I would like you to support this bill with only exception. Extend to release time from 15 days to 25 days. This would give all the appropriate agencies (law enforcement, etc.) time review the sound & video.

I believe that this bill is necessary because we need to hold those in law enforcement accountable for the use of force. I believe that this action would protect not only the person being pursued by the officer but also it would protect the officer. I believe that the majority of police are there to protect. I also know that there is inherent racism and bias that has led to unfair treatment of people of color. This bill, I believe will make everyone safer.

I urge the Public Safety Committee Chair and Members to fully support all of the following: HB 1941 - Rasoul HB 2226 - Kory HB 2291 - Williams Graves HB 2325 - Hope HB 1941 - Rasoul would require that, whenever a law-enforcement officer discharges a firearm or weapon on a person resulting in death or serious bodily injury, any video or audio recording that relates to such incident produced or obtained by a law-enforcement officer be open to inspection and posted on a website that is available to the public or that clearly describes how the public may access such data. This legislation provides new protections for victims of police brutality, specifically Black and Brown victims. Accountability must be present in law enforcement if better relationships are to be fostered between them and Black communities, which is why I join the Virginia NAACP in supporting this crucial legislation. HB 2226 - Kory establishes a process that allows a person to contest the determination that they are a member of a criminal street gang, request information about whether their information has been entered any systems, request removal of their information from said systems, and petition a general district court for review of an agency's decision to enter his information into the systems. This legislation will provide a modern and advanced demonstration of Virginia attempting to combat its discriminatory past. Virginians deserve a chance to address any allegations that have been made about them, especially criminal affiliation, which is why I join the Virginia NAACP in supporting this important legislation. HB 2291 - William-Graves would add a sheriff's office to those law-enforcement agencies that may be overseen by a law-enforcement civilian oversight body created by a locality and adds a non probationary deputy sheriff to those law-enforcement officers who are subject to such body if created by a locality. This legislation provides new protections to prevent police brutality and hold law enforcement accountable. Permitting civilians to be included in the conversation of law enforcement allows for the fostering of better relationships in Virginia communities, specifically Black, which is why I join the VA NAACP in supporting this crucial legislation. HB 2325 - Hope would create the Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman. The bill enumerates the duties and powers of the Office to protect the livelihood of inmates such as providing information, as appropriate, to inmates, family members, representatives of inmates, Department of Corrections employees and contractors, and others regarding the rights of inmates. Legislation such as this provides new protections for inmates and their well being. Correctional facilities and officers must be held accountable now more than ever, which is why I join the VA NAACP in supporting this crucial legislation. Thank you for your time, consideration, and work on behalf of equity for Virginians.

VSC NAACP are in strong support of all checked bills

Please vote yes on this bill - vote yes for transparency and to improve citizens' access to police data. (Whenever a law-enforcement officer discharges a firearm or weapon on a person resulting in death or serious bodily injury, this bill would make video or audio recording open to inspection and posted on a public website (or describes how the public may access this data.) Thank you.

The Virginia Coalition for Open Government supports this bill.

Please support this bill WITH OUT the notification language.

Dear Honorable Members of The Courts of Justice, In response to questions and concers raised by the State Police, please see the below: Does the Bill provide for Witness/Informant protections? Yes. - “Evidence in support of such determination, provided that such evidence protects the personal identifying information of (a) and informants and witnesses involved” (lines 21-23 of Substitute bill 1/29/2021), repeated throughout, lines 63, 95, 103. - In attorneys’ experiences, all police reports and information already redacted, in 10 years of practice, never seen witness or informant’s information revealed. Complies with VA code for protection of witnesses, § 19.2-264.9. - Advocates conscious of this protection, the same orgs. That represent witnesses, victims, “snitches” also represent folks who have been alleged to be gang members in these databases. Does the Bill provide for confidentiality around ongoing investigations? Yes. - Sec. A ”unless providing such notification would compromise an active criminal investigation or compromise the health or safety of the person if the person is under 18 years of age.,” Provided same language multiple lines 23, 59, 95 of substituted bill 1/29/2021 Does the Bill Harmonize with Federal law? Yes. - This is a red herring issue. 28 CFR 23--- in fact, in it’s very writing, it says: “A project shall not include in any criminal intelligence system information which has been obtained in violation of any applicable Federal, State, or local law or ordinance. “ - This bill is about information placed into the system/database. (not taking out of) So if a state law says it would be a violation to enter information w/o notice to impacted person, then can't enter it into the crime reporting system. - Further, 28 C.F.R. Sec. 23.20(a), which permits law enforcement agencies to “collect and maintain criminal intelligence information concerning an individual only if there is reasonable suspicion that the individual is involved in criminal conduct or activity and the information is relevant to that criminal conduct or activity.” Gang membership (or alleged, hang out) alone is not a crime, so it falls outside the scope of the statute. Does this bill have costs? Nominal, if any. - Initial Fiscal note was $0. Should be limited to mailings. CA Bill saw reduction of entry of names into system by 56% (CAL Gangs Report 2018), after passage of bill due to overinclusion. The bill itself reduces costs.

Dear Honorable Members of The Courts of Justice, We, the undersigned, urge you to support HB 2226, a bill that will amend Code of Virginia § 52-8.6 Criminal Street Gang Reporting, so that all Virginia Residents will have greater transparency in police surveillance. These key changes will include: notice of a determination to enter one’s name into gang databases; right to contest designation; right to appeal designation; and annual reporting of entries of names into the database. The racial profiling of Black and Brown communities and immigrants means they are more likely to have encounters with law enforcement and then end up charged and, or, prosecuted for crimes, and in some cases deported. This system has in turn acted as a direct pipeline to the immigration system. As of January 2020, there are over 77,000 people in the GangNet database used by Virginia law enforcement, and at least 7,000 from the Washington metro area. According to the U.S. Census, Virginia (in order of greatest percentage) is comprised of 61.2% White, 19.9% Black, 9.8% Hispanic or Latinx, and 6.9% Asian. In blunt contrast to the population demographics, DMV gang databases over-included minority populations: 49.2% African Americans, 27.2% Latinx, 20.2% White, and 0.9% Asian. HB2226 will cut racial bias in the law, its practical application, and address the overinclusion of Black and Brown communities, while also ensuring organized information and accountability. Currently, there is no notification requirement when someone is placed in any database, and in particular, GangNet, nor is there a manner to remove one’s name. This highly subjective designation then self-perpetuates into national records, including Immigration. Nonetheless, these databases carry serious criminal and civil, immigration consequences. Most people are not even aware that they are in these databases. Often, the first time someone learns they are in the database is when they are in immigration court or at sentencing for even the most minor of offenses. Similar bills have been successful in California and Rhode Island. After enactment, California police reduced designations by 56%, due to overinclusion. Prince George’s County, Maryland is currently considering the same. We, the undersigned, ask you, please support HB 2226, the Transparency in Policing Bill, amending the criminal street gang reporting statute. In gratitude, Abu Unity Foundation ACLU of Virginia The Activated People Arlington for Justice AsylumWorks Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition (CAIR Coalition) CASA in Action Central American Resource Center Community Impact Everytown First Alliance Consulting LLC First Baptist Church of Vienna Humanization Project International Migrants Bill of Rights of Georgetown Law (Student Organization) March for Our Lives Maryland Carey Law Immigration Clinic- University of Maryland Carey Immigration Clinic Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., Northern Virginia Chapter Northern Virginia Equity Agenda Coalition Progress for All RISE for Youth Southerners On New Ground South County Task Force for Human Services Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax Virginia Grassroots Coalition Virginia Justice Forward Contact: Kofi Annan The Activated People theactivatedpeople@gmail.com Kelly White CAIR Coalition kelly@caircoalition.org

I, Charles Brown, support HB2226.

I urge the Public Safety Committee Chair and Members to fully support all of the following: HB 1941 - Rasoul HB 2226 - Kory HB 2291 - Williams Graves HB 2325 - Hope HB 1941 - Rasoul would require that, whenever a law-enforcement officer discharges a firearm or weapon on a person resulting in death or serious bodily injury, any video or audio recording that relates to such incident produced or obtained by a law-enforcement officer be open to inspection and posted on a website that is available to the public or that clearly describes how the public may access such data. This legislation provides new protections for victims of police brutality, specifically Black and Brown victims. Accountability must be present in law enforcement if better relationships are to be fostered between them and Black communities, which is why I join the Virginia NAACP in supporting this crucial legislation. HB 2226 - Kory establishes a process that allows a person to contest the determination that they are a member of a criminal street gang, request information about whether their information has been entered any systems, request removal of their information from said systems, and petition a general district court for review of an agency's decision to enter his information into the systems. This legislation will provide a modern and advanced demonstration of Virginia attempting to combat its discriminatory past. Virginians deserve a chance to address any allegations that have been made about them, especially criminal affiliation, which is why I join the Virginia NAACP in supporting this important legislation. HB 2291 - William-Graves would add a sheriff's office to those law-enforcement agencies that may be overseen by a law-enforcement civilian oversight body created by a locality and adds a non probationary deputy sheriff to those law-enforcement officers who are subject to such body if created by a locality. This legislation provides new protections to prevent police brutality and hold law enforcement accountable. Permitting civilians to be included in the conversation of law enforcement allows for the fostering of better relationships in Virginia communities, specifically Black, which is why I join the VA NAACP in supporting this crucial legislation. HB 2325 - Hope would create the Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman. The bill enumerates the duties and powers of the Office to protect the livelihood of inmates such as providing information, as appropriate, to inmates, family members, representatives of inmates, Department of Corrections employees and contractors, and others regarding the rights of inmates. Legislation such as this provides new protections for inmates and their well being. Correctional facilities and officers must be held accountable now more than ever, which is why I join the VA NAACP in supporting this crucial legislation. Thank you for your time, consideration, and work on behalf of equity for Virginians.

VSC NAACP are in strong support of all checked bills

1. The proposed amendment is in conflict with Federal Law 28 CFR section 23 and release of information restrictions. 2. The provision that allows officers to claim exception for "ongoing criminal investigations" will not apply to the Department of Juvenile Justice or Department of Corrections, who may identify individuals and activity in their facilities, but do not necessarily conduct "ongoing criminal investigations" so you will be risking the safety of any juvenile or prisoner who has information in that system. Additionally, local and federal law enforcement partner with both of these entities because many of our states most dangerous gang members run gang sets on our streets from inside the facility. 3. There is already a federal purging process for removing gang intelligence from a database that is automatic after a period of five (5) years provided there is no new gang involvement. 4. This would apply to all organizations that meet the definitions under 18.2-46.1, which INCLUDES White supremacist groups, outlaw motorcycle gangs, and other organizations for which law enforcement maintains regular intelligence. Giving any of these organizations access to criminal intelligence or failing to gather intelligence on these organizations would be detrimental to your constituents. 5. Additional concerns would be the safety of inmates and juveniles who may have acted as informants, or sought assistance or protection from security threat groups. What about people seeking help from law enforcement when they are being terrorized by gangs or trying to get out of a gang, for fear of their name ultimately being put out to the gang or being labeled a “Snitch”. Even redacted, Gang members can figure out who the person is based on the described interactions. 6. Section F as written, does not allow for the database to be updated absent a conviction for new criminal activity, however, individuals may continue their gang affiliation and activities outside of predicate convictions, or may commit crimes they do not intend to benefit the gang, but ultimately do through "Street Cred". 7. The bill creates an administrative process for a Judge, who may not specialize in gangs, to determine on a clear and convincing standard that someone is an actual gang member. If the bill is only creating an administrative review of the agency decision, or allow an individual to contest the process, then the language falls short. Simply put, a clear and convincing standard determination of gang membership is less than a criminal standard. Constitutionally, you have a right under the 1st amendment to be a gang member. It's not illegal. A legal status determination (not protected), even if sealed, takes a (protected) investigatory classification, based on a secure process, and makes it available to the public through open court and docketing. 8. Criminal Court is the only time gang affiliation can be used against someone in compliance with the 1st Amendment Freedom of Association requirements. Court is in fact the ONLY appropriate time that someone should be hearing that information. You cannot be searched or detained solely for gang membership and it can only be triggered if charged with a predicate act. 9. Immigration is a federal process. State law does not control federal law or a federal process. Respectfully, Steve Allen VGIA Board member

Please vote yes on HB2226. This bill establishes a process for a person to contest a determination that they are a member of a criminal street gang, request information whether their information has been entered into state databases, request removal of their information, and also petition a general district court for review of an agency’s decision to enter their information into a state database.

Dear Honorable Members of The Committee on Public Safety, We, the undersigned, urge you to support HB 2226, a bill that will amend Code of Virginia § 52-8.6 Criminal Street Gang Reporting, so that all Virginia Residents will have greater transparency in police surveillance. These key changes will include: notice of a determination to enter one’s name into gang databases; right to contest designation; right to appeal designation; and annual reporting of entries of names into the database. The racial profiling of Black and Brown communities and immigrants means they are more likely to have encounters with law enforcement and then end up charged and, or, prosecuted for crimes, and in some cases deported. This system has in turn acted as a direct pipeline to the immigration system. As of January 2020, there are over 78,000 people in the GangNet database used by Virginia law enforcement, and at least 7,000 from the Washington metro area. According to the U.S. Census, Virginia (in order of greatest percentage) is comprised of 61.2% White, 19.9% Black, 9.8% Hispanic or Latinx, and 6.9% Asian. In blunt contrast to the population demographics, DMV gang databases over-included minority populations: 49.2% African Americans, 27.2% Latinx, 20.2% White, and 0.9% Asian. HB2226 will cut racial bias in the law, its practical application, and address the overinclusion of Black and Brown communities, while also ensuring organized information and accountability. Currently, there is no notification requirement when someone is placed in any database, and in particular, GangNet, nor is there a manner to remove one’s name. This highly subjective designation then self-perpetuates into national records, including Immigration. Nonetheless, these databases carry serious criminal and civil, immigration consequences. Most people are not even aware that they are in these databases. Often, the first time someone learns they are in the database is when they are in immigration court or at sentencing for even the most minor of offenses. Similar bills have been successful in California and Rhode Island. After enactment, California police reduced designations by 56%, due to overinclusion. Prince George’s County, Maryland is currently considering the same. We, the undersigned, ask you, please support HB 2226, the Transparency in Policing Bill, amending the criminal street gang reporting statute. In gratitude, Abu Unity Foundation ACLU of Virginia The Activated People Arlington for Justice AsylumWorks Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition (CAIR Coalition) CASA in Action Central American Resource Center Community Impact Everytown First Alliance Consulting LLC First Baptist Church of Vienna Humanization Project International Migrants Bill of Rights of Georgetown Law (Student Organization) March for Our Lives Maryland Carey Law Immigration Clinic- University of Maryland Carey Immigration Clinic Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., Northern Virginia Chapter Northern Virginia Equity Agenda Coalition Progress for All RISE for Youth Southerners On New Ground South County Task Force for Human Services Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax Virginia Grassroots Coalition Virginia Justice Forward Contact: Kofi Annan The Activated People theactivatedpeople@gmail.com Kelly White CAIR Coalition kelly@caircoalition.org

My name is Gayatri with Moms Demand Action in Fairfax and The Activated People. Gang databases disproportionately impact black and brown communities without notice or appeal. This bill seeks to strengthen due process and offer recourse. Targeting black and brown boys and men based on racial profiling puts them in a prison system designed to never let them succeed in life. The current database provides zero notice, appeal, and accountability with the police and perpetuates the very system we are trying to eradicate. I support police reform and peace intervention workers. Changing the criteria to offer standardized guidelines and due process will help end abuse of power and contribute to reform by providing oversight and transparency. A citizen continuously placed into the prison system will feel traumatized, anger, and hopelessness which undermines peace intervention workers. A higher stringent review and appeal process will decrease recidivism leading to increased public safety. Please vote yes to pass HB2226. Thank you.

On behalf of The Activated People, I, Charles Brown support HB2226. If passed, HB 2226 will amend Code of Virginia § 52-8.6 Criminal Street Gang Reporting, so that all Virginia Residents will have greater transparency in police surveillance. These key changes will include:   Notice of a determination to enter one’s name into gang databases;  Right to contest designation;  Right to appeal designation;  And annual reporting of entries of names into the database.   The racial profiling of Black and Brown communities and immigrants means they are more likely to have encounters with law enforcement and then end up charged and, or, prosecuted for crimes, and in some cases deported.   This system has in turn acted as a direct pipeline to the immigration system.   As of January 2020, there are over 77,000 people in the GangNet database used by Virginia law enforcement, and at least 7,000 from the Washington metro area.   According to the U.S. Census, Virginia (in order of greatest percentage) is comprised of 61.2% White, 19.9% Black, 9.8% Hispanic or Latinx, and 6.9% Asian.   In blunt contrast to the population demographics, DMV gang databases over-included minority populations:  49.2% African Americans, 27.2% Latinx, 20.2% White, and 0.9% Asian.  HB2226 will cut racial bias in the law, its practical application, and address overinclusion of Black and Brown communities, while also ensuring organized information and accountability. Currently there is no notification requirement when someone is placed in any database, and in particular, GangNet, nor is there a manner to remove one’s name.  This highly subjective designation  then self-perpetuates into national records, including Immigration.  Nonetheless, these databases carry serious criminal and civil, immigration consequences.  Most people are not even aware that they are in these databases.  Often, the first time someone learns they are in the database is when they are in immigration court or at sentencing for even the most minor of offenses.   Similar bills have been successful in California and Rhode Island. After enactment, California police reduced designations by 56%, due to overinclusion. Prince George’s County, Maryland is currently considering the same.

I'm in favor of HB2226. Being labeled a gang member can have a lifetime of consequences that can negatively impact a person's future - things such as being placed on probation for an indefinite amount of time, being given sentencing enhancements for suspected gang affiliation, being treated as guilty before proven innocent in traffic stops, being improperly violated as a citizen based on erroneous information. We had the great misfortune of my husband being incorrectly labeled as a gang member and it took an intervention from his probation officer to have him removed from the database. He was forced to go to the Department of Corrections' headquarters and be stripped, had each tattoo photographed, was connected to a polygraph machine and had to answer a series of questions and look at and explain several photographs. Whenever we were pulled over by police for minor traffic infractions, they would approach our vehicles with guns drawn. It was a complete nightmare; all because a CO put erroneous information in his file. He was assigned a gang PO and was placed on indefinite probation. There must be a better way; not only for innocent individuals, but for individuals who leave that lifestyle and change for the better. Please support this bill and stop tracking information of individuals who are not gang-affiliated.

Public Safety Subcommittee Meeting Testimony by Kelly White, Director- Detained Adult Program, Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition In Support of Transparency in Policing: Overinclusion of People of Color in Gang Databases in Virginia January 28, 2021 Good morning and thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of Virginia residents (immigrants and mixed-status families, people of color, Black and Brown communities). My name is Kelly White and I am the Director of the Detained Adult Program at CAIR Coalition -- the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition. In my role I regularly represent people who are detained by ICE and are denied liberty or even credibility because of police over-inclusion in gang databases. At CAIR, we have personally worked with people impacted by over-inclusion in gang Databases, including “John,” who was a Fairfax resident who entered the United States a few years ago, around age 20, fleeing gang violence in his Central American home. Soon after his arrival, he applied for asylum. While that application was pending, however, John was himself accused of gang membership in ways that still affect him today. There was no evidence of John’s gang membership, yet that accusation of John’s gang activity, was ultimately entered into evidence in John’s immigration case. John therefore found himself having to fight gang accusations with no basis. John was in immigration detention, during the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus, but was able to win freedom from detention after the immigration judge found the allegation to be baseless. In Virginia, gang databases function with little transparency or due process, because a wide range of criteria is used by police to label communities of color as members or gang affiliates. These highly subjective criteria include: wearing white sneakers, wearing hair, nail polish, or clothing similar to gang style, identified as a gang member through reasonable suspicion, and living in neighborhoods where gang activity takes place. Currently there is no notification requirement when someone is placed in the main database, known as GangNet, nor is there a manner to remove one’s name. This highly subjective designation then self-perpetuates into national records, including Immigration. Nonetheless, these databases carry serious criminal and civil, immigration consequences. People I work with, often first learn of these allegations, in a state of shock and disbelief, while defending themselves from deportation, trying to remain here with their family and community, usually while seeking protection against the very gang they have been accused of being a member. HB2226 would require notification, opportunity to contest designation, and annual statistical reporting. California and Rhode Island enacted similar bills. Prince George’s County, Maryland is currently considering the same. After enactment, California police reduced designations by 56%, due to overinclusion. As of January 2020, there are over 77,000 people in the GangNet database used by Virginia law enforcement, and at least 7,000 from the Washington metro area. I ask you today to please support the Transparency in Policing Bill, also supported by the Activated People. Thank you. Kelly White, Esq. kelly@caircoalition.org (202) 769-5293

Dear Honorable Members of the General Assembly, The Activated People urge you to support HB 2226, a bill that will amend Code of Virginia § 52-8.6 Criminal Street Gang Reporting, so that all Virginia Residents will have transparency in policing. These key changes will include: notice of a determination to enter one’s name into the database; right to contest designation; right to appeal designation; and annual reporting of entries of names into the database. The racial profiling of Black and Brown communities and immigrants means they are more likely to have encounters with law enforcement and then end up charged and, or, prosecuted for crimes, and in some cases deported. This system has in turn acted as a direct pipeline to the immigration system. As of January 2020, there are over 77,000 people in the GangNet database used by Virginia law enforcement, and at least 7,000 from the Washington metro area. According to the U.S. Census, Virginia (in order of greatest percentage) is comprised of 61.2% White, 19.9% Black, 9.8% Hispanic or Latinx, and 6.9% Asian. In blunt contrast to the population demographics, DMV gang databases over-included minority populations: 49.2% African Americans, 27.2% Latinx, 20.2% White, and 0.9% Asian. HB2226 will cut racial bias in the law, its practical application, and address overinclusion of Black and Brown communities, while also ensuring organized information and accountability. Currently there is no notification requirement when someone is placed in any database, and in particular, GangNet, nor is there a manner to remove one’s name. This highly subjective designation then self-perpetuates into national records, including Immigration. Nonetheless, these databases carry serious criminal and civil, immigration consequences. Most people are not even aware that they are in these databases. Often, the first time someone learns they are in the database is when they are in immigration court or at sentencing for even the most minor of offenses. Similar bills have been successful in California and Rhode Island. After enactment, California police reduced designations by 56%, due to overinclusion. Prince George’s County, Maryland is currently considering the same. We strongly urge to you to please support HB 2226, the Transparency in Policing Bill, amending the criminal street gang reporting statute.

Support Who we are: ACLU People Power Fairfax is an independent grassroots organization that advocates for equal justice for all members of the community, including undocumented immigrants, regardless of race or ethnicity. Our primary goals are to end local and state government’s voluntary cooperation with ICE and to correct practices and policies that support systemic racism in our law enforcement. There are over 4,000 People Power volunteers in Fairfax. Our efforts reflect the views of our members, not necessarily those of the ACLU Virginia affiliate. We urge you to support HB 2226, a bill that will amend Code of Virginia § 52-8.6 Criminal Street Gang Reporting, so that all Virginia Residents will have transparency in policing. These gang databases over-included minority populations: 49.2% African Americans, 27.2% Latinx, 20.2% White, and 0.9% Asian. In blunt contrast, according to the U.S. Census, Virginia (in order of greatest percentage) is comprised of 61.2% White, 19.9% Black, 9.8% Hispanic or Latinx, and 6.9% Asian. HB2226 will cut racial bias in the law, its practical application, and address the overinclusion of Black and Brown communities, while also ensuring organized information and accountability. Currently, there is no notification requirement when someone is placed in any database, and in particular, GangNet, nor is there a manner to remove one’s name. This highly subjective designation ends up perpetuating in databases and court files around the nation. What we are asking for is: Notification, to allow for challenges and accurate information requirement Annual reporting-out to increase transparency Tightening of criteria Having the ability of Due Process, response required or flag that being reviewed Cross identification amongst systems As of January 2020, there are over 77,000 people in the GangNet database used by Virginia law enforcement and at least 7,000 from the Washington metro area. In blunt contrast to the population demographics, this designation then self-perpetuates into national records, including Immigration. We want to see more transparency and for all Virginians to have the ability to access their right to Due Process; therefore we are in support of House Bill 2226.

Correctional Officers deserve to paid fairly for the strenuous work that we do.

In my capacity as Chair of the Northern Virginia Equity Agenda Coalition and on behalf of the coalition, I would like to support House Bill 2226, the “Criminal street gang reporting; notice & process for contesting entry of information into databases” legislation. The GangNet database “over-includes” nonwhite Virginians without them being cognizant that they have been included, much less without them having the means to dispute their inclusion. This amounts to the racial profiling of nonwhites by law enforcement: yet another facet of systemic racism and white supremacy. HB 2226 serves to mitigate this “over-inclusion.”

We should NOT eliminate minimal sentencing for impaired drivers in Virginia. Too many innocent people like my nephew are killed by those who drink and drive on our roads and their selfish actions should not be condoned.

I actually believe that The group violins Intervention is the better program for Communities that are facing severe gotten violence

HB1909 - Permits School Boards to prohibit guns on their property. School Boards are offices with adult workers in them, just like thousands of offices across the Commonwealth. It makes no sense to treat them as if they were a school with children in them. HB1992 - Expands the number of things that qualify as misdemeanor domestic violence beyond what the federal government uses to take away gun rights. There is no provision to restore rights in the bill and it would create a lifetime ban on gun ownership for a mere misdemeanor. From a gun-rights perspective under this bill, the person charged would be better off seriously harming the other person and getting a felony conviction, from which their gun-rights could eventually be restored. HB2128 - Extends number of days a person can be delayed in purchasing a firearm. This bill could make a person wait up to five business days for a background check approval, which would take more pressure off the government to do a timely background check. The promise to gun owners is that the background check system is supposed to be an INSTANT CHECK, not a five-day waiting period check, which, with weekends/holidays could be up to NINE-days in realtime. The current three days is more than sufficient. Best to follow federal law on how long a transfer can be delayed. Even lawful buyers get held up this would be an undo burden. HB2276 - Makes most homemade guns illegal. This bill was written without a clear understanding of the current law on homemade guns for a person's own use, which has been legal since America's founding. Besides banning personally-made guns from 80% receivers completely, the bill makes the existing owners of such guns instant criminals, even if the owner had applied directly to the ATF for a serial number and put the serial number on the gun. Best to follow federal law on such guns.No evidence that 80% firearms are a problem. HB2295 - Would you really vote to limit a right in which you already have? There has been no events that justify stripping the very people represented by the General Assembly of their right to self-defense. Citizens have been carrying on Capitol grounds and buildings for years responsibly and without incident. It also prohibits guns in state buildings and parking lots, including rest areas

I don't approve of HB 1909, HB 1992 and HB 2128 because it may be resourceful as a deterrent for future violent crimes, but it's not the solution for the families and communities whose impacted presently. It will make it more difficult for hard working, honest citizens to protect themselves and their property. If in distress, this can create a life or death situation for a innocent victim(s). I only approve of HB 2276 if it can be proven in court that the firearm(s) recovered by law enforcement was either purchased illegally or stolen from it's original owner. I have no comment about HB 2295 because I was under the assumption that firearms were prohibited from state grounds unless if it's the property of the state. As of HB 2231 and HB 2216, I support these bills because 1. HB 2216 makes the safety and welfare of the citizens of the Commonwealth a priority regardless of age, race, gender or disability and 2. HB2231 is an additional resource law enforcement can use in the communities they serve to ensure transparency and restore communication and trust.

First, let me say that I'm very disappointed in the fact that, though I signed up to speak to deliver my testimony, I never received a Zoom invite to do so. In 1997 I fell in love with a single mom of two kids who lived in Camden, New Jersey, which at the time was the murder capitol of the United States. The many gun laws on the books in New Jersey served as an insurmountable barrier to legal gun ownership for a woman who was on public assistance, relied on public transportation, and was either a full time college student or a full time employee as well as raising two kids, but they sure didn’t do much to stop the guys who were actually shooting people in her neighborhood. The gunfire was so common that one night she fell asleep while we were on the phone talking, and just seconds after I clearly heard the sound of several rounds popping off through the receiver. I spent a sleepless night believing she was dead, only to hear her answer her work phone the next morning when I frantically called. When I expressed my amazement at her falling asleep, she laughed a hard laugh and said “this is Camden. Gunshots are like the sound of crickets where you live.” At the same time I was getting my first lesson in the futility of trying to ban and restrict (And therefore arrest) our way to safety, up in Boston police, researchers, and academics were engaged in a transformational shift in policing. By focusing on the small number of individuals who are the actual drivers and most likely victims of violent crime, methods that have now been largely adopted in Project Ceasefire and Project Exit, both law enforcement and community activists were able to reduce the juvenile homicide rate by more than 50%. Since then, these methods have been successfully deployed in dozens of cities. This is a nonpartisan, effective way of reducing violent crime. Of making streets safe for kids again. Of helping gang members escape the life before it kills them. And yes, of ensuring that those who insist on continuing to shoot wantonly and willfully into their community will face genuine and long lasting consequences. Regardless of your opinion on the need for New Jersey-style gun laws in Virginia, this bill is worth supporting. I happen to think HB 2231 will save far more lives than any new restriction on the right to keep and bear arms that has been passed by this committee, but whether you are a Democrat or a Republican; a gun control advocate or a staunch Second Amendment activist; HB 2231, deserve your vote in favor of passage.

H.B.1801--increasing the fine so substantially will place unmanageable burdens on the poor and struggling population. Community service (picking up litter) is a much better solution to the problem and individuals can perform it where transportation is not a burden. H.B. 2047 - the entire circumstances surrounding a crime need to be investigated - some may call for mental health assistance vs. incarceration. There must be discretion used. H.B. 2258 - another bureaucratic nightmare? another registry? Are they really effective? Studies would indicate they are not. H.B. 2303 - the disparate impact of current drug laws among communities of color needs to change. This has led to an severe mass incarceration problem. We have got to redirect our efforts as a society to rehabilitating and assisting unacceptable behaviors versus thinking additional laws (and subsequently incarceration) are the answer. Empirical studies have shown this to be a very ineffective way of deterring criminal behavior, all the while destroying families and perpetuating the problem. It's time for a paradigm shift.

I would ask that you totally support this bill!

I urge the Public Safety Committee Chair and Members to fully support all of the following: HB 1941 - Rasoul HB 2226 - Kory HB 2291 - Williams Graves HB 2325 - Hope HB 1941 - Rasoul would require that, whenever a law-enforcement officer discharges a firearm or weapon on a person resulting in death or serious bodily injury, any video or audio recording that relates to such incident produced or obtained by a law-enforcement officer be open to inspection and posted on a website that is available to the public or that clearly describes how the public may access such data. This legislation provides new protections for victims of police brutality, specifically Black and Brown victims. Accountability must be present in law enforcement if better relationships are to be fostered between them and Black communities, which is why I join the Virginia NAACP in supporting this crucial legislation. HB 2226 - Kory establishes a process that allows a person to contest the determination that they are a member of a criminal street gang, request information about whether their information has been entered any systems, request removal of their information from said systems, and petition a general district court for review of an agency's decision to enter his information into the systems. This legislation will provide a modern and advanced demonstration of Virginia attempting to combat its discriminatory past. Virginians deserve a chance to address any allegations that have been made about them, especially criminal affiliation, which is why I join the Virginia NAACP in supporting this important legislation. HB 2291 - William-Graves would add a sheriff's office to those law-enforcement agencies that may be overseen by a law-enforcement civilian oversight body created by a locality and adds a non probationary deputy sheriff to those law-enforcement officers who are subject to such body if created by a locality. This legislation provides new protections to prevent police brutality and hold law enforcement accountable. Permitting civilians to be included in the conversation of law enforcement allows for the fostering of better relationships in Virginia communities, specifically Black, which is why I join the VA NAACP in supporting this crucial legislation. HB 2325 - Hope would create the Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman. The bill enumerates the duties and powers of the Office to protect the livelihood of inmates such as providing information, as appropriate, to inmates, family members, representatives of inmates, Department of Corrections employees and contractors, and others regarding the rights of inmates. Legislation such as this provides new protections for inmates and their well being. Correctional facilities and officers must be held accountable now more than ever, which is why I join the VA NAACP in supporting this crucial legislation. Thank you for your time, consideration, and work on behalf of equity for Virginians.

VSC NAACP are in strong support of all checked bills

Please vote Yes on HB2291: If a locality creates a civilian review board, this legislation would add Sheriff's Office to the list of law enforcement agencies that these boards can oversee. Thank you.

Good morning Mr. Chairman and Delegates Committee Members, I am Wendy Hobbs, president of the Goochland County NAACP. I am speaking in support of proposed HB2291 to include local sheriff departments in the statue to require Civilian Oversight Boards. Although sheriff departments vary in size and level of misbehavior it is important to have a diverse citizens review board appointed by the local board of supervisors, town council or city councils. There are different types of Citizens Review Boards, therefore leaving it to the governing body to decide which option would best meet the needs of the county or town. Review boards serve a role of ensuring citizens encounters of alleged misconduct is reviewed independently of an internal affairs unit within the same police system. Also, review boards provide transparency to citizens by the police department.The boards would also confirm the actions of the sheriff departments when they have taken proper actions to the public. The boards should be independent, diverse and with roles clearly defined, by best practices and the governing body. The board SHOULD NOT consist of active members of the police department to avoid intimidation or mistrust of the department by board members. The board should be a transparent body that works hand in hand with community citizens and the sheriff department. Although many sheriff departments have progressed to a more professional and ethical level of performance and accountability, there are still departments where unethical and misconduct occurs. Therefore, it is imperative to support HB2291 to ensure citizens' comments and transparency, since sheriffs are elected by the people. Otherwise, there is no oversight on actions taken by the sheriff departments. Thank you for supporting this proposed legislation.

After the summer of racial tensions and COVID, many who had never had contact with the criminal legal systems were arrested and placed in jail. There was public outcry for a change in the deplorable conditions inside of certain facilities because of the COVID crisis, the inedible food, the use of solitary confinement for punitive measures, and the lack of communication with concerned residents of those facilities. COVID is stressful for everyone and there is nowhere to quarantine inside of a jail cell. When families reached out for information, they were stonewalled and disregarded. When asked how to file complaints or speak with someone, there was no relief in sight. When there was supposed to be transparency around early releases and the conditions inside, people were essentially ignored and disregarded. Residents inside of the facilities were punished for speaking out. One incident in particular occurred at the Richmond City Jail - there is no justice in the center. It's just a shiny new object that lets us in the community know that we will invest more in incarceration than upward mobility. Residents of the city jail were tear gassed for asking for clarity about the COVID situation. Cells were locked and tray slots were opened and tear gas was thrown inside 4 man cells. The water supply and ventilation system was cut off and residents were forced to lay in their own vomit for over 24 hours. Sheets were changed; showers weren't allowed. People had to use toilet water for relief. Deputies still ignored their cries for help. The persons who were the most vocal; whether by starting the petitions or reaching out to family members to complain, were placed in solitary confinement to keep them quiet. When media reached out to the jail, the Sheriff simply refused to respond to questions. When the Commonwealth Attorney was notified, she said she had no ability to do anything about it; the same answer from the Mayor. When concerned citizens protested, they were met with violent resistance and arrested. A lawsuit was filed on behalf of the residents but that doesn't remove the problem. There was no measure of relief; there was no one who would reprimand, or at the very least, investigate the claims of the residents of the jail facilities. There must be oversight. The only measure to do something for deputy sheriffs cannot be to rely on a Sheriff that will only be removed by election. Please, I beg of you, put these systems of checks and balances in place to protect the people who are forced to be in these jails; especially in the middle of a pandemic. Families should be communicated with; people who are incarcerated deserve dignity and should have some level of transparency around their health and safety. I support this bill wholeheartedly.

I do not support HB1992 as written as allows for a ban on possession for life based on a misdemeanor conviction and allows no opportunity for redress, even decades later. This is stricter than how felony convictions are treated. I do not support HB2128 as it penalizes residents, especially those with common surnames, for the lack of resources provided to VSP. I instead encourage you to support additional funding to the VSP so through background checks can be completed within the current three day window. I do not support HB2276 as it is contrary to current ATF practice for serializing hobbyist firearms and effectively creates a unique definition of firearms that doesn't match the federal definition. This will lead to lawsuits and associated costs with seemingly little benefit to gun violence reduction. Secondly it may effectively ban most modern polymer framed firearms. As for HB2285 this is only supportable if sufficient resources are provided to VSP to guarantee a 15min background check process for all applicants. It is clear this bill is intended to limit access to renting firearms at ranges by non gun owners. I cannot support this bill with it's current language and without matching budget support. Thank you for your time, Richard Edwards

I see need for this additional language, BUT, If you think there is a need well OK.

HB2310 addresses a very real issue related to COVID-19 quarantines. Many people took online classes to meet the permissible proof of training in 2020. However, they were prevented from submitting applications due to jurisdictional restrictions based on COVID-19. This bill would afford these people their rightful application process. It is not asking to extend the deadline or change the law that took affect on January 1, 2021. It is simply allowing those people who acted in good faith and made every effort submit their application before the deadline to move forward with the process. Many people were told to mail in their applications, however the US Postal Service took 4 or more weeks to deliver. Others were told to leave the application in a drop box, only to find out that the box was not checked daily. This travesty of justice is easily remedied by the passage of this bill. I thank you for voting to move this bill forward. HB2319 requires that care be taken to keep firearms out of the hands of prohibited people. As amended, with Subsection B which allows for viable access by nonprohibited household members, I am neutral on this bill. However, if the Subsection were to be altered or struck from the bill my position would change to opposition. Thank you for your time and consideration, Patricia Y Webb

i am supporting all with exception to HB 2319, Delegate Guzman. i do not support HB 2319, Delegate Guzman. that bill will just mean i would be limited in housing options for having my hunting shotgun. I understand the intent, but it is just needless.

These are all reasonable measures and needed for saftey. ATF statistics show that criminals gravitate to gun ban regions. Please make America safer. Thank you; SD Hunt

Dear Sir or Madame : I oppose any gun control. As a citizen of America, father, and a husband I am responsible for four lives in this world. I take it serious. The self- determination thing with firearms is hard enough. I can't imagine freedom without them. But you, you and the left want to take that away. You want to LIMIT my ability to protect and serve. Why ? You sit in Richmond and serve your loyal democratic master, while I go un- represented. Look at the data. The data that's not paid for buy mike bloomburg and co. You'll see, more gun control only makes it easier for the criminal. My right shall not be infringed upon. Sincerely John Zielanski

Any bill that restricts use of weapons to law abiding citizens is a huge deal. You can outlaw the world but criminals will get anything they want - its the law abiding people who suffer. You may think it's about time to get big guns out of the way and of the streets but you will only restrict access away from those who may step up one day and save you, or that child, or that officer. Did you know the 2nd amendment was not written for hunters, it was written so that we could protect ourselves against a government gone so foul it was turning away from us to socialism and communism . Hitler took weapons first, China took weapons first, Russia did too. it is a paid for movie step one in the plan to make you a communist society. You then have nothing to defend the other rights with. You are done. People in this country will not give up their weapons peaceful in the night. Our weapons are our way of protecting our way of life. What is the government afraid of that they need to disarm us ? This is a SHAM. If you continue to come after criminalizing gun possession it will eventually be seen as an act of hostility against the people who depend on you! The Legal Ones. If our Constitution gave us the Right to bear arms to protect us from a government going crazy - yet that very government is trying to disarm all of us - what is this??? One can only be concerned that it may be disarming us before you do something horrible??? The Bill of Rights Is a Sacred document. Do not mess with it. it outlines our basic rights and freedoms ! Ann Austin

This is a common sense bill that should pass...

As a constituent, I urge the Committee to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773 Sixteen other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793 The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. Permit holders have completed the required process, have clear backgrounds as verified by the investigations, and are proven outstanding citizens. HB 2285 This is needed to cleanup the language, bringing in obvious exemptions. HB 2310 This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319 There are serious flaws with this bill. First, requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. Second, requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary. Christopher Cusano 5720 Habersham Way Alexandria, VA 22310

I support all these bills with one exception: I agree either the concept put forth by Del. Guzman in HB 2319 that people who are not allowed to have firearms should be denied access to those firearms. However, requiring a locked weapon in a secure container to be unloaded is redundant, and increases the time that the owner needs to retrieve the firearm and prepare it for use to defend himself/ herself unnecessarily. Such emergencies require seconds to prepare for, and fumbling with a magazine or fumbling with loading rounds into the firearm in a highly stressful situation leaves the responsible gun owner defenseless to respond. If the committee would amend HB 2319 to remove this point, I can wholeheartedly support all these measures.

I support HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB2310. I do NOT support HB2319. Living with a prohibited person doesn't prevent other criminals from perpetrating violent acts on anyone in the home. Rendering a firearm all but useless during violent attacks where seconds matter is irresponsible and dangerous.

I oppose all these bills because they solve no existing problems and are attempts to limit my constitutional rights. If looking for a problem to solve, try fixing the pathetic educational system that has evolved over the last 30 years.

Support individual gun rights. Respect the Constitution. An individual's right to carry a gun, buy a gun, train to use a gun, and defend themselves should not be limited. This country and this Commonwealth are divided politically. Please do not pass these divisive laws for which there is no mandate from the electorate. Criminals should be stopped, but law abiding gun owners should not be turned into criminals via unsubstantiated legislation. And in the current climate where people of one political persuasion (Conservatives) are being made to not feel comfortable voicing a particular opinion, it is a very bad time to limit people's right to self defense. Do not allow these trends that will break down the First and Second Amendments (cornerstones of our free democracy), to prevail. Protect the First Amendment. Allow all voices...even those of gun rights proponents.

I am a long time Arlington resident (30+) years, raised four kids here, and have never felt like I needed a gun. That changed this summer as rioters and looters stormed through Georgetown, breaking windows and many shops in Arlington (Apple!) boarded up windows. To have mobs march and scream for defunding the police all while destroying property and purposefully trying to frighten law abiding citizens leads even former gun haters to actually go out and buy guns. Millions across the country realized that self defense is an important right and duty! I support all of the pro gun rights bills checked above because gun ownership is not a crime. People who have received carry permits are more law abiding than even police. To have localities like Arlington start to enact laws that limit their rights to carry and self protect is quite wrong and I think there will be a voter backlash on this issue...even in Arlington! I am shocked by the number of people I have heard that purchased a gun or are contemplating it due to the summer's events. Please support an individual's right to buy, carry and have large enough magazines to defend themselves and their families. Support HB 1773, HB 1793, HB 2285, HB 310. And oppose HB 2319 (Guzman).

I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary.

As a 20-plus-year CHP holder in Chesterfield Co., and a constituent who votes in EVERY election, I strongly urge you all to vote YES on the following 4 PRO-gun bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. And I must also urge you all to vote NO on this last bill because it fails to acknowledge common sense and is fatally flawed in its construction and intent.: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures any firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack. Thank You, all, for your attention. Sincerely, Ryan S. Bonney Midlothian, VA

I urge my representatives to take no action that would limit constitutional gun rights, and to take proper action to expand or undo gun limits, as they relate to law-abiding citizens of the Commonwealth. Every day in America 65 million gun owners act responsibly with their guns. You never hear about us; you don't see our firearms; we are a threat to no one. Yet gun control laws affect only us because criminals pay no attention to the decisions you're making today. I urge you in the strongest of terms to keep these truths in mind when you vote. Thank you. Virginia Welch, Rockville, Va.

I'm a liberal gun owner looking to provide my own nuanced perspective on these bills. 1773: This one seems obvious to me. It has always seemed backwards to me that you could be in a situation where you're ONLY allowed to open carry. In this area, open carrying tends to make a lot of folks around you uncomfortable, and I personally view it as the less courteous of the two options. I doubt someone with malicious intent is going to open carry regardless of the law, so preventing law abiding gun owners from doing to just makes things more uncomfortable for them and those around them. 2310: To be clear, I think every gun owner should get in person training as soon as possible. However, the coronavirus pandemic has currently made doing so unsafe, which has also coincided with the largest increase in new gun owners in my lifetime (including a huge increase in minority and women gun owners). Reflecting on recent events at the Capitol, it's not hard to imagine why so many of our fellow citizens have decided to become proactive about their own safety, and it is important that the state be flexible in allowing them a reasonable and safe avenue to do so during the pandemic. 2319: I respect what this bill is attempting to accomplish, but have issue with the requirement that firearms be stored unloaded. Besides being unenforceable (as far as I can tell), this defeats the concept of having a firearm for self-defense. It is possible to keep a firearm loaded while also unaccessible from a prohibited cohabitant. Also, in the interest of placing no more burden than necessary on gun owning citizens, please consider amending "prohibited person" to "prohibited person who was also convicted of a violent crime", or similar wording. It seems unnecessary that a gun owner be subject to such measures simply because, for example, their partner was found guilty of tax evasion or was caught using marijuana years ago (both actual reasons you can become prohibited from owning a firearm). 1793: This bill seems essential for concealed carry license holders such as myself. As things stand, it is incredibly easy to accidentally commit a crime while attempting to concealed carry, unless you are able to memorize the specific local ordinances for every town I'm Virginia as they apply to public buildings, parks, and special events/parades, as well as be aware of any and all special events/parades happening on a daily basis. Not exempting concealed carry license holders from these laws makes absolutely no one safer, and creates a legal nightmare for people like me.

Please do not support these gun control bills. These bills have implications that will disproportionally affect minority communities and make it harder for these groups to exercise their second amendment rights.

I demand that you support: HB 1773, Delegate Freitas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. You also need to oppose: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures any firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack. This bill is an absolute joke and will do nothing. It is obvious that this is a pathetic attempt by Guzman to please her anti gun overlords. This truly is a gun control pandering bill. It's pathetic and this is wasting ink and paper.

I support these gun bills that respect individuals rights, specifically concealed carry rights. A concealed firearm by a vetted, lawful citizen presents no real danger to the public. Laws that create a patchwork of legal restrictions on the other hand, set up honest people to become accidental criminals or to make decisions that could let their firearm become stolen. If it is illegal to bring a gun in a park, do you want people to leave them in their car in high theft situations? Furthermore, patchwork legislation without exemptions leaves those who need a firearm for domestic safety vulnerable. Make laws that support honest gun owners and not criminals. Thank you

OPPOSE HB2319 You should OPPOSE HB2319. This bill seeks to penalize the law-abiding housemate gun owner, while ignoring the person who is already prohibited from handling guns. Last year's anti-gun laws had a goal: to disarm normal citizens rather than to reduce gun crime. For example, remember that the Virginia Beach killer was a municipal employee who killed his fellow employees in a gun-free municipal building. Just like this year's HB2319, last-year's anti-gun bills did not penalize actual criminals. You should support the new bills HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB310 which help restore some of the rights taken by the 2020 anti-gun laws. Pat Grandelli

I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary. Sincerely, Derek Le Vie 105 Combs Loop Yorktown, VA 23693-1915 heliman406@gmail.com

Freitas, Davis, Fowler, and Runion have proposed bills that recognize Virginians' fundamental right to bear arms in defense of themselves, their families, and their communities. I urge our delegates to support these measures wholeheartedly, recognizing that public safety lies first and foremost in their constituents' hands (our Commonwealth wouldn't be very democratic otherwise).

The 2nd Amendment of United States Constitution clearly states that our RIGHT to bear arms SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED, therefore any bill or law that hinders that RIGHT in any way is UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Those who put forth any such hindrance have grievously breached the Oath of Representative Office they hold and their Constituents Rights and Good Faith.

Please SUPPORT bills HB 1773, 1793, 2285, and 2310, and OPPOSE HB 2319. 1773 Is for constitutional carry. Anyone who could qualify for a concealed handgun permit should be able to carry concealed. Anything less is an infringement on the Second Amendment of the Constitution, which is the Law of the Land. 1793 CHP holders are trained and law-abiding, and should be exempt from local gun-control laws and regulations. They are adding to the safety of their communities, being able to react to a situation and perhaps prevent a crime or mass shooting before police could get to the scene. 2285 Retired LEOs and non-resident CHP holders should be exempt from "one handgun a month". These people can be trusted. Their handgun purchases are not going to result in crime or malfeasance, but add to their ability to protect themselves, their families, and their neighborhoods. 2310 Please extend the availability of online CHP training and certification until at least April 30, 2021. This is the quickest and least expensive way a person can qualify for concealed carry. It benefits many working people, who may not be able to take off work to attend an in-person class. It benefits the poor, who are more likely able to afford the nominal cost of an online course more than a resident course. And it benefits minorities, who often live in poorer neighborhoods where crime is rampant, in that it gives them a quicker way to qualify for a concealed handgun permit. 2319 Please oppose this bill, which, among other things, requires a secured, locked-up handgun to be UNLOADED, which would hamper its use in a life-threatening emergency. If it is locked up, it is already secure. In case of a home invasion, the safe would have to be opened, which is enough hindrance to the emergency acquisition of the firearm. Adding the burden of then having to load the weapon and chamber a round would further delay emergency response to a threat.

These five bills all protect the rights of Virginians to self-defense as they move about the Commonwealth during their daily schedules. For some reason, many prohibitions against the right to self-defense have been imposed on law-abiding Virginians. Of course, criminals will ignore any laws, including local bans on concealed carry. There have been numerous criminal acts near my home in the last six months and "gun free zones" have not prevented any of these acts. Support our rights to self-defense as we move about our daily activities.

I write in support of HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB310. I support these bills as they add to the freedoms & rights of the citizens of the Commonwealth. HP1773, from Del Freitas is of particular interest, as it follows the intent of a Commonwealth, in that your votes & laws imposed should be for the common good. This is a right & freedom that is being stripped from law-abiding citizens. I also vehemently oppose HB2319, as this bill directly throws common-sense right out the window. If you follow this logic, its not enough to lock your car in a locked garage, but you would have to either disconnect & remove the battery or remove the wheels & tires, to ensure that no one could drive your car who was not "authorized" to. What about the rights of the person who is authorized? Does their life mean less, as that the firearm is already locked away, then on top of it now unloaded? What about when something happens & it calls for quick action? First you have to get into the safe to get your firearm, then for sake of argument, you have a shotgun, then you have to locate each shotgun shell, one at a time & load them one at a time. When seconds count, it only takes minutes to get a serviceable firearm into a fireable condition. Are you going to start saying that someone who has never had a DUI, but lives with someone who has, would have to go through my example above every time they came home, because they have to reap the punishment of something they have never done. I know I brought it up earlier "Common-Sense", I understand it is a limited commodity now-a-days but we need to try our best to use it. A "Commonwealth" is just that, an intent for the common good of every single citizen as the whole. It is not for political agendas, the lobbyist, the squeaky wheel groups or any other agenda that is not for the whole of Virginias citizenry. Its time that we stop acting on agendas and parties, it time you ALL start thinking about every Virginian, even the silent ones, that sit back & pray you actually uphold you oath of office & do your jobs. Remember that We the People deserve better. You were sent their to represent all of us, not just some of us. It's time to stop being followers, because the party or fundraisers told you to, but time to stand up & be the leaders we expect you to be. Sic Semper Tyrannis

As a voting constituent I urge you to SUPPORT HB1773, HB1793, HB2285 and HB2310. Gun owners in Fairfax county feel betrayed by the actions of the state and county. I also urge you to please OPPOSE HB2319

I don't know why you communists keep passing anti-gun legislation. There are too many anti-gun laws on the books to keep track of so people just ignore them! Do you really think that people bother to inconvenience themselves in order to follow your unconstitutional laws? No, they don't. They just go about their business regardless of what you do. The police don't even enforce those unconstitutional laws. They just look the other way or wave you on.

I strongly support HB 1773, HB 1793, HB 2310. They are common sense limits on localities extending the already egregious limitations on the law-abiding citizens' right to possess the means and have the opportunity to protect and defend themselves. Additional local regulations would also further Balkanize Virginia with respect to gun ownership and control. They are blatant tyranny calculated to harass and intimidate the law abiding citizens of the state. Such moves do not increase public safety. They are also strongly divisive. I also support HB 2319, noting that, in addition to any religious objection, citizens have a right to opt out of any treatment that has not been proven safe to the standards already established for other widely available medications and medical treatments. The public record on the current Covid-19 vaccines clearly shows that they have been hysterically rushed to approval without any of these safeguards. That a citizen may be compelled to take such treatments is even more ridiculous when the mortality rate from Covid-19 is a scant 0.3%. If the governor, any official, or any other entity under their governance volunteers to turn themselves into lab rats, that is fine by me. Under the circumstances, they should not have the right to require others to do so.

SUPPORT HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB310. OPPOSE HB2319!

HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). -A permit is nothing more than a piece of paper and come on if that worked, domestic violence injunctions would work. Stop with the red tape, over-regulation and join the other states that have successfully adopted this. And with all the over-regulation about open-carry, and virtue signaling by people that are ignorant about guns (being scared because a responsible person has an openly carried gun) you would think this makes perfect sense. Besides, criminals don't follow the law, they already have constitutional carry. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. - These local laws are becoming more intrusive, probably unconstitutional, and making it difficult for law abiding people to be compliant. Law abiding people who have already been approved to own and use a firearm. The lack of common sense and lack of logic that is being thrown about in the name of "gun control" is ridiculous. Virginians have spoken, loudly, and yet you still continue to push for things YOU want, not what the people want. Useless laws that are not even being enforced are just, well, void!! HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. - Self explanatory HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Encouraging individuals to have to attend public gatherings is completely against the guidance given by the Governors office, the CDC, and many other agencies. And where is the data showing this is an issue related to the online class? - COVD - why are we forcing people to subject themselves to COVID just to obtain a permit when the governor even says social distance, stay home, don't do unnecessary socializing. Just seems like something that is a non-issue. Where are the stats saying this has been a problem? Have we had a rash of shootings by otherwise unqualified concealed permit holders that would have resulted otherwise had the holder been to an in-person class? And this one anti-gun bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures any firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack. - Self Explanatory and already covered by federal law. How much over-regulation are you going to continue to propagate? And I'm sorry an unloaded, stored firearm in a home shows how ignorant the drafter of this bill really is to the aspects of self-defense. I'd challenge this is also unconstitutional and violates the constitution in that the home is not where the government gets to dictate law; it's intrusive and invasive and, again, where is the data supporting that there is an issue that needs to be addressed?

I’m pretty sure you all took an oath to protect, preserve, & uphold the Constitution of the United States. With that said then why do you even consider any gun legislation????It is very sad what is happening to this country with the continued attacks on the 2nd Amendment and the Constitution as a whole. Guns aren’t the problem, it’s people. The continued removal of God in this country is slowly destroying our society with less and less morals, respect, & love for one another. Your ‘gun control’ legislation serves no purpose but continue to chip away at the Constitution which is what got us to where we are today. I implore you to reconsider these bills and think of this country & our Constitution. We must have the right to defend ourselves with the same tools as the murderers and thieves amongst us. You KNOW they don’t EVER adhere to any gun control laws so therefore innocent men, women, children pay the price. Please...think. Thank you~

Attention Delegates, I do not want to waste much of. your time today, I would like to state my support for HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB2310. Thank you. Paul Jobson

I urge you to suport pri- Second Amendment bills and ooose the bill that further infringe on liberty and the right of Virginians to keeo and bear arms. Very Respectfully, Milton Clary

HB 1773 - This is also known as "Constitutional Carry" and has been enacted in many other states. The net effect in those states is a DECREASE in crime using a firearm and crime in general. This will only serve to make Virginia Safer HB 1793 - Holders of concealed carry permits are statistically LESS LIKELY TO COMMIT a crime than police officers. I ought to know as a former police officer. This will allow law abiding citizens who go through the extra scrutiny of obtaining a permit to protect themselves and others. HB 2285 - Retired police officer who served honorably deserve the respect entailed in this bill. HB 2310 - This is a necessary stop gap that will prevent law abiding citizens from running afoul of a new law. HB 2319 - This punishes a citizen who has done no wrong and will fall disproportionally on persons of color.

SUPPORT HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB310. OPPOSE HB2319! HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds people with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. I urge you to OPPOSE - HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures any firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack.

I support the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution and want no more gun control. Thank you.

I am what many would consider a Northern Virginia Liberal. I have not been particularly politically active and as far as firearms I own a 5 shot revolver and a pump action shotgun. I have a Concealed Carry Permit but have never used it. I am humbly writing to ask the Virginia State Legislature to respect the spirit of the constitution of our state and our country. Unlike some other states, Virginia has shown for centuries that it respects its own citizens to be well informed and mature enough to carry firearms. The recent trend away from this long held respect is worrisome. I implore the committee and the legislature at large to abandon obnoxious gun control efforts, to return to the free and open state we have been for so long, and to restore our rights in Northern Virginia and elsewhere now restricted. My vote, and the vote of anyone like me, which has been traditionally center left, depend upon the continued respect of our rights and liberties, given by God, and hitherto recognized by the state.

It is imperative to support the rights of the 2nd ammendment for citizens. As stated, the 2nd Ammendment 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. " . Ergo support of the first 5 bills HB 1773, HB 1793, HB 2285, HB 2310 supports the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed. I am opposed to HB 2319 due to it infringes upon the right of a citizen to keep and bear Arms. It is important for the representatives to interrupt the constitutional rights of citizens and not infringe upon that right.

Why are you all trying to make us less safe? Its alot like saying you need to take a vaccine, but then suddenly make that vaccine less available and distribution less efficient. Its almost like you want people to die. The only thing that should die are these horrible bills. My body, my choice. My security, my choice. Hands off my security. Kill these bills.

Please support, and pass the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Please OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures any firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack.

Greetings, Please follow the science and advocate for common sense solutions to crime and violence, and support actions which enable me to protect myself and my family if ever necessary to do so. Restricting civil liberties should not be taken so lightly. The CDC and many other organizations have clearly identified the root causes of crime, homicide, related early death as poverty, drugs, and alcohol. Our legislative bodies should never act to limit our Constitutional liberties. I urge you all to SUPPORT the following bills which advance citizens to protect themselves and their families form criminals. HB 1773, Delegate Frieta. HB 1793, Delegate Davis. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler. HB 2310, Delegate Runion. Please OPPOSE HB 2319, Delegate Guzman. This bill places an unreasonable limitation on citizens and places them at risk far more than it enhances safety. Understandably, the firearm should be adequately secured. Requiring it be unloaded and ammunition also secured elsewhere is a ridiculous provision. Further, how would you possibly enforce it. This is not a common sense proposal. Respectfully, Jarrett Rhodes

Please support HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB2310. Please honor your oaths to the Virginia Constitution and the Constitution of the United States by supporting these bills. Supporting these bills will show the citizens of the Virginia your commitment to helping our nation and our commonwealth heal from the great political divide that exists. Start the healing process and honor your oaths by supporting these bills and opposing any liberty destroying bills that come your way. Thank you for your service, Tim Cullen

I am writing to express my opposition to any and all legislation that infringes on my constitutional right to bear arms. Our founding fathers knew then that an armed populace is a deterrent to those that would seek to take away other rights. History shows that the first thing those seeking to control the populace do is to disarm them. A responsible citizen gun owner is not the problem, criminals are. If fact, any devise: a car, a truck, a ball point pen, a utility knife, can become a weapon in the hands of someone with a bad intent. I urge you to stop these efforts to disarm Virginians.

Let's protect all of our constitutional rights. History has proven people loose their rights a little at a time. Don't trample on our Second Amendment rights because then we will loose out First Amendment rights and so forth.

I believe most Virginia citizens are pro-Second Amendment in the fullest sense. As one of them, I do not want my right to own, open-or-concealed carry, and use my firearms sensibly and lawfuly to be infringed upon. This right is a also matter of public safety. I have a right to defend myself and others against criminal, anarchist and terrorist elements should such an occasion arise. As a retired Army officer, an antique US military weapons collector, reentactor and target shooter, I think I am capable of repsonsibly, safely and lawfully able to own, care for and utilize my weapons without politically motivated restrictions placed upon me. Frankly, I believe that any further restrictions placed upon our collective/individual fundamental right to keep and bear arms as protected within the 2nd Amendment of the United States Constitution amounts to criminalistic legislation against me and my fellow citizens. I fully support HBs 1773, 1793, 2285,& 2310, and reject HB 2319 emphatically. Politicians need to listen to the citizens and not to the whims of divisive, anti-American special interest groups looking to alter American societal traditions, norms, and constitutional rights. Elected officials are meant to represent us and our Constitution as written and implemented, period. Americans do not need to be reeducated against our fundamental and inalienable rights, traditions, societal norms and culture, nor does our nation at the local, municipal, county, state and national strata need to be transformed into something unrecognizeable and un-American. Therefore, I reemphasize to the Virginia State Legislature - PASS HBs 1773, 1793, 2285,& 2310, and REJECT HB 2319! America first, America only, America always! Thank you.

Would like for your support on all the bills except HB2319.

DO NOT Support HB 2310. Anything short of this is unconstitutional. Responsible gun owners are not the problem. If you support this bill, I will work with GOA, NAGR, VCC, VCDL, and VFK (and all other pro-Constitution, freedom-loving groups) to make sure you are not re-elected.

Concerning HB 1793, 2285, 2310, 2319... I strongly encourage you to vote for these HBs as it is our 2nd Right Amendment Right to have such legislation protecting all and any lawful persons to exercise their God given rights to protect themselves and loved ones. These HBs contribute to and help enforce our 2nd Amendment Rights . Concerning HB 2319... Mr. Guzman, No anti-gun laws will stop criminals from committing crimes against law abiding people. They are criminals for a reason...they do not adhere to our country's laws ! This HB will only delay the reaction time of a law abiding citizen from protecting himself & loved ones, should a criminal engage in such crimes as home invasion, intent to cause injury or death to an innocent victim. This HB contradicts common sense when it comes to a person protecting themselves and loved ones from a criminal. I respectfully request this HB not pass the legislator. Respectfully, Drew Boles, Wirtz,VA.

These 4 bills would make va a safer place and would enhance our constitutional rights

There are four pro-gun bills and one anti-gun bill. The anti-gun bill should be rejected since the people of this Commonwealth believe in a freedom to own a gun and that should not be taken away. No matter what it represents, the anti-gun politicians want to remove all guns and in so doing are creating an environment that will not be so rewarding for anti-gunnersand their comrades.

Good evening. I am a resident of Virginia Beach and I urge you to vote Yea on HB1773, 1793, 2285 & 2310. These bills reduce the onerous restrictions placed on law-abiding concealed handgun permit holders. Virginia is making a habit of expending energy to place roadblocks to honest people that could be better spent on actually addressing crime and criminals. These bills represent the direction we should be moving. By giving freedoms to upstanding citizens of the Commonwealth. Thank you for your time. Vincent Smith

Please support HB 1773, 1793, 2285, and 2310. Please particularly support HB 1793, which exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. Fairfax County wasted no time posting "no guns" signs on miles of secluded, wooded trails behind my neighborhood. I've lived here since 2012 and never once seen a police officer on those trails. Along with the risk of criminal interaction in a secluded area, there is the risk of attack by wildlife or stray dogs. Our most vulnerable populations should not be stripped of their most effective means of self defense deep in the woods. Concealed carry permit holders are the most law-abiding segment of society. They should not be targeted by a feel-good do-nothing law that emboldens the criminal element. Please oppose HB2319. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack.

Any law against the constitution is not law !!! HB2319 should never be considered under the oath of office you took and HB 1773, 1793, 2285 and 2310 are in our Constitution and is your duty to uphold the Constitution you took a oath to uphold...

As a constituent, I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary. Sincerely, Simon Khiabani 15268 Cartersville Ct Haymarket, VA 20169 1simon.sk@gmail.com

As a long-time Virginia citizen and voter, I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, to correct errors in the previous bill bringing in some obvious exemptions. Allowing retired police officers is in the interests of public safety. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And please OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable, unnecessary, imposes added needless costs on the owner and does little to nothing for public safety. Sincerely, Marc Gorelick 1830 Columbia Pike #210 Arlington, VA 22204 gorelickmarc13rarius@hotmail.com

Please oppose HB2319, as it's another burden for gun owners. How could the legal gun owner protect themselves or their household base upon the code in this bill on storing the firearm when a thief breaks in during the night, or at any other unexpected time??? HB1793 is about the best house bill I've seen this year. Please support. HB1773 would be wonderful to gun owners, it would even help ease problems that HB2310 is trying to address. Thank you for your service

As Virginia & Roanoke County citizens who take an active part in National, State & local politics, we want all of our VA Elected Officials to know that we support and will defend our 2nd Amendment Rights and fully expect each and every one of you folks to do so also. Voting for any bill that restricts our 2nd Amendment Rights will be noted and appropriate actions on the upcoming election cycle can be assured. We will actively watch and remember how each member of our State Legislature votes on any such bills/measures. God Bless each one of you fine dedicated Virginia Representatives and we trust that you will individually & collectively give proper attention to our U.S. Constitution paying particular attention to our 2nd Amendment Rights prior to any further voting! Ralph & Mary Bosen 7180 Buckeye Road Roanoke, VA 24018 540-774-8949

Arlington young professional. Millenial. Latino. Pro-Gun. Thanks.

I respectfully request that any and all my representatives to please use common sense on pro-gun rights bills. I'm retired law enforcement and currently carry a LEOSA card. Some of the bills I've seen introduced should be thrown out and not even considered. Remember that criminals will ALWAYS get weapons regardless of your passed laws in Virginia or the United States. Please work on more important matters like the Covid situation, opening up businesses, employment, and stop tearing apart our history such as monuments. If you continue to let our present governor continue with his erratic ideas, I believe we're headed down a slippery slope. Respectfully, Roy Beatty

I am a voter. I will support anyone who supports bills HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB2310. I will not vote or support anyone who supports bill HB2319. Carl Dodge

I support these common sense bills that will reduce gun violence.

Hi Committee members and Staff, Support: HB-1773, HB-1793, HB-2285 HB-2310 Oppose: HB-2319 Thank you for honoring your Oath of Office and the Rights of the Citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). I strongly support this bill because CHP holders are statistically the most law-abiding citizens. There should be no limitation on the exercise of rights for law-abiding citizens. Instead, focus on keeping criminals off the streets so we can live free. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. I strongly support this bill because CHP holders are statistically the most law-abiding citizens. There is no reason to restrict carry by law-abiding citizens anywhere . HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. One handgun a month is a sill law to begin with. Two recent straw purchase cases in VA resulted in arrests and prosecution. Emphasis should be on enforcing existing law, not imposing new infringements on the rights of the law-abiding. CHP holders are the most law-abiding segment of society, and there is no reason their purchase thresholds should be limited under the guise of stopping arms trafficking. I object to any exemption for LEOs. They are citizens, too, and should be held accountable to the same laws as other citizens. This applies to active duty as well as retires LEOs. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. The law to require in-person training is silly to begin with. CHPs are silly to begin with. We need to return Constitutional carry since the right to keep an bear arms is protected by the 2nd Amendment. Anyone who is too dangerous to own and carry a firearm should be in prison or otherwise removed from civil society. Permitting does nothing more than turn a right into a privilege, HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures any firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack. This is a silly bill that grasps at possibility instead of being rooted in fact. It implies that gun owners are inherently irresponsible. There is no reason a law-abiding citizen should be required to act as a prohibited person just because he or she cohabitates with one. It is already illegal for a prohibited person to possess a firearm. We don't need more laws that only impact the law-abiding and will do nothing to stop crime.

SUPPORT HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB2310. OPPOSE HB2319!

This is a step in fixing a problem that was created by the legislature last secession. This will help add relief to the massive backlog of CHP classes that at clarkbros gunshop alone was backlogged to April when inquired about in the middle of December last year. Also when it come to getting a permit like this, criminals simply won't do the training, fill out the application, pay the fees, nor wait the 45 day court processing the permit. Also some quotes of saying thenonline tests being 11 questions is true, but after hearing the lies and general failure of firearms knowledge that they and those who voted for that ban on online training would not have passed the test if it were to be given to them.

As an avid Sportsman please know that Virginia’s actions thus far has deterred me from hunting in the Commonwealth. I’m sure you’re aware of the enhanced revenue that out of state sportsman generate, both in licensing fees and sales taxes. Your recent anti-gun legislative stance is the reason I DID NOT come to Virginia to hunt this year. The word is out amongst Sportsmen, “Virginia is persona non grata”. STAY AWAY. is this truly the message the Legislature intended to send. You have made most of my hunting guns illegal. The patchwork of anti-gun laws you permitted can make me a felon simply by driving across a double secret imaginary line. You did this with intention, purpose and malice. Small businesses suffer as you infringe on my 2nd Amendment. I respectfully urge you to NOT approve these Bills. Thank you.

SUPPORT HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB310. ! HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it.

I am pro freedom and pro 2nd amendment. I am against any law that will abridge my 2nd amendment rights. Gun laws only affect the law abiding as the lawless will not heed restrictions that have been put to paper. Murderers use guns as tools to cause mayhem. Law abiders use guns as a tool to defend themselves and the helpless against these would be murderers. Most law enforcement recognizes this and are happy to have, these exemplary citizens as allies. Promote and support bills: HB1773, HB1793, HB2285 and HB2310. Strike and kill HB 2319. Long live a free United States of America.

Virginia is a low crime and low gun crime state. Enacting a bunch of high crime state laws is going to make us a high crime state. Don't fix a problem that doesn't exist and hurt the citizens of Virginia doing it.

SUPPORT HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB310. OPPOSE HB2319! Protect my right to defend my family if put into a situation where our lives are in imminent danger. In the current environment, where it can be dangerous to speak at all, I implore you to safeguard my God-given rights to protect myself and my loved ones. Sincerely, A 63-year-old woman, wife, mother, and grandmother

SUPPORT HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB310. HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. OPPOSE HB2319! This is one of the most absurd, intrusive, ridiculous, thoughtless, oppressive, un-Constitutional ideas I've ever heard in my life - sincerely!! - in my LIFE!!! Since your “red flag” law leaves a presumed-dangerous person free (though without her own firearms) to inflict harm to herself or others……..wouldn’t you want her roommate or spouse to have readily available means of self defense ?!?! Again, this is absurd, and you must oppose HB 2319 !! HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures any firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack.

HB 2319: Those who habitate with a person who is not authorized to operate a firearm, already have enough of a burden to secure the firearm. In the event of an emergency situation (home intrusion?), then the seconds it takes to reload a firearm could be the difference between life and death. HB1773: This makes logical sense. If a person holds a firearm, there is nothing to gain as a matter of public policy by requiring they open carry it. HB1793: CHP holders have already been subjected to background checks. HB 2285: Background checks have already been completed. Any further restrictions, serve no purpose, other than publicity. HB2310: Due to COVID, people have limited options for classroom education. We should not discourage people from exercising their rights. However, this would be moot if we passed HB1793

As a Virginia citizen, I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary. The citizens of Virginia DO NOT want nor need any further infringements on their GOD-GIVEN RIGHT to defend themselves!

As a constituent, I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has ever repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary. Sincerely, Lee Ann Bonnell Glen Allen, VA 23059

As a constituent, I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has ever repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the weapon be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary. Sincerely, Robert Hicks Linden, VA

As a constituent, I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has ever repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary. Sincerely, Eric Bonnell Glen Allen, VA 23059

HB1173 Freitas: let's trust the people. If they would be allowed to carry a concealed handgun, why the paperwork and registration process so that they can? HB1793 Davis: let's make it easy for the people we ought to trust. Concealed is concealed - there's no argument for social comfort, there's no argument for public safety . . . crossing the street shouldn't change all of the rules. HB2285 Fowler: a good cleanup bill to align the populations affected by gun restrictions. HB2310 Runion: until COVID ends, we need to support virtual learning of all types. HB2319 Guzman: this bill would be awfully hard on those in small apartments and homes. Further, it puts the compliance onus on the innocent party.

Please do not pass any legislation tinkering with making it more burdensome to own firearms and ammunition or to use them in self-defense or any other legal activities. The government fixation on firearms is so embarrassing. Anyone wishing to keep tampering with the 2nd Amendment has ulterior motives on reducing freedom of American citizens, and I wish you would just make that agenda plain instead of continually hiding it.

HB 1773 - I support this bill. This bill would save court clerks huge amounts of unnecessary paperwork without a negative impact on public safety. HB 1793 - I support this bill. The restrictions put in place by localities in the last year are all about sending an anti-gun political message, not about making people safer. Concealed handgun permit holders can be trusted to safely carry a gun on the sidewalk--why should they be barred from bike trails and parks? HB 2285 - I support this bill, which may be helpful to military members who have moved to Virginia but have not obtained a Virginia concealed handgun permit. This would not exempt gun buyers from background checks. Permit holders from some other places, such as DC, have gone through even more stringent application processes than in Virginia! HB 2310 - I support this bill. The pandemic made it very difficult for people to get their concealed handgun permit applications submitted to their local court clerk, especially if they needed to submit something in person. This bill would help people who would have been able to submit by the deadline but for a pandemic-related closure of their local court clerk's office. HB 2319 - I oppose this bill. This bill would punish people who failed to understand the complex laws that caused their roommate to be prohibited from gun possession due to criminal and mental health histories. It would be difficult to prosecute because the Commonwealth's Attorney would have to show that the defendant knew about the roommate's history AND knew that it caused them to be prohibited from possessing guns. This bill also overreaches by putting requirements on ammunition storage that probably exceed the restrictions placed on some individuals due to their criminal convictions, protective orders, or mental health history.

Please vote against all gun control bills. With all the riots going on we the people need to be able to protect ourselves. If you to take away guns then you should give up your security. All people unprotected seems fair. Also maybe you should check the U.S. Constitution as to the second amendment. Thank you, A.G. Morris IV.

As a constituent in Arlington, VA, I would like the following actions to be taken on these bills. Oppose HB 1773 - If an individual is eligible for a CHP, they should take the necessary steps to apply for a CHP if they wish to carry concealed. This is common sense. Support HP 1793 - Individuals who have CHPs should be allowed to carry and be exempt from local gun control. Criminals do not obey laws that forbid crime so individuals who have received education and training to carry concealed should be allowed to do so. Oppose HB 2285 - One Handgun a month is perfectly reasonable, regardless of person. Support HB 2310 - CHP training being required in person during a pandemic seems dangerous. Please delay this until April. Oppose HB 2319 - If your roommate or child doesn't have a driver's license, you're not required by law to lock away the key or vehicle. Same should apply to firearms. Responsible storage and maintenance is the responsibility of the gun owner, not for the law to decide. There are common sense laws and then laws that don't make any sense. Please continue to make good legislative decisions that do not punish law abiding gun owners, while pushing for safety that is reasonable and constitutionally appropriate. THANK YOU!

In this day and age, after ALL of the settled law as opined by SCOTUS it absolutely stuns me that you liberals continue to infringe upon our GOD GIVEN CONSTITUTIONALLY protected RIGHTS (NOT privileges - RIGHTS) to protect ourselves through gun ownership which (as ratified and adopted by the Commonwealth) SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED). Have any of you even bothered to read the Federalist papers regarding the definition of gun ownership and rights to the same? GUN RIGHTS ARE A MATTER OF SETTLED LAW WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT! It is long past time for you liberals to stop taking a note out of the authoritarian Nazi playbook, stop ne8ng so bigotted against gun owners, and stop trying to turn us into helpless victims! These rights are not ONLY enshrined in the 2nd Amendment (as adopted by the Commonwealth, written, in fact, by a Virginian), but also within the Preamble to the Constitution itself. As a FREE society (whether you like or or not), we CANNOT 'form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the COMMON DEFENSE, or promote the GENERAL WELFARE AND SECURE THE BLESSINGS of liberty to OURSELVES AND our posterity,' WITHOUT the settled laws of the land which ensure our gun rights and rights to ownership of same. Get over it tou bunch of school yard bullies!

I didn't spend 23 years of my life defending The Constitution to let a bunch of spinless, yellow bellied cowards shred kit.

Now that you have made a horrendous patchwork of inconsistent local laws regarding firearms, those of us that face very real dangers could accidentally break the law just by trying to protect ourselves. I am a woman. I am only 4'10" tall. I have had stalkers, and due to work in law enforcement as a computer forensic examiner, I am threatened by criminal defendants and their associates. Because I am not a cop or special agent, no law enforcement exceptions apply to me. I cannot get a protective order because I do not always know who made the threats. I have been attacked several times. My assailants threatened to burn my house, kill my family, and torture and rape me. The very least you could do after making the legislative mess in last year's session is to exempt concealed carry permit holders from these ridiculous restrictions. We have been background checked, we have taken at least one safety course (though many of us opt to take courses and train with our firearms regularly in order to be sure that our skills and safety practices remain current). HB2319 is particularly troubling. If the firearm is locked away from the "bad guy", then it is also less accessible to the peaceful law abiding person (who will be less able to access it when needed for self defense).

Dear delegates - As a law-abiding citizen who wishes to ensure my God-given (NOT state granted) right to protect myself and my family against both criminals and tyrannical government I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO SUPPORT the following four bills before your committee: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Likewise I STRONGLY OPPOSE yet another anti-gun bill submitted to your committee: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures any firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack.

Please vote against any and all forms of Bill's designed to limit or restrict our right to bear arms. Thank You Cameron Reed

I urge you to approve all of these except HB2319-Guzman. It should be rejected

Remember your oath of office and do not infringe on citizen’s rights!

I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary.

Would you please discontinue what seems like a targeting of honest gun owners on proposed laws that either punish owners in various ways making it very difficult to purchase ammo, use a high powered flash light, attempt to impose heavy taxation which of course targets people of lower income, limiting the ability to smith or modify self defense weapons. I understand that the nature of certain laws is to limit the ability to have fully automatic weapons which already exist, but continues to ignore the reality that anyone at anytime can obtain the necessary resources to act in a way that is malevolent to society that completely disregards any laws that could ever be passed. A law breaker has no intentions of abiding by laws acting in a way that demonstrates any actual character. The current laws that exist are already limiting and to expect complete certainty in all situations is impossible even at the expense of personal freedom that I and most everyone, even non gun owners typically value over continued restrictions. These points continue to be made time and time again and the laws that are propose need to practical purpose that does not restrict individuals who simply wish to have their rights respected rather than continually challenged. It always appears that these bills are also proposed with the attempt to pass them without the public having an awareness of such situations creating a lack of transparency. What is your intent as representatives of VA, to always follow a party affiliated narrative if democrat and attempt to institute control measures. Do we just endlessly continue to play out arguments of such nature for years to come or can we simply acknowledge that most people act responsible and some sadly at times do not but limiting those responsible is not a solution that deters those of evil intentions in the end.

As a constituent I urge you to SUPPORT HB1773, HB1793, HB2285 and HB2310. I urge you to OPPOSE HB2319.

Virginia voters have overwhelmingly shown that racist, Jim Crow gun control is unwelcome in the Commonwealth through Lobby Day after Lobby Day and hundreds of Second Amendment Sanctuary Cities. Your vote against civil rights for POC and all citizens will be remembered on voting day and beyond.

As a constituent I urge you to SUPPORT HB2310.

All gun laws in the United States have lead to racial disparities in enforcement (see NY and DC) and support the carceral state by creating new victimless crimes to arrest more people. Ultimately these laws are created by people protected by guns (legislators) and are enforced by people with guns (police). Help end racism and step back from empowering the carceral state by opposing "gun control."

I ask you to heavily support HB1773 allowing common sense firearm carry enable individuals the right to adequately protect themselves. I ask you support HB1793 as local ordinances not allowing carry is a severe infringement on Virginians right to self protection. I ask you to support HB2310, as Virginians right to self defense doesn't go away in a pandemic I ask you to support HB2285 although I believe that the law of only purchasing 1 handgun a month for the common Virginian is infringement on their inherent 2nd amendment right. I ask you to strongly oppose HB2319. This is a violation of privacy and the enforcement of this would violate people privacy. Not a good slope to go down.

HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. And this one anti-gun bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures any firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack.

Please support the constitutional rights of your constituents and break with the Democrats who are working so hard to subvert our rights! There is no human right more fundamental than the right to defend yourself and your loved ones from violent attack.

Committee Members, I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary. Sincerely, Seth Tilstra

As a constituent I urge you to SUPPORT HB1773, HB1793, HB2285 and HB2310. I urge you to OPPOSE HB2319.

Please SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And please OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary. Sincerely, Adam Gifford 1616 Peppers Ferry Rd Pulaski, VA 24301-2904 afgiff4d@gmail.com

Dear Delegates, Please, your existing gun laws do not work. Please do not enact more anti-gun legislation that also will not work. In all seriousness, if we're so worried and afraid about proven violent felons getting their hands on guns (again), how about you just put, and keep, them in jail out of circulation? That really is the only foolproof method of keeping criminals from repeating their violence upon us. No more gun control! Stop infringing on my 2nd Amendment rights (and similar rights in our Commonwealth's Constitution)! Enact strong laws that put and keep actual violent offenders in jail. Not useless laws that only serve to limit or prevent my ability to defend my family, and to engage in various firearms' competitions. If you want to actually save lives, how about banning cell phones and booze? Think about all the lives senselessly lost to drunk and distracted driving. Or do those lives not matter? Thank you for your consideration.

I am happy to see legislation protecting 2nd amendment rights, although disappointed that they have become necessary. Any gun control stacks the cards against women, people of color, and the disabled community. We should be providing education and training, NOT restricting rights of good citizens.

I ask that you support the following bills coming up in committee: HB 1773 HB 1793 HB 2285 HB 2310 I ask that you vote against bill HB 2319 (Delegate Guzman). This bill increases the time it would take for a lawful gun owner to respond to a violent attack. Thank you.

SUPPORT HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB2310! OPPOSE HB2319!

Please support HB1773, 1793, 2285, and 310. These are common sense changes that are needed to reduce the burden on law abiding citizens that practice their rights as guaranteed by the Constitution and a bill of Rights. Please DO NOT support HB 2319 Citizens do not need any more restrictions on our rights. I do not support gun control and refuse to support political leaders that do.

As a Virginia Resident, I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary.

Hello, I am an honest, law-abiding, hard-working, tax-paying, property-owning husband and father. Please do not further restrict my firearm-related rights. Thank you, Chris

If someone has passed the mandatory background checks needed for a Concealed Carry Permit, then they have shown themselves to be capable and trustworthy citizens in the eyes of the State. If that is the case, then there is no reasonable excuse to prevent the permit holder from carrying in all places. Additionally there is no reason to prevent the permit holder from purchasing an additional firearm within 30 days. Firearms are collectibles and transferring a collection should not take months or years to complete. That is unfair and undue towards the people that the State has already deemed safe.

I would like you support this bill!

I have a secured firearm for home protection. For home protection my firearm is readily armed. What purpose is a fire arm that is not loaded and separate from ammunition for home protection? You are violating my rights to insist that I keep that fire arm and ammunition separate.

When a convicted felon has lost his or her right to possess a firearm it stands to reason that the person or persons residing with that felon should not allow easy access. Convenience and casual carelessness turn into powerful forces, so too does the notion that a friend, a family member, a roommate or domestic partner, despite conviction, is not the threat that law enforcement and the courts have proven them to be. This legislation deals directly with the single most common sense way of keeping firearms out of the hands of convicted felons by keeping them out of their all too easy reach. When the father of a convicted violent felon failed to listen to reason, when he failed to secure his weapon despite pleas to consider his own safety and the safety of others in his rural Virginia community, tragedy struck. How long will it take for a 5 year-old to get over the physical and emotional scars from a bullet shattering her tiny bones? Five years, ten years, never? How many years will it take for her brother, who narrowly dodged another bullet to his own head to get over witnessing this tragedy perpetrated in the place they called home by a man known to be dangerous and with easy access to a firearm? Had this legislation been enacted in Virginia two years ago, I wouldn't be asking these questions. When common sense fails, money talks. The threat of a civil penalty, albeit modest, could have helped to erase the rationalizing, the pity and the carelessness. It may have resulted in denial of access or the securing of the weapon used to fire upon these children. I urge you to consider those who cannot bear arms in their own defence. I urge you to support this lifesaving legislation.

What HB 2319 Does: This bill (and its substitute) impose(s) a $500 civil penalty on any individual who resides or cohabitates with a person who they “know or [have] reason to believe is prohibited from possessing or transporting a firearm […]” who ALLOWS that prohibited person access to a firearms. Concerns about Unintended Consequences: As the Domestic and Sexual Violence Attorney for Virginia Poverty Law Center, I am worried about the unintended consequences…and potentially dangerous impact… of this bill on victims of domestic and/or sexual violence who live with abusers. Victims often live with their abusers. If this bill were to become law, victims would be responsible for policing their own abusers’ firearms access: 1. Any attempt by a victim to deny an abuser access to their firearms could endanger their lives and those of anyone else, children, etc. who also live in the home; 2. Enforcement of firearms laws should be the responsibility of law enforcement, not victims; and 3. This bill would penalize a victim for their abuser’s illegal possession or transport of a firearm. While surely unintentional, if passed, HB 2319 would effectively hold victims who reside or cohabitate with their abusers accountable for their abusers’ illegal firearms behavior. It would blame victims even as it further endangered their lives. For these reasons, VPLC opposes it.

HB2310 addresses a very real issue related to COVID-19 quarantines. Many people took online classes to meet the permissible proof of training in 2020. However, they were prevented from submitting applications due to jurisdictional restrictions based on COVID-19. This bill would afford these people their rightful application process. It is not asking to extend the deadline or change the law that took affect on January 1, 2021. It is simply allowing those people who acted in good faith and made every effort submit their application before the deadline to move forward with the process. Many people were told to mail in their applications, however the US Postal Service took 4 or more weeks to deliver. Others were told to leave the application in a drop box, only to find out that the box was not checked daily. This travesty of justice is easily remedied by the passage of this bill. I thank you for voting to move this bill forward. HB2319 requires that care be taken to keep firearms out of the hands of prohibited people. As amended, with Subsection B which allows for viable access by nonprohibited household members, I am neutral on this bill. However, if the Subsection were to be altered or struck from the bill my position would change to opposition. Thank you for your time and consideration, Patricia Y Webb

i am supporting all with exception to HB 2319, Delegate Guzman. i do not support HB 2319, Delegate Guzman. that bill will just mean i would be limited in housing options for having my hunting shotgun. I understand the intent, but it is just needless.

While I understand that intention behind this bill is to promote the safe storage of firearms, I am deeply concerned about the very real impact of this bill on the lives of many Virginians who live with abusive partners and family members. Putting the onus on a victim of domestic violence to keep guns out of the hands of their abuser puts that victim at even more risk. Intimate partner violence and gun violence in the US are inextricably linked, impacting millions of women, families, and communities across the country. Abusers with firearms are five times more likely to kill their victims, and guns further exacerbate the power and control dynamic used by abusers to inflict emotional abuse and exert coercive control over their victims. (https://everytownresearch.org/report/guns-and-violence-against-women-americas-uniquely-lethal-intimate-partner-violence-problem/). I ask Delegate Guzman to please reconsider this bill and reach out to Virginian experts in domestic violence including the VA Action Alliance. If this comes up for more votes, I also ask to please vote no on this well-intentioned but harmful bill. Thank you.

These are all reasonable measures and needed for saftey. ATF statistics show that criminals gravitate to gun ban regions. Please make America safer. Thank you; SD Hunt

HB2319 Should be frustrated and denied at all costs. It would essentially punish someