Honorable Delegates, I respectfully object to HB 167. This is another anti Virginia heritage effort that is motivated by the mistaken belief that Virginia's secession in 1861 was motivated by the preservation of slavery. The truth is it was President Lincoln's call for 75,000 troops to invade the cotton states. Two votes were taken in April 1861 regarding secession. The first vote on April 4th defeated secession. Two weeks later on April 17th that vote was reversed. Certainly the status of slavery did not change, what changed was the call to invade the cotton states by Lincoln. At the time Virginia seceded there were as many slave states in the Union as in the Confederacy. Neither side went to war to end slavery as evidenced by both the Corwin Amendment and Crittenden-Johnson Resolution. It's also true that slavery continued in the Union after the last Virginia forces surrendered.

This bill seems to single out heritage organizations that the author don’t like. A Confederate heritage organization is not equivalent to the defeated army itself. It is not rebelling against the Union or proposing to overhaul anything in Virginia by force or even mere words. These "clubs" are for local (and often elderly) history buffs with a penchant for genealogy and cultural memories. Importantly, they care for the graves of the dearly departed. When we honor the dead, we honor all dead indiscriminately. This bill is not forthcoming, in that it really proposes to evict the meek ladies that gather in a beautiful building on Arthur Ashe Boulevard, which they cannot afford to pay real estate taxes on. Not only have they suffered much vitriol and outright mob attack on those venerable halls, the property tax skyrocketed around them because the Sons of Confederate Veterans were nice enough to donate the land to the VMFA for the neighborhood’s general improvement. A tax exemption sounds like a nice gesture. However, this club generates no real money from outside. Real Estate tax is justifiable for homeowners whose families benefit from city services (schools, roads, etc.) but the members concerned here are most likely already paying real estate taxes on their individual homes. The bill should be opposed.

Honorable Delegate, I respectfully object to HB 167 currently before the House Finance Committee. I realize I live in a different state, however my family is from VA, some fought and died for the state. It is our heritage, not hate! Thank you

Honorable Members, I'm writing in opposition to HB167. I see it as yet another attempt to rewrite history according to a particular viewpoint. The organizations affected do not promote divisiveness and simply attempt to present the history of our State as seen through the eyes of the people who actually lived it, good or bad. Those who choose to change or ignore the lessons of history are truly doomed to repeat it.

Honorable Delegates, I respectfully object to HB 167 currently before the House Finance Committee. This bill is an act of aggression and will cause greater division among Virginians than any perceived benefit to the Commonwealth.

I implore you to oppose HB 167. It singles out a specific demographic based solely on its history, heritage, and culture. Therefore, HB 167 is a blatant violation of the provisions of equal protection under the law provided by the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

I'm writing to oppose HB167. This bill singles out certain Confederate organizations because they look at the war period from the Southern point of view. The times were different in the 1860s and at that time it was honorable for men to be "Virginia First". I know many members of these organizations. They are good people, not political activists, and harbor no hate. They deserve to keep their tax exemption.

As a member of the Virginia Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans who has engaged in considerable volunteer work over the past couple of years for the organization, I question the intention and purpose behind HB167. To what end does it serve to tax an organization who's main task for the past one hundred years has been to honor and memorialize the men lost in a terrible civil war? I ask this question because our main task - as an organization - has been the preservation and remembrance of individual soldiers. The main project of the Virginia SCV has been the restoration of Oakwood Cemetery's Confederate Section in Richmond, Virginia. This includes the maintenance of the grounds and the installation of headstones upon the grounds. Across its boundaries, over 16,000 Confederate dead are buried in this section; men from every Southern State. My role in this has been to help with the installation of these headstones and to recant the story of these men; why and how they ended up here - in Virginia - and why they lie in Oakwood today. These men were from every walk of life in the south; from the sons of wealthy plantation owners to humble, yeoman farmers conscripted to fight in that war. All of these men buried in Oakwood never made it home; they came to find their eternal rest there. Gone, but not forgotten. The SCV took it upon themselves to maintain the grounds of that section and to encourage families and relatives to fund the installation of headstones for their ancestors buried there. This - by all measures - is a good and noble task that the Virginia Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans has taken upon themselves to fulfill. By removing the tax exemption status for the SCV, it inadvertently harms the memorialization of these men. It would be wrong for such a bill to be passed into law because it impedes a noble and honorable deed conducted by an organization who has taken this burden upon themselves.

I respectfully write to express my opposition to pending House legislation HB 167, which targets individual organizations based on prejudices and seeks nothing more than to penalize heritage organizations, of which any person, regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation, are welcome to join, and of whose sole purpose is to honor and protect the shared heritage of all Virginians. Such bills as HB 167 set forth a dangerous precedence which would allow law makers to discriminate against any citizens of their choosing, rather than seeking the common good for all citizens and protecting our individual rights. I make this statement solely on behalf of myself. This is not a partisan issue, but a matter of historical preservation, fairness, and civic duty. I respectfully ask that you oppose HB 167.

