold continue to be closed. As a mother of three young school aged children now, the sense of fear at which all families deal with on a daily basis is unfathomable and shouldn't be allowed to continue.

I strongly SUPPORT HB1660 as automatic and semi-automatic weapons can (and have!) kill(ed) a large number of people in a very short period of time.

No new gun control. Enforce the current laws. Stop trying to make good guys into bad guys.

Please pass these comments sense safety laws. The county desperately needs them.

I support these bills as data shows common sense gun laws save lives.

I support HB 1559 because it clarifies what is and is NOT required to renew one's CHP. If the General Assembly wishes to ensure Virginians are all educated in gun safety, then restore requirements for all students to be instructed in gun safety as part of physical education or health classes. I support HB 1569 because it lowers the cost of a permit making self-defense more accessible for lower income individuals. Futhermore, since VA no longer requires FBI fingerprinting for this process, the $25 fee for FBI printing incorporated into the fee structure is no longer needed. Localities keeping the higher fees are merely committing theft. I oppose HB 1597 because my hands are too small to use biometric safes. My fingers cannot reach the fingerprint readers/scanners, AND my fingerprints are difficult to read by electronic devices. Furthermore, I resent the government interference in how I manage my own home. This law puts me in danger in the event of a home intrusion. I do not appreciate this reckless attempt to regulate how I protect myself and my family in my own home. Furthermore, enforcement of these requirements would require egregious violations of privacy in our own homes. I oppose HB 1660 because it is too vague to be enforceable. If I can use my own hands or my shirt sleeves or a belt loop to "bump fire" a semi-automatic firearm, will I be arrested? Will my clothing be seized? Will my hands be cut off? Furthermore, at what exact point does a firearm 'mimic automatic weapon fire,' considering that different automatic firearms have different rates of fire? And how does someone determine what the rate of fire is for a person shooting a firearm unassisted? There are professional shooters, such as world champion Jerry Miculek, who can shoot a firearm without assisting devices at eye-popping speeds. Unadulterated semi-automatic firearms can be 'bump fired' by simply holding them the right way. If we put violent criminals in prison and keep them there as long as possible - even restore the death penalty for those who murder repeatedly or commit mass killings, we have no need to regulate firearms or their users in this way.

I support these eight bills, as we need to take action against the senseless violence and deaths caused by guns. We need to ban assault weapons, hold the industry more accountable, prohibit people from leaving firearms visibly unattended in cars, ban kits that create automatic weapons, tighten concealed handgun permits, expand critical protections to additional relationship categories, extend protection against firearms to higher education, and protect domestic violence survivors. As a country and a state, we cannot continue to accept gun violence and deaths as the norm.

I support HB1607 as assault weapons make it easier for a person to kill a large number of people in a very short period of time – including children in schools. I felt the impact of this at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007 as 32 students and teachers lost their lives. I support HB1608 as industry accountability is a great way to force manufacturers to raise standards of safety. It shouldn't be easier to buy a gun than it is to rent a car. I support HB1622 as it would crack down on vehicle gun thefts and make our communities safer. I support HB1660 as automatic and semi-automatic weapons can kill a large number of people in a very short period of time. I felt the impact of this at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007 as 32 students and teachers lost their lives. I support HB1797 as visitors wishing to carry concealed handguns in Virginia should meet the same level of safety requirements that we require of our state’s residents. I support HB1869 as it expands critical protections to additional relationship categories. For example, this bill would include a relationship where a woman cohabitates with her boyfriend. I support HB1876 as it extends the protection of k-12 schools to our institutions of higher education. I support HB1960 as it strengthens protections for domestic violence survivors.

HB1559: I support this bill. This is a simple, common-sense bill to correct a misunderstanding that some circuit court clerks have. It does not change who is eligible for a concealed handgun permit. It only prevents people from being needlessly hassled by clerks who don't know the law. HB1569: I support this bill. Concealed handgun permit fees are being set higher than necessary by some localities as a source of extra revenue or as a way of discouraging applicants. The existing fee caps were set based on a fingerprinting requirement that no longer exists, so it makes perfect sense to reduce the cap. HB1597: I oppose this bill, which reads like a laundry list of gun storage ideas which may be good ideas in many circumstances, but which should not be mandated by law. The bill even contradicts itself, suggesting that allowing minors to have unsupervised access to firearms should result in a jail sentence, but also saying that if an unsupervised minor uses a firearm in self-defense, it should not be a violation of the law. This bill's provisions related to storage in a vehicle would serve only to punish theft victims. Some people wouldn't need to store their firearms in their vehicles if not for laws passed in 2020 which made it illegal to carry a gun in many public places. HB1660: I oppose this bill. The General Assembly should not attempt to regulate firearm components based on subjective criteria which can vary from person to person.

Shall NOT be infringed.

I support this bill because I support any bill that seeks to create a safer community for our children to grow up in, that keeps guns away from schools, and that keep deadly weapons out of the hands of violent people who wish to violate our most protected right: the right to life. This is my number one issue.

SUPPORT HB1559-CHP Renewal Proof Of Training: This common-sense bill clarifies for judges and circuit court clerks that once the proof of training is furnished with the initial permit application, that proof carries over to renewals. It is in keeping with 18.2-308.02 (B) which states, "The court shall require proof that the applicant has demonstrated competence with a handgun in person and the applicant may demonstrate such competence by one of the following, but no applicant shall be required to submit to any additional demonstration of competence, nor shall any proof of demonstrated competence expire:" The fact that the applicant has previously held a Virginia CHP is a matter of record and establishes that they have demonstrated competence previously. SUPPORT HB1569-Reduction of fees for CHP: The fee for Virginia Resident Concealed Handgun Permits (CHP) was set based on the cost to the localities and the state, and was ONLY intended to reimburse the government for the expense of processing the permit applications. It was NOT intended as a tax. In fact, if it were a tax it would be akin to a poll tax, which we all can agree is unconstitutional. The allowable amount for the local law enforcement was set at UP TO $35 and included $25 for the FBI fingerprint processing. Fingerprints are no longer allowed for resident concealed handgun permits, and the processing of applications is much less labor intensive due to digital records being widely available. The allowable fee should be reduced accordingly. OPPOSE HB 1597-Secure storage of firearms: The proposed 18.2-308.7:1 is in conflict with the referenced 18.2-56.2, which allows access to firearms by minors age 14 and older, provided the access does not reclessly endanger life or limb of a child under age 14. HB1597 also does not take into account access for hunting. Youth age 12 and above who have successfully completed the hunter education safety course and obtained a hunting license can legally hunt unsupervised according to current Virginia code. In addition, this does not allow for all kinds of firearm locks, including the padlock type that is typically supplied with new firearms. The requirement for biometric safes is unaffordable for many, and biometrics are notoriously unreliable, which could result in injury or loss of life in emergency situations. The section of this bill applying to firearm storage is not always achievable. Some vehicles do not have a place that will adequately conceal a safe. And the penalty section punishes the victim for actions beyond their control if a criminal breaks into the vehicle and steals the gun, which is compounded if that person uses it in a crime and/or harms himself or someone else with it. OPPOSE HB1660-Altering the definition of Trigger Activator: The bill as proposed is ambiguous and unenforceable. What is the definition of "...rate of fire...faster thant that possible for a person to fire such semi-automatic firearm unassisted?" Who sets the standard for this?

I am against any gun control legislation for adults over 18 years old.

As a gun owner, I value the safe, responsible use of firearms and I believe that safety should always be a top priority in gun ownership, which is why I support HB1660. These devices, designed to dramatically increase a firearm’s rate of fire, serve no legitimate purpose for civilian use and pose significant risks to public safety. Responsible gun ownership means recognizing the distinction between tools for lawful use and those that endanger lives by enabling rapid, uncontrolled fire. By expanding the prohibition to include other auto-sears-like devices, this legislation takes an important step in closing dangerous loopholes and preventing tragedies. I urge you to pass this bill to promote responsible gun culture and protect our communities.

I'm a volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and I support this bill. Legislators should support bills to hold the gun industry accountable.

We MUST have stricter gun laws. At this point its common sense. Please protect our children and have stricter gun laws in order to keep our children safe at school and beyond.

Stop this gun control crap you people don't know what the difference between a true assault weapon is I carried one during the gulf war and it's not like the one I have in my gun cabinet AR-15 sold in gun shops is not a assault weapon so give public the true information or better yet put it to a vote by the people let the people decide

I support this bill as it extends the protection of K-12 schools to institutions of higher education to adopt a policy prohibiting the carrying of any firearm, ammunition, or components or combination thereof within any public building owned or operated by any such institution of higher education. Firearms have no business on college campuses. There have already been too many deadly shootings on campuses within our Commonwealth, and this is a common-sense law to make our campuses safer.

As alumna of a university where a school shooting took place, I support extending the protection of k-12 schools to our institutions of higher education.

My husband and I are gun owners, and he is retired military of 30 years of service. We FULLY SUPPORT extending the protection of k-12 schools to our institutions of higher education. We want common sense gun safety measures for the common good!

As an alumni of Virginia Tech and the horrific shooting that happened there, colleges should be able to ban firearms on their campuses for the safety of everyone that is part of that community. I support extending the protection of K-12 schools to our institutions of higher eduction.

These bills allow for those that wish to have guns to still have them, yet put safeguards in place so that the guns do not get into the wrong hands, are misused or changed into weapons meant to kill many people in a short amount of time. Please vote for these common sense gun laws so that children can live safely in our community with gun owners who prioritize safety.

I write as a taxpayer, a mother, a resident, a voter and a citizen of the Commonwealth of Virginia is strong SUPPORT of these bills. Our federal government refuses to do anything to save our children and make our country a safer place because they have all sold out to the NRA so the states is where is going to be so important! I am thankful for the efforts of our elected officials to do the right thing and high encourage passage of these bills.

HB1607 - I SUPPORT this bill as assault weapons make it easier for a person to kill a large number of people in a very short period of time – including children in schools, families at the mall or movies, congregations in houses of worship, etc. Assault weapons have no place in civilian life. HB1608 - I SUPPORT this bill as industry accountability is a great way to force manufacturers to raise standards of safety. HB1622 - I SUPPORT this bill as it would crack down on vehicle gun thefts and make our communities safer. This should be especially important in Virginia as 2022 FBI crime data shows that Richmond, Virginia is among the top 5 cities with the highest rates of gun theft from cars HB1660 - I SUPPORT this bill as automatic and semi-automatic weapons can kill a large number of people in a very short period of time and converting more guns to function this way is terrifying for the safety of our families. HB1797 - I SUPPORT this bill as visitors wishing to carry concealed handguns in Virginia should meet the same level of safety requirements that we require of our state’s residents. In many scenarios, visitors are held to the legal requirements of the state they are visiting, and applying this to gun safety should be common sense. HB1869 - I SUPPORT this bill as it expands critical protections to additional relationship categories. Especially in a time where people marry at a later age and/or more commonly cohabitate prior to marriage, allowing intimate partner, or dating relationships, to be protected keeps Virginians safer. HB1876 - I SUPPORT extending the protection of k-12 schools to our institutions of higher education. This is very personal to me as I spent 9 years working at a university and was involved in a scary situation where a student made violent threats with a firearm. HB1960 - I SUPPORT this bill, as it strengthens protections for domestic violence survivors.

I support these bills to make our community safer

I support HB1876 as it extends the protection of k-12 schools to our institutions of higher education. As a Virginia Tech alumna who was on campus during the April 16, 2007 Virginia Tech mass shooting, I strongly support increased regulations on guns and gun violence prevention legislation. As a mother working to keep all children safe from gun violence, I support HB1876 and reducing the number of gun-related deaths in our community and in our nation.

I support this bill because I believe it would make our Commonwealth a safer place for everyone, including our children. Gun violence must be addressed and this is one of the many common sense laws proposed this session that can do that. Please take action and vote for this bill that could save lives.

As a graduate of Virginia Tech who was on campus during the mass shooting that occured on April 16, 2007, I strongly support increased regulations on guns. Having witnessed first half the devastation on communities that guns can cause, we need to prevent high capacity automatic and semi-automatic guns from being sold and ensure that loopholes that allow guns to be sold continue to be closed. As a mother of three young school aged children now, the sense of fear at which all families deal with on a daily basis is unfathomable and shouldn't be allowed to continue.

I strongly SUPPORT HB1876 as it extends the protection of k-12 schools to our institutions of higher education.

Please pass these comments sense safety laws. The county desperately needs them.

I support these bills as data shows common sense gun laws save lives.

I support these eight bills, as we need to take action against the senseless violence and deaths caused by guns. We need to ban assault weapons, hold the industry more accountable, prohibit people from leaving firearms visibly unattended in cars, ban kits that create automatic weapons, tighten concealed handgun permits, expand critical protections to additional relationship categories, extend protection against firearms to higher education, and protect domestic violence survivors. As a country and a state, we cannot continue to accept gun violence and deaths as the norm.

I support HB1607 as assault weapons make it easier for a person to kill a large number of people in a very short period of time – including children in schools. I felt the impact of this at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007 as 32 students and teachers lost their lives. I support HB1608 as industry accountability is a great way to force manufacturers to raise standards of safety. It shouldn't be easier to buy a gun than it is to rent a car. I support HB1622 as it would crack down on vehicle gun thefts and make our communities safer. I support HB1660 as automatic and semi-automatic weapons can kill a large number of people in a very short period of time. I felt the impact of this at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007 as 32 students and teachers lost their lives. I support HB1797 as visitors wishing to carry concealed handguns in Virginia should meet the same level of safety requirements that we require of our state’s residents. I support HB1869 as it expands critical protections to additional relationship categories. For example, this bill would include a relationship where a woman cohabitates with her boyfriend. I support HB1876 as it extends the protection of k-12 schools to our institutions of higher education. I support HB1960 as it strengthens protections for domestic violence survivors.

I support this bill because I support any bill that seeks to create a safer community for our children to grow up in, that keeps guns away from schools, and that keep deadly weapons out of the hands of violent people who wish to violate our most protected right: the right to life. This is my number one issue.

We MUST have stricter gun laws. At this point its common sense. Please protect our children and have stricter gun laws in order to keep our children safe at school and beyond.

Stop this gun control crap you people don't know what the difference between a true assault weapon is I carried one during the gulf war and it's not like the one I have in my gun cabinet AR-15 sold in gun shops is not a assault weapon so give public the true information or better yet put it to a vote by the people let the people decide

I SUPPORT this bill as commonsense restrictions on gun access and believe in protecting the safety of our medical care providers.

I am writing in support of HB1597 and the safe storage of a firearm in a vehicle. This is a common sense safe storage gun law to prevent a firearm getting into the hands of a minor. I am writing in support of HB1977 in prohibited possession of a firearm in a hospital with mental health services. I am a nurse in a Richmond city hospital that does provide mental healt services. It is very important that fire arms are prohibited from theses areas to protect the health care workers and patients at this hospital. I am writing in support of HB2064 the providing of locking devices with the sale of a fire arm. This is a common sense and easy safe storage bill. It will provide the purchaser to have easy access to a locking device to keep anyone entering their house or vehicle safe from using this fire arm. I am writing in support of HB2241. I SUPPORT this bill because I believe that hate has no place in our state, and want to protect minority communities in our commonwealth.

I support this bill. It is common sense to ask that no one leave, place, or store their handgun in an unattended motor vehicle when it is visible to any person outside the motor vehicle. This is not too much to ask to save even one life.

Please pass this bill! I worked in a mental health facility MANY years ago in New Jersey and this was the standard operating procedure there. We even had locking storage boxes for this purpose so that officers or families members that arrived armed, could still secure their belongings and visit the person they needed to see. I couldn't imagine working on one of those units with firearms in the mix. People who work in the medical field and patients in those units deserve a safe environment for healing.

I support this bill as it is commonsense restrictions on gun access and believe in protecting the safety of our medical care providers.

We support this bill as commonsense restrictions on gun access and believe in protecting the safety of our medical care providers.

I support these bills as they prevent those that may not have clear mental faculties from having access to firearms while they are working on treatment for those issues. Many items for purchase in Virginia require that we have safety measures purchased in order to use them - including cars and alcohol. Requiring a gun lock for firearm purchases is common sense to ensure that those that should not be using the gun don't have access to it. Those that have been convicted of a hate crime should also not have access to guns as they have been convicted of criminal act that is motivated by bias against a person or their property. If immigrants are being deported because they are criminals, then citizens that are criminals shouldn't have access to firearms.

I support this bill as it is a common sense restriction that would help keep our health care workers and patients safer.

This is a commonsense restriction on gun access and believe in protecting the safety of our medical care providers. I know a nurse that is still dealing with ramifications of a person shooting a firearm at VCU hospital and our public health professionals are under enough stress/strain that they should have reasonable assurance there is no gun access in those facilities. We SUPPORT this bill.

I support this bill as it is a common sense restriction on gun access and believe in protecting the safety of our medical care providers.

On HB1977. Please pass this bill. Prohibiting weapons in any facility is common sense and a way to keep people safe including mental health or emergency medical care. Commonsense restrictions on gun access is important to Virginians and in this case we should do all we can to protect the safety of our medical care providers and those in their care. On HB2064. How this is not already a law is shocking? People who own firearms should automatically be given a way to lock up their weapon. All firearms in Virginia should come with a warning label about keeping it out of the hands of kids. Guns are the #1 cause of death in children, we must make this law. On HB2241. There is no space for Hate in Virginia or anywhere. Now more than ever, we must make sure that criminals especially those convicted of a hate crime are never able to own a gun. Minority communities - and all Virginians should be protected in every way possible.

We SUPPORT this bill as commonsense restrictions on gun access and believe in protecting the safety of our medical care providers.

We SUPPORT this bill as commonsense restrictions on gun access and believe in protecting the safety of our medical care providers. Guns are the #1 cause of death in children, we SUPPORT this bill. We SUPPORT this bill because we believe that hate has no place in our state, and want to protect minority communities in our commonwealth.

We SUPPORT this bill as commonsense restrictions on gun access and believe in protecting the safety of our medical care providers. Guns are the #1 cause of death in children, we SUPPORT this bill. We SUPPORT this bill because we believe that hate has no place in our state, and want to protect minority communities in our commonwealth.

People in care for mental health issues are at greater risk of harming themselves and others if exposed to deadly weapons. It is common sense to keep them out of such institutions for the safety of everyone involved.

I believe in commonsense restrictions on gun access and believe in protecting the safety of our medical care providers.

Comments Document

I signed up yesterday to provide verbal testimony but did not receive a link to participate. Here is what I would have said: I am Bill Aramony, Virginia resident of Fairfax County, Speaking on behalf of the American Legion and as the chair of the Joint Leadership Council which has designated this bill a #1 priority. The bill was proposed by The American Legion and by the National Vet Court Alliance (its representative is Daniel Cortez). This bill is consistent with the culture of military and veteran institutions to help veterans. For example, the Department of Virginia is setting up its third American Legion Post within Virginia prisons. Nationally, a primary program of the Commander of the American Legion is BE THE ONE – Meaning the one to check in on a veteran, take suicide prevention training, other reaching out within the community to help the fellow veteran and others. That is the purpose and intent of HB 2071. To assist the veteran who’s incarcerated or arrested and get them mental health and other help. We cannot help them if they’re not identified if we don’t know who they are.

Comments Document

I signed up yesterday to provide verbal testimony but did not receive a link to participate.

Stop this gun control crap you people don't know what the difference between a true assault weapon is I carried one during the gulf war and it's not like the one I have in my gun cabinet AR-15 sold in gun shops is not a assault weapon so give public the true information or better yet put it to a vote by the people let the people decide

I fervently support HB2193, and urge you to pass this bill. For too long has the National Guard been used to fight forever wars that were never voted on by Congress. The last time Congress passed a formal declaration of War was 1942. Since then Congress and several Presidents have abused their powers to send young men and women to die overseas without a declaration of War. I strongly urge you to pass this bill to protect the men and women of the Virginia National Guard from such abuses, and to use the National Guard for its true purpose. We need the Virginia National Guard to help Virginia in times of crisis here in the state of Virginia.

This bill protects our National Guard from gross national overreach by requiring Congress to actually declare war before their activation.

I strongly urge you to support HR 2193, a crucial piece of legislation that not only restores constitutional oversight to the deployment of Virginia’s National Guard but also ensures we are prepared to meet emergencies here at home. As you know, the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to declare war under Article I, Section 8. Unfortunately, for decades, this responsibility has been bypassed, allowing the federal government to send our National Guard troops to fight in overseas conflicts without the proper constitutional process. This undermines the separation of powers and leaves our Guard members vulnerable to unnecessary risks. In addition to the constitutional concerns, sending our National Guard resources to foreign conflicts reduces our ability to respond to emergencies here in Virginia. When our Guardsmen are deployed overseas, they are not available to assist during natural disasters, like hurricanes, floods, or wildfires, where their presence is critical. For example, during Hurricane Katrina and other major disasters, the absence of National Guard units—who were deployed abroad—left states struggling to respond effectively. Other states are also seeing this now in Georgia and North Carolina with Hurricane Helene. Ensuring our National Guard remains available for state emergencies should be a top priority, and the Defend the Guard Act helps protect our state's ability to address such crises. This bill does not impede the Guard’s ability to respond to domestic disasters or participate in training exercises. Instead, it requires that before our Guard units are sent into combat overseas, Congress must formally declare war—ensuring that such deployments are made with full transparency and accountability. Virginia's National Guard is a vital resource for our state’s security, from disaster relief to emergency management. Supporting HR 2193 not only upholds constitutional principles but also preserves the readiness of our Guard to serve Virginia when we need them most. I urge you to stand with Virginia's National Guard and the citizens of our state by supporting this important legislation.

This bill should pass with unanimous consent from both Political Parties in the VA General Assembly. Both Democrats and Republicans say they "support our troops" and that they also "support our veterans". Well, it's time to prove it by passing this bill and sending it to our Governor -- This bill will allow the state of Virginia to use its inherent, sovereign authority to rebalance war powers between the branches of the federal government State legislators have an essential, civic obligation to their constituents to demand that the federal government adhere to congressional war powers as mandated by Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution. Without an official declaration of war by the U.S. Congress, states have a duty to withhold their troops from active combat. The sole objective of this bill is to obligate the federal government to obey the U.S. Constitution before sending our sons and daughters to fight more endless wars. -- On a side note, I ask that the VA General Assembly and Governor Youngkin beware anyone who opposes this bill being passed into law, especially lobbyists or US military officials.

I strongly urge you to support HR 2193, a crucial piece of legislation that not only restores constitutional oversight to the deployment of Virginia’s National Guard but also ensures we are prepared to meet emergencies here at home. As you know, the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to declare war under Article I, Section 8. Unfortunately, for decades, this responsibility has been bypassed, allowing the federal government to send our National Guard troops to fight in overseas conflicts without the proper constitutional process. This undermines the separation of powers and leaves our Guard members vulnerable to unnecessary risks. In addition to the constitutional concerns, sending our National Guard resources to foreign conflicts reduces our ability to respond to emergencies here in Virginia. When our Guardsmen are deployed overseas, they are not available to assist during natural disasters, like hurricanes, floods, or wildfires, where their presence is critical. For example, during Hurricane Katrina and other major disasters, the absence of National Guard units—who were deployed abroad—left states struggling to respond effectively. Other states are also seeing this now in Georgia and North Carolina with Hurricane Helene. Ensuring our National Guard remains available for state emergencies should be a top priority, and the Defend the Guard Act helps protect our state's ability to address such crises. This bill does not impede the Guard’s ability to respond to domestic disasters or participate in training exercises. Instead, it requires that before our Guard units are sent into combat overseas, Congress must formally declare war—ensuring that such deployments are made with full transparency and accountability. Virginia's National Guard is a vital resource for our state’s security, from disaster relief to emergency management. Supporting HR 2193 not only upholds constitutional principles but also preserves the readiness of our Guard to serve Virginia when we need them most. I urge you to stand with Virginia's National Guard and the citizens of our state by supporting this important legislation.

Stop this gun control crap you people don't know what the difference between a true assault weapon is I carried one during the gulf war and it's not like the one I have in my gun cabinet AR-15 sold in gun shops is not a assault weapon so give public the true information or better yet put it to a vote by the people let the people decide

I support constitutional carry within the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Stop this gun control crap you people don't know what the difference between a true assault weapon is I carried one during the gulf war and it's not like the one I have in my gun cabinet AR-15 sold in gun shops is not a assault weapon so give public the true information or better yet put it to a vote by the people let the people decide

Comments Document

Please see the attached document explaining why Prison Fellowship supports HB2221. Thank you.

We MUST have stricter gun laws. At this point its common sense. Please protect our children and have stricter gun laws in order to keep our children safe at school and beyond.

Stop this gun control crap you people don't know what the difference between a true assault weapon is I carried one during the gulf war and it's not like the one I have in my gun cabinet AR-15 sold in gun shops is not a assault weapon so give public the true information or better yet put it to a vote by the people let the people decide

I SUPPORT this bill because I believe that hate has no place in our state, I want to protect minority communities in our commonwealth, and it should be common sense that someone convicted of a hate crime should not own a gun.

I am writing in support of HB1597 and the safe storage of a firearm in a vehicle. This is a common sense safe storage gun law to prevent a firearm getting into the hands of a minor. I am writing in support of HB1977 in prohibited possession of a firearm in a hospital with mental health services. I am a nurse in a Richmond city hospital that does provide mental healt services. It is very important that fire arms are prohibited from theses areas to protect the health care workers and patients at this hospital. I am writing in support of HB2064 the providing of locking devices with the sale of a fire arm. This is a common sense and easy safe storage bill. It will provide the purchaser to have easy access to a locking device to keep anyone entering their house or vehicle safe from using this fire arm. I am writing in support of HB2241. I SUPPORT this bill because I believe that hate has no place in our state, and want to protect minority communities in our commonwealth.

I support this bill. We have seen the awful/lethal impact of hate crimes in Virginia and I support any common sense approach to addressing this issue.

I believe that hate has no place in our state and want to protect minority communities in our commonwealth.

We support this bill because we believe that hate has no place in our state and want to protect minority communities in our commonwealth

I support these bills as they prevent those that may not have clear mental faculties from having access to firearms while they are working on treatment for those issues. Many items for purchase in Virginia require that we have safety measures purchased in order to use them - including cars and alcohol. Requiring a gun lock for firearm purchases is common sense to ensure that those that should not be using the gun don't have access to it. Those that have been convicted of a hate crime should also not have access to guns as they have been convicted of criminal act that is motivated by bias against a person or their property. If immigrants are being deported because they are criminals, then citizens that are criminals shouldn't have access to firearms.

We SUPPORT this bill because we believe that hate has no place in our state, and want to protect minority communities in our commonwealth.

I support this bill because I believe that hate has no place in our state and want to protect minority communities in our commonwealth.

On HB1977. Please pass this bill. Prohibiting weapons in any facility is common sense and a way to keep people safe including mental health or emergency medical care. Commonsense restrictions on gun access is important to Virginians and in this case we should do all we can to protect the safety of our medical care providers and those in their care. On HB2064. How this is not already a law is shocking? People who own firearms should automatically be given a way to lock up their weapon. All firearms in Virginia should come with a warning label about keeping it out of the hands of kids. Guns are the #1 cause of death in children, we must make this law. On HB2241. There is no space for Hate in Virginia or anywhere. Now more than ever, we must make sure that criminals especially those convicted of a hate crime are never able to own a gun. Minority communities - and all Virginians should be protected in every way possible.

I am writing in support of HB2241. Hate has no place in Virginia, and people convicted of hate crimes should not have access to lethal weapons.

We SUPPORT this bill because we believe that hate has no place in our state, and want to protect minority communities in our commonwealth.

We SUPPORT this bill as commonsense restrictions on gun access and believe in protecting the safety of our medical care providers. Guns are the #1 cause of death in children, we SUPPORT this bill. We SUPPORT this bill because we believe that hate has no place in our state, and want to protect minority communities in our commonwealth.

We SUPPORT this bill as commonsense restrictions on gun access and believe in protecting the safety of our medical care providers. Guns are the #1 cause of death in children, we SUPPORT this bill. We SUPPORT this bill because we believe that hate has no place in our state, and want to protect minority communities in our commonwealth.

HB2064: A gun is huge responsibility and having a mandatory lock would help prevent accidental injuries and death, especially among the most vulnerable, the children. #1 cause of death among children is gun violence. HB2241: A hate crime indicates malice towards others. Allowing guns into the hands of people who commit hate crimes is inviting even more egregious crimes to be committed.

I support this bill. Hate has no place in our state, and we should protect minority communities in our commonwealth.

Hoping for common sense policies from democrats who think of all Virginia citizens first. Please keep the hard working people in mind because we are the ones paying for it.

Please oppose HB2241. It would be wrong for Virginian's to lose constitutional rights based on misdemeanor hate crimes. This would be abused. Would someone lose their gun rights for wearing an NRA hat or patch? If there was a felony charge for the hate crime, yes, but not a misdemeanor. This could easily conflict with 1st Amendment issue depending on the persons mindset. Please oppose this bill.

Good afternoon, Thank you Chairman and members of the committee. My name is Erin Earp and I'm a Senior Policy Attorney with the GIFFORDS Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Prior to working for GIFFORDS, I was an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in Alexandria, VA for 8 years. I write to express my, and GIFFORDS, support for Del. Tran's bill, HB2241, which would prohibit individuals from possessing firearms if they have been convicted of simple assault or assault and battery as a hate crime. Research shows that people who have been convicted of violent hate crimes tend to continue or escalate their behavior, and hate crimes are on the rise. In recent years, the FBI has elevated “racially motivated violent extremism” to a top-level priority threat, and identifying white supremacy as a major driver of mass casualty attacks. Between 2014 and 2021, hate crimes increased 94%. Each year, over 10,000 bias-motivated attacks are committed involving firearms. Those who have attacked someone because of their race, color, ethnic or national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation should not be permitted to purchase or possess firearms. These individuals have shown that they are a danger to marginalized communities, and these communities deserve to be protected. I urge you to favorably report this bill. Thank you.

As a mom, former social worker, and gun owner, I believe in supporting gun legislation that underscores the responsibility of gun ownership and provides protection for our children and loves ones in our communities. I support HB 1869, HB 2064, and HB 2241. I oppose HB 1559, HB 2412 and HB 2414.

HB1559 (SUPPORT) clarifies that you don't need to furnish proof of training when renewing your CHP HB1869 (OPPOSE) expands the prohibition of rights for people convicted of *misdemeanor* assault and battery HB2064 (OPPOSE) requires dealers to post warnings and supply warnings with firearms, as well as supply locking devices HB2145 (SUPPORT) would remove the 30-day wait to purchase for those with new VA driver's licenses that are Real IDs HB2242 (OPPOSE) would prohibit the rights of someone convicted of a *misdemeanor* "hate" crime HB2412 (SUPPORT) would remove the carry ban in VA rest areas and ABC stores HB2414 (SUPPORT) would define in-person training for CHP to include online platforms like Zoom, etc., where the instructor and student can see each other and interact in real time

I am a clinical psychologist who has worked in forensic and correctional mental health for over forty years in Virginia. As such, I have extensive experience evaluating and treating both juveniles and adults who have engaged in gun violence, including mass murder. I have also worked as a police psychologist and have been trained to use firearms. I can confidently assure you that a “good guy with a gun” can at any moment become a danger to society, and laws that limit access to firearms do indeed deter both self-harm and harm to others. For that reason, I support each of these bills that provide for greater ‘good sense’ gun safety. Perhaps more to the point is the fact that most individuals who kill are not interested in nor are they amenable to mental health treatment- regardless of how much this would appear to make sense. Unfortunately, portraying gun violence as a mental health issue will do nothing to reduce the problem. Controlling access to weapons, mandating thoughtful training and registration, and placing safety and the sanctity of life above all else is the only reasonable, respectful and PROVEN response to the threat of impulsivity, entitlement and rage. After spending my professional lifetime with violent offenders, let me assure you that the vast majority of folks who are viewed as “crazy,” still remain very much aware of credibly serious and consistent consequences for bad behavior. Gun violence is NOT a mental health issue but good sense laws and human life are a right above all others.

I strongly oppose the bill that prohibits individuals convicted of misdemeanor hate crimes from possessing firearms, making it a Class 6 felony. This legislation is overly punitive, infringing on Second Amendment rights as established in District of Columbia v. Heller (2008). It disregards the principle of proportionality in punishment, highlighted in Graham v. Florida (2010), by equating a misdemeanor with felony-level consequences. The bill lacks a rehabilitative approach, ignoring the potential for personal growth, contrary to the ethos discussed in Roper v. Simmons (2005). It's too broad, risking misapplication, similar to concerns in Wisconsin v. Mitchell (1993). It also undermines self-defense rights, a core Second Amendment purpose, as seen in Castle Rock v. Gonzales (2005). Furthermore, it raises due process issues by not allowing for appeals or reassessment of risk, violating principles from United States v. Salerno (1987). The potential for biased enforcement, akin to issues in Batson v. Kentucky (1986), and the hindrance of societal reintegration, as discussed in Padilla v. Kentucky (2010), are significant concerns. This bill should be rejected for its lack of balance between public safety and individual rights.

I'm a volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and I support this bill.

Stop this gun control crap you people don't know what the difference between a true assault weapon is I carried one during the gulf war and it's not like the one I have in my gun cabinet AR-15 sold in gun shops is not a assault weapon so give public the true information or better yet put it to a vote by the people let the people decide

Stop this gun control crap you people don't know what the difference between a true assault weapon is I carried one during the gulf war and it's not like the one I have in my gun cabinet AR-15 sold in gun shops is not a assault weapon so give public the true information or better yet put it to a vote by the people let the people decide

Comments Document

I am in full support of VA HB2520, included is a testimony in support of the Bill.

I support HB2520.

Stop this gun control crap you people don't know what the difference between a true assault weapon is I carried one during the gulf war and it's not like the one I have in my gun cabinet AR-15 sold in gun shops is not a assault weapon so give public the true information or better yet put it to a vote by the people let the people decide

Stop this gun control crap you people don't know what the difference between a true assault weapon is I carried one during the gulf war and it's not like the one I have in my gun cabinet AR-15 sold in gun shops is not a assault weapon so give public the true information or better yet put it to a vote by the people let the people decide

Stop this gun control crap you people don't know what the difference between a true assault weapon is I carried one during the gulf war and it's not like the one I have in my gun cabinet AR-15 sold in gun shops is not a assault weapon so give public the true information or better yet put it to a vote by the people let the people decide