Honorable Delegate, I respectfully write to express my opposition to pending House legislation including HB 167, HB 1344, HB 1377, and HB 1374, which remove monuments, penalize heritage organizations, or defund or alter historic institutions such as the Virginia Military Institute. I make this statement solely on behalf of myself and my family. This is not a partisan issue, but a matter of historical preservation, fairness, and civic duty. I respectfully ask that you oppose these bills.

I respectfully write to express my opposition to pending House legislation including HB 167, HB 1344, HB 1377, and HB 1374, which remove monuments, penalize heritage organizations, or defund or alter historic institutions such as the Virginia Military Institute. I make this statement solely on behalf of myself and my family. This is not a partisan issue, but a matter of historical preservation, fairness, and civic duty. I respectfully ask that you oppose these bills and carefully consider the concerns of Virginians who believe our shared heritage deserves thoughtful and respectful treatment.

Please vote NO on this bill which strips the tax exempt status for UDC and Sons of Confederate Veterans. These organizations provide valuable community service resulting in thousands of volunteer hours as well as monetary support. These volunteer services include helping at food banks; supporting veteran organizations, both financially and in person; contributing to the flooding disaster last year in western North Carolina by sending significant contributions to Mercy Chefs to provide hot meals to our affected North Carolina neighbors to name just a few. These acts rarely, if ever, make it into the newspapers to let people know the good that is done by these organizations. Most newspapers refuse to print submitted articles. By stripping the tax exempt status of these organizations and losing their financial impact, our commonwealth will be the loser. Thank you.

This Bill violates agreements made by the state to obtain property from the United Confederate Veterans in the 1950s. The state should be forced to keep its agreements. If passed, litigation paid for by the taxpayers will surely commence. I for one will assist in financing the legal cost to the United Daughters of the Confederacy. This is a historical organization of ladies that has existed since 1896. It preserves graves and monuments, nothing more. I must admit that if they are forced to leave Richmond, I do not know why they would be too sad, they are too honorable and forthright to want to stay in such a city.

Please support HB272!

I am writing in support of bill HB272 to support the growth of the film industry in the beautiful Commonwealth of Virginia. Incentives help to entice studios to produce film projects that provide good paying jobs to Virginian constituents while boosting local businesses and the overall economy across the state and in the localities where filming takes place.

Dear Legislators, Please support HB272 !!!! At the moment there is no film work in Virginia

Funding these bills increases the chance of long term film work within the state of VA. The last few years have seen a weak and non competitive television and film incentive for productions to come and invest in this community. With fights for film worker's rights, threats of AI replacing jobs , and conglomerate studio mergers, US film work even more competitive. Productions have been choosing to out source to work to european countries it makes the pool of work even smaller. We have a strong and talented community of film workers and technicians in this state and we are looking forward to your vote to pass this bill and bring us the work we need and want here. Fund the Arts. Fund bringing work to your constituents. Fund economic growth to VA. Thanks for your time.

It would be great to get some more incentives in Virginia so some work and money could come back into the state so the people who grew up in this area and want to continue to call Virginia a home would like to keep doing but if I can't work I can't afford to live in Virginia much longer

I live in Richmond, and I work in the film industry. My livelihood depends on an increase in these incentives! I am 42 years old, and I have worked in film for nearly 20 years. I need more film opportunities here to survive! Thank you very much for your time.

As a film worker, my livelihood depends on these bills. Once I turn 26 I will need to be in a union to have healthcare. If union jobs don’t come to Virginia, I’ll be forced to leave my home state.

Please support this bill as it helps to incentivize film work in the Commonwealth; supporting our state-wide economy and boosting sustainability for trained tradespeople to live, raise families, and work in Virginia.

I am writing to ask that you please consider supporting HB272. As a location scout in the film industry, I have seen how incentive programs like this bring in large scale film productions that not only provide a livelihood for local crews, casts and artisans, but also directly pump money into local economies. These productions contract numerous local vendors for their services and are often among those companies highest spending and most vital customers. Without incentives like this, it is almost certain that these large productions will cease coming to Virginia and that will negatively impact not only the livelihoods of local film workers, but also the numerous vendors services that we contract.

Good morning, distinguished Committee members, I write to you today in support of an issue that will play a vital role in reinvigorating the Virginia film industry, bringing jobs and revenue back to the Commonwealth. I am one of hundreds of workers in Virginia who benefited directly – and indirectly – in years past from Virginia’s support of television and movie production. Passing HB 272, the Film Industry Communities Zone; Local Designation legislation, is critical to the future of Virginia’s economy and helping workers like me. Consider my own story as a camera assistant. A few years ago, movies and television productions routinely came to Virginia. People like me enjoyed well-paying jobs that benefited ourselves and our communities in Virginia. But much has changed since Virginia’s film incentives lapsed. Workers like me must routinely leave Virginia to find work and practice our trade. Tonight, for instance, I am writing this while working in North Carolina, where I just wrapped a day of film production for a Netflix series. While I have been fortunate to still live in Richmond, many of my colleagues have been forced to move to North Carolina and other states to make a living. Skilled artists and technicians who love our state have moved away reluctantly – to follow the work and earn a living. This is a loss for Virginia on many different levels. There is an immediate economic impact. For example, today I saw hundreds of workers in North Carolina – not Virginia – earning good money and spending it in the local community. These are jobs and revenue that a few years ago could have been in Virginia. With this proposed legislation, this well-paying industry could once again return. Movie and film production could become much more common in the Commonwealth. The revenue impact of movie production snowballs throughout a community and the state. The impacts are far-reaching. Beyond tax issues, the potential tourism advertisement that comes from Virginia film goes completely muted without an incentivized reason to bring productions here. A lack of a visible film output in Virginia misses valuable opportunities to bring more public attention to the Commonwealth, with real world economic impact from both tourism and industry. The industry also directly drives the livelihoods, wages, and healthcare of those workers. Film production work often leads to union participation, which in turn subsidizes employee healthcare. However, union healthcare is dependent on participation. As industry opportunities diminish in the Commonwealth, film workers face rising costs of public healthcare options or risk losing their healthcare entirely. Healthcare achieved through union production lessens the burden of public cost health on state taxpayers while at the same time helping Virginia workers. To tie these thoughts together, tonight I write to you from North Carolina as one single member out of a production crew of hundreds of people. Crews of this size earn impressive wages, which are taxed by the state before they are spent on goods and services in the local economy. Instead of this happening in North Carolina, this should be happening in Virginia – and this legislation can help make that happen.

As a local film crew member, I understand the importance and the impact our shows can make on the communities in which we shoot. I have worked on films/shows that have filmed all over the Commonwealth and know the crew and cast have contributed greatly to the municipal, retail, hospitality and service industries. Allowing the communities to find ways to bring this kind of work to their localities is empowering and a great way to stimulate our industry. Our livelihoods. Thank you for your time.

I work in the film industry and my livelihood depends on the boost these incentives give our industry. Please support it! Thank you!

My name is Victoria Petrone and I live in Richmond, VA and have been in the film industry for 10+ years. I love my job and the community it has given me. Not many people can say that, however, I know just how fortunate I am as well as the community. By supporting HB 272, you are giving back to small businesses, showing how wonderful our city is and just how much we have to offer. The lack of work due to the loss of incentives has been devastating. Richmond was once a place that was booming with new opportunities and future creative projects that allowed everyone from all walks of life to support themeselves and families. Please consider supporting HB 272.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on HB 272. I live in Richmond, VA and have worked on motion picture productions for twenty years alongside hundreds of hard-working local technicians, tradesmen, artists, coordinators, assistants, drivers, office staff, and other workers. Sadly, our once thriving industry is now stagnant because Virginia can’t compete with nearby states. Jobs, a talented workforce, recent graduates and dollars that could have been spent here are forced to go elsewhere. It’s disheartening when a movie or TV show that is set in Virginia is filmed in a nearby state because that state offers more flexible economic support . Virginia has EVERYTHING other states have (great crew, stunning locations, supportive small businesses, etc.); the only thing we lack is the legislation to support our industry. Please help put Virginia BACK on the list of economically viable places to bring film and television production. Please support Virginia’s current AND future workers and businesses by supporting HB 272. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Good afternoon, I'm writing in support of tax incentives for Film in Virginia. I've been a resident of Richmond Virginia since 2002 and have worked in the Film community since 2008 and join the Camera union local 600 in 2013. We have a wonderful, talented and diverse crew here in Virginia who love this city and what we do for our livelihoods. None of us want to travel to NY or Atlanta to work, leaving our significant others and pets here just to support ourselves. Thank you for your consideration. -Eric Eaton IATSE Local 600

Please support HB272! As a film location scout, I understand the importance of localities having the ability to offer their own incentives to attract film production. Film productions have a significant economic impact on the areas they film, especially for the local businesses. Also, film locations have been known to see a boon to tourism.

I believe this bill seeks to only correct one distinct word in paragraph E of the existing State Code 58.1-3221. That is, to correct the one critical word in the phrase ... to contribute to the significance of a registered historic district (not "landmark"). I could be wrong, but I believe this has been a one word error since the original bill was drafted and adopted many years ago. This code deals with commercial and industrial structures. I believe and contend that paragraph E should be and was intended to be the exact mirrored equal to that of paragraph F in the existing code 58.1-3220 Partial exemption for certain rehabilitated, renovated or replacement residential structures. That paragraph F states. "Where rehabilitation is achieved through demolition and replacement of an existing structure, the exemption provided in subsection A shall not apply when any structure demolished is a registered Virginia landmark or is determined by the Department of Historic Resources to contribute to the significance of a registered historic district. In Staunton we have six historic districts: Beverley Historic District, Wharf Historic District, Newtown Historic District, Stuart Addition Historic District, Gospel Hill Historic District, and The Villages Historic District. Someone in one of those districts may choose to demolish and replace one of those existing commercial or industrial structures and attempt to apply for the rehabilitation tax credit program. The property by itself may not be a registered landmark but it may contribute to the historic district which it is within. That is why I believe it is important to have the wording in state code § 58.1-3221 paragraph E to be corrected from “…the exemption provided in subsection A shall not apply when any structure demolished is a registered Virginia landmark or is determined by the Department of Historic Resources to contribute to the significance of a registered historic landmark” to what I sincerely believe was the original intent to be “…the exemption shall not apply when any structure demolished is a registered Virginia landmark or is determined by the Department of Historic Resources to contribute to the significance of a registered historic district.”. That detail could be used against us (and other Virginia jurisdictions) with registered historic districts and rehab programs to qualify for the program if and when they were to tear down and rebuild a property in a registered historic district is the building by and of itself wasn’t also a registered Virginia landmark. "

Thank you for the opportunity to provide a written comment on HB345. I am the City Attorney for Staunton, Virginia. Our locality was approached by a property owner within a historic district in our city and asked about their options for the parcel as well as potential tax abatements for the parcel. The parcel in question is in a historic district, but it does not contribute to the significance of an historic landmark. As we examined the potential options, we noticed that Virginia Code Section 58.1-3321 would permit the demolition of the building on the property to be eligible for a tax abatement if the property was used for a commercial or industrial use. However, Virginia Code Sections 58.1-3220 and 58.1-3220.1 would not offer the tax abatement if the property was demolished and used for residential or hotel/motel uses. Both statutes use the word "district" rather than "structure." Thus, this parcel located in a historic district would be eligible for a tax abatement if it was demolished and made an industrial use, but not for residential or hotel uses. It appeared to the City that this may be a scrivener's error. The current wording would incentivize demolition of properties within historic districts for industrial or commercial uses rather than less intensive residential or hotel/motel uses. Given that we are talking about historic districts, it did not make sense to use that the statutes would incentivize the more intensive use. Therefore, we respectfully are requesting that the General Assembly amend the current statute to equalize commercial/industrial uses with residential and hotel/motel uses in terms of demolishing a structure within an historic district. It seems a rather odd result to maintain the current wording as tax abatements could incentivize demolition of structures in a historic district for a more intensive use. Thank you so much for your attention to this matter. Respectfully Submitted, John C. Blair, II

RE: HB345 The City of Portsmouth suggests the following friendly amendments: Lines 32 and 33 need to be amended to say "The exemption may commence upon completion of the rehabilitation, renovation, or replacement, or on January 1 of the year following completion of the rehabilitation, renovation, or replacement." Explanation of suggested amendment: It would be a nightmare to keep up with any of these that start at completion. They need to start January 1st or July 1st after completion, depending on whether the locality runs a calendar or fiscal year. Outside of that, the bill currently reads like our city's normal rehab program. It would b

HB 345 - Va First Cities thanks our member, the City of Staunton, and their Assessor, for catching what appears to be a scrivener's error in § 58.1-3221.

HB 1135, HB 1351, HB 188, HB 243, HB 334, HB 341, HB 378, hb 550, HB 557, HB 563, HB 720, HB 784, HB 897, HB 919, HB 946, HB 959, HB 961, HB 978, SB 400, SB 763. I oppose all of these bills.

HB 1135, HB 1351, HB 188, HB 243, HB 334, HB 341, HB 378, hb 550, HB 557, HB 563, HB 720, HB 784, HB 897, HB 919, HB 946, HB 959, HB 961, HB 978, SB 400, SB 763. I oppose all of these bills.

My name is Kristen Daugherty. I grew up in Virginia and love it here. I’ve been working in film and TV since 2015, getting two Bachelor’s degrees and a Master’s degree in between. I’m an Independent Producer and Production Manager, seeking to bring projects to audiences that empower, inspire, and move people in the way that movies and shows can do. The entertainment industry, itself, is known to have incredible impact on its surrounding territories and economy because of all the external businesses that just one single project can support. I support HB400 because it will not only help grow Virginia’s film industry and its economy, but also because I am proud to be from Virginia. This bill will allow projects to come to or originate in Virginia and give our filmmakers the ability to work and thrive in our economy. Without it, projects will choose other states to work in and our workforce, and all of its economic and cultural contributions, will have to follow the work. I hope to show the prowess of our state, capabilities of its people, and all that Virginia has to offer. I hope to employee people and bring wealth to small businesses. I support HB400.

I live in Southwestern Virginia and I stand firmly against all these Bills the Democrats are trying to pass, especially my 2nd Amendment rights. I am a law abiding citizen with a concealed weapons permit. I use to work for the Department Of Corrections. I have had a lot of firearms training. I am safe and respect others. These gun laws that are trying to be passed is tyrannical gun laws. I was given this right by my Forefathers, "The right to bear arms Shall Not Be INFRINGED"! It's the law of the land. Democrats are about going against our rights. I will never ever vote for one single Democrat until they go back to the Party of the 1980's and before. Now they are against American Patriots and values. I oppose all gun laws. I oppose all the taxes as well that the Democrats get rich from us poor people. Please reconsider taking people's rights because that will have big consequences at Election time. Sandford Fields

So, you want to tax efforts for law abiding citizens to protect their hearing??? Is there going to be a tax for loud mufflers on sports cars?? Or a tax on loud music coming from said cars??? This is nothing more than an attempt to limit law abiding gun owners to exercise their constitutional rights. The same applies to the tax on guns and ammo, we are already paying state sales tax on these, so this just a "sin tax" to attack lawful sports activity. How about stop passing laws to allow little to no punishment for repeat offenders and illegals to roam our streets? you hide behind locked doors and armed guards, but you want to deny us the same right to protect ourselves and our families! This is a terrible couple of bills and they should be stopped!

Virginia was in good shape, we had a surplus of money that Gov Youngkin gave back to the taxpayers. And NOW you want to raise taxes on everything. There are alot of us on a fixed income and can't afford the taxes. These taxes are no necessary unless it is putting money into your pockets. This needs to stop or we will vote you out, after we do a recall. You are not doing what is best for the taxpayers in Virginia. You are doing this for you and how much money it will put in your pockets. STOP THE RAISING OF ANY TAXES ON VIRGINIANS.

These proposed bills are a blatant attack on our 2nd amendment rights and personal liberties. They will do nothing to stop crime but as usual, restrict the law abiding responsible gun owners. Why don't you stop making it easier for criminals to walk our streets and at the same time try to restrict our ability to defend our families and ourselves??? You are allowed to be protected by armed security but what you're saying in these proposals is that we don't have the same right.

I oppose All of the above Gun Bills. I am not a criminal nor have I ever been one. Our Government can Not protect me my property, or my Family. I have a God given right to bear and own guns Also 2A rights. You work for ME ! You are supposed to represent ME ! Stop with All the Over reach . Let me tell you what you should be doing , You should be passing bills to benefit the American people like Health care, economy, Get rid of these taxes that benefit your needs !! Finish deporting these illegal immigrants you brought into this country !! Again No on Gun bills .

The 2nd amendment does not in any way shape or form all these changes constitutional. Every bill you are pushing through house is definition of infringement. Also the first amendment grants all US citizens the freedom of speech . As a Christian I am subject to hate speech from others and have no avenue of protection other than my 2 nd amendment rights !

I oppose ALL of the above gun bills. I am not a criminal never have been . Our Goverment can not protect me , my family or my property I have a God given right to bear arms also 2A rights .You work for ME !! You are suppose to represent ME ! Stop the over reach . Do something that benefits the American citizens , Healthcare, economy, get rid of All these taxes you have burdened the people with , Finish deporting illegal immigrates .

As a retired federal officer (Not ICE), I am concerned about a few things; the proposed magazine and firearms ban, leaving Virginia citizens unprotected against criminals who will not follow the laws, and the retired Federal, State and Local officers who DO NOT have the ability to purchase their duty firearm and 15 round magazines. As retired officers, most of us are still quietly acting as Sheepdogs, still watching over our neighbors and strangers. Not exempting retired officers from the magazine ban can be catastrophic, whether you realize it or not. While some state and local officers have the ability to purchase their duty firearm and 15 round mags, some municipalities and all Federal officers do NOT have this luxury, and it will create a disparity among those who can purchase and keep their 15 round magazines and those who cannot by either law or policy. The US Constitution does not regulate what firearms Americans can keep, with some exceptions; but it DOES permit US Citizens to keep & bear arms. Historically kept firearms have been recognized by the high courts as not illegal and have ruled in favor of this. Like many, I feel that this "gun grab" as it's called was rushed through too quickly without considering the retirees who have served this state with honor and dignity. I urge you to not just ban 15 round mags for our citizens, but especially for the retirees. The way the language is currently written, the 15 round ban will not affect officers who have the ability to purchase their duty firearms upon retirement, but would not apply to many others including all federal officers & agents. Not a good way to keep your voters; and could be considered biased by the high courts. We are all the same; we served and protected. Thank you.

I oppose all of these bills as they are against to 2nd Amendment. More importantly, do you really believe that criminals will follow these laws? No. They will continue to commit crimes and if necessary go out of state to acquire what they need. Law abiding patriots, when armed are the best deterrent to crime! I also assume that you folks will not have personal protection details and if you do they will not be allowed to carry the type of firearms you are trying to outlaw!

❌ Oppose HB 207 (Keys-Gamarra) HB 207 imposes additional firearm restrictions that burden lawful gun owners while doing nothing to address violent crime. Laws that target possession rather than criminal misuse undermine constitutional protections and divert attention from enforcing existing laws against violent offenders. ❌ Oppose HB 566 (McNamara) HB 566 expands government control over lawful firearm ownership without historical justification or evidence of effectiveness. The Second Amendment protects the right of ordinary citizens to keep and bear arms, and broad regulatory schemes like this fail constitutional scrutiny under the Supreme Court’s Bruen framework. ❌ Oppose HB 919 (Lopez) HB 919 penalizes lawful firearm possession and commerce rather than criminal behavior. Public safety is not enhanced by placing additional legal and financial barriers on responsible citizens, and this bill risks chilling the exercise of a fundamental constitutional right. ❌ Oppose HB 954 (Watts) HB 954 advances sweeping firearm restrictions that are unsupported by historical precedent. Under the Constitution, rights cannot be limited simply because lawmakers believe regulation is preferable—restrictions must be narrowly tailored and historically grounded, which this bill is not. ❌ Oppose HB 1008 (Tran) HB 1008 infringes on the rights of law-abiding Virginians by expanding firearm prohibitions beyond constitutional limits. Collective punishment and preemptive restrictions violate due process and ignore the Supreme Court’s clear instruction that firearm regulations must align with historical tradition. ❌ Oppose HB 1094 (Laufer) HB 1094 imposes excessive regulatory burdens that disproportionately impact responsible gun owners while failing to deter criminal violence. The Constitution does not allow rights to be conditioned on convenience, compliance costs, or bureaucratic discretion. ❌ Oppose HB 1362 (McNamara) HB 1362 further erodes the Second Amendment by restricting access to commonly owned firearms and lawful activities. Policies that treat constitutional rights as privileges undermine public trust and expose the Commonwealth to costly and unnecessary litigation. ❌ Oppose HB 1474 (O’Quinn) HB 1474 expands government authority over private firearm ownership in ways that conflict with constitutional protections and established legal precedent. Virginia should focus on punishing criminal misuse of firearms—not restricting the rights of citizens who obey the law.

I oppose HB207, HB919 and HB1094!!!

To All Involved, We the People DO NOT want all of the tyrannically oppressive bills you are considering to be passed. Especially the ones related to OUR second amendment rights. No where in the constitution is a state given the authority to restrict any of OUR rights and freedoms guaranteed under the constitution. To make any attempt to do so is dancing precariously close to the line of exercising DESPOTISM over the people. Which is exactly why the founding fathers ensured we had a bill of rights written and ratified. At least take some time to seriously think through the implications of any legislation you may want to consider. V/R Charles

What happened to the campaign promise of cost cutting, lower taxes and making life more affordable for citizens? Defending the bills in court will use taxpayers cash, court time ,labor..Raising taxes on items you don't like and stating costs will lowered is a lie..from the general assembly to the governors office..Honor your oath and correct your lies with truth..Vote no on gun bills..

Politicians system of tax , spend, waste, is a system created by them ..This has been around for years A corrupt system of power. A group think of nonsense..Where they can only see there side and are blinded to any common sense..Will not listen to anyone and if they seem interested it is just to look good in front of everyone..They pretend to listen.But there mind is made up already on there own plans. The liberal base who voted for them include guns owners..This should tell you they don't care about there voting bloc..They know this will end up in court ..Wasting tax payers money ..The courts time..And don't care about citizens in general. There campaign mantra was cut costs for citizens.But taxpayer cash will be used to defend there gun bills

I urge you to vote "NO" on all the above bills,. We are already taxed enough! I believe the new Governor pledged to make VA affordable and that would logically mean no more taxation!

Good morning, and thank you for the opportunity to speak. I’m here today to address why this proposed state tax on suppressors is unnecessary, economically harmful, and disconnected from public safety. At the federal level, lawmakers recently removed the $200 federal tax stamp that had long been attached to suppressors. That change recognized an important reality: suppressors are not criminal tools—they are safety devices. They reduce harmful noise, protect hearing, and lessen the impact on surrounding communities. Despite that federal shift, this proposal would move our state in the opposite direction by imposing a $500 state tax on the very same lawful item. Suppressors remain heavily regulated even without the federal tax. Purchasers are still subject to extensive background checks, fingerprinting, registration requirements, and approval processes through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Nothing about this bill improves oversight or accountability. It simply adds cost. That cost has real consequences. A $500 state tax will not deter criminals—because criminals do not acquire suppressors through lawful channels. What it will do is suppress economic activity inside this state. Consumers will purchase elsewhere, businesses will lose sales, and in-state manufacturers and dealers will be put at a competitive disadvantage. Lawful commerce will decline, while neighboring states benefit. This proposal effectively replaces a removed federal tax with a larger state-level penalty, undoing economic momentum rather than building on it. Any projected revenue must be weighed against reduced sales, lost jobs, and businesses choosing not to operate here at all. There is also a fairness issue. When the government stacks fees this high, it creates a system where lawful ownership is dictated by income. That is not public safety—it is a financial barrier imposed on compliance. Finally, this bill sets a troubling precedent. If the state can justify a $500 tax on suppressors today, it becomes easier to justify new taxes on other lawful equipment tomorrow. That kind of incremental policy creep erodes trust and punishes responsibility. Suppressors reduce noise. They protect hearing. They are already regulated. The federal government recognized this by removing its tax burden. This bill ignores that reality and replaces it with an even heavier one—at the expense of our state’s economy and law-abiding citizens. For those reasons, I urge you to oppose this proposal. Thank you for your time.

How did the authors of the bills such as a 500 dollar tax on suppressors,11 percent tax on ammo, create the numbers? Research ? Educated guess? Tax fairy? Similar to the dog walking tax...Nonsense tax meant to fund bloated programs...If as a delegate and if you have common sense you would vote against all of the anti gun bills..Citizens ,Lafave vs Fairfax county is a case of Fairfax county being sued in court by Lafave. Fairfax denied carry in parks.. The case had made its way to the supreme Court..Judge Roberts granted the writ on the shadow docket. Fairfax has until Feb 16 26 to answer ..If the case is accepted and plaintiff wins..This will affect other gun laws..

Adding a higher tax on firearms will make it so only the rich can afford them. This will not stop crime in any way or form.

I’m writing to let my concerns known on all of these laws that are being voted upon. We as law aboding citizens are the only ones that will be affected and obey these laws. You want to decrease the time criminals do for horrible crimes such as murder and rape, but make law abiding citizens (that have done nothing wrong) into criminals. We obey the laws (most i see as unconstitutional) and then you turn around and make those rights into crimes and punishments. “Assault Weapons” as you refer to them have been around since the 1940s. Everything i have obtained, i did so legally. Now you want to make them illegal, and even go as far as to punish me for doing so. Why do we play these ignorant games. Legal one day, illegal another! We have right under the 2nd Amendment. How does doing any of this make people “safe”? Criminals will use whatever they do to commit crimes, cause that is their very nature. Disarm the public and allow criminals to take advantage of your laws. We will be less safe. How does charging $500 tax on suppressors make anyone safe? You are just mad they did away with the tax. We will still purchase these items, but you just punish us for doing so. You do nothing to make us safe , and you tax us on more than just firearms! You take, and take and take, yet provide nothing more! What happened to running on affordability? Taxes on dog grooming, home repairs, vehicle repairs, and so much more. Increase our taxes when our state was doing so well that we had a surplus if 2.2 billion dollars. You count on people being ignorant, but by doing that you educate them. I hope you can put you pride and egos aside, and realize we are starting to do better. All you will do is hurt your citizens with these numerous amount of laws and taxes. As politicians you are called upon to make our lives better. You cant make us safer by what you propose. You will only destroy our trust and our economy. We are not ignorant people that need to be taken care of. We need you to get out if our way and let us live our lives and protect ourselves. One last thing. Europe did this to their population and knife crimes skyrocketed. Everyone of you know this. Do the right thing and empower us to live our lives. Don't put more laws and taxes on us. There is more to Virginia than Richmond. As a veteran i have taken the same oath. I still honor that oath, as i hope you all do.

I’m writing to let my concerns known on all of these laws that are being voted upon. We as law aboding citizens are the only ones that will be affected and obey these laws. You want to decrease the time criminals do for horrible crimes such as murder and rape, but make law abiding citizens (that have done nothing wrong) into criminals. We obey the laws (most i see as unconstitutional) and then you turn around and make those rights into crimes and punishments. “Assault Weapons” as you refer to them have been around since the 1940s. Everything i have obtained, i did so legally. Now you want to make them illegal, and even go as far as to punish me for doing so. Why do we play these ignorant games. Legal one day, illegal another! We have right under the 2nd Amendment. How does doing any of this make people “safe”? Criminals will use whatever they do to commit crimes, cause that is their very nature. Disarm the public and allow criminals to take advantage of your laws. We will be less safe. How does charging $500 tax on suppressors make anyone safe? You are just mad they did away with the tax. We will still purchase these items, but you just punish us for doing so. You do nothing to make us safe , and you tax us on more than just firearms! You take, and take and take, yet provide nothing more! What happened to running on affordability? Taxes on dog grooming, home repairs, vehicle repairs, and so much more. Increase our taxes when our state was doing so well that we had a surplus if 2.2 billion dollars. You count on people being ignorant, but by doing that you educate them. I hope you can put you pride and egos aside, and realize we are starting to do better. All you will do is hurt your citizens with these numerous amount of laws and taxes. As politicians you are called upon to make our lives better. You cant make us safer by what you propose. You will only destroy our trust and our economy. We are not ignorant people that need to be taken care of. We need you to get out if our way and let us live our lives and protect ourselves. One last thing. Europe did this to their population and knife crimes skyrocketed. Everyone of you know this. Do the right thing and empower us to live our lives. Don't put more laws and taxes on us. There is more to Virginia than Richmond. As a veteran i have taken the same oath. I still honor that oath, as i hope you all do.

Do not vote for these bills

I oppose any and all legislation that goes against the second amendment. The 2nd amendment is a right not a privilege that can be taken away period . How about dealing with the criminals and being harder on them like reinstating the death penalty!

I am opposed to ANY law that limits my ability to carry, use, purchase, or own firearms. This includes the right to carry in public places or my vehicle, and it includes the right to defend myself. I am totally and completely opposed to ANY leftist agenda, and I am informing you, whoever you are, that there is a lot of anger out here over what's going on in our state, and indeed, in our nation and our world. It's become apparent that, far from what we voted for, Pres. Trump will continue to knuckle under to the left. Therefore, we shall have to fight for our rights in our state. Be warned: not everyone will knuckle under! There are some of us patriots left!

The recent passage of HB217 and related gun control measures in the Virginia House, including bans on so-called "assault firearms" and large-capacity magazines, represents a direct assault on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Virginians. These laws, which criminalize the sale, manufacture, and transfer of commonly owned firearms, ignore the Constitution's clear protections and the Founding Fathers' intent. The Second Amendment states: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." James Madison, the amendment's primary drafter, emphasized in Federalist No. 46 that an armed citizenry serves as a bulwark against tyranny, arguing that the federal government would be restrained by "the advantage of being armed which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation." Similarly, Thomas Jefferson wrote in a 1787 letter to William Stephens Smith that "what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms." The Founders viewed the right to bear arms as essential for self-defense, hunting, and resisting oppression—not limited to outdated muskets, but evolving with technology. Supreme Court precedents affirm this. In District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), the Court held that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to possess firearms for lawful purposes, including self-defense, and struck down D.C.'s handgun ban. Justice Scalia noted that it safeguards "arms in common use at the time," which today includes semi-automatic rifles like those targeted by HB217. McDonald v. Chicago (2010) extended this to the states via the Fourteenth Amendment. Most recently, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022) invalidated restrictive carry laws, requiring gun regulations to align with historical traditions—something Virginia's broad bans fail to do, as they prohibit weapons millions of Americans own without incident. These measures won't reduce crime—criminals ignore laws—but they disarm the innocent. Virginia's Founders, like Patrick Henry, warned against disarming the people: "Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel." Lawmakers should repeal these unconstitutional infringements and uphold our heritage of freedom.

You have all betrayed your constituents with all of these new laws stripping our constitutional rights. Trying to make it so hard to own, carry, and purchase guns and ammunition that people just give up or cant afford it. Expansion of the Red Flag laws to people who are in no way qualified to make that decision to strip someone of their constitution rights. Giving that option especially to Spouses like no one would ever use that to satisfy a grudge against an ex. Also creating a system that punishes people for seeking help with medical counselors or lose their constitutional rights. The tax on ammunition alone is an obvious attempt to make it even harder for people to afford to practice with their firearms which is required for proficiency and price people out of purchasing them to begin with. The tax on suppressor when the fed stamp has been removed is just more obvious money grabbing and trying to make it restricted by putting a "poll tax" on it just like ammunition. Trying to outlaw the sale of commononly used firearms like AKs and ARs even though the Supreme Court has already ruled that the second amendment protects guns in common use. This is the first time ever I have been absolutely ashamed to be a Virginian in my entire life. You have all sold out the people and every one of you should lose your seat if you vote for these bills. Why do you need all these new taxes when you were handed a several billion dollar surplus at the end of last year? Answer is its not about the money, its about taking away guns. Try staying out of our wallets, homes, and lives for a change. How about fulfilling the promise of affordability that was made? How about reducing taxes instead of creating new ones? How about protecting the freedom of Virginians instead of trying to control us so you can use us like little cash shelters. Disgusting behavior and you should all be ashamed.

I am in favor of all these bills specifically. Thank you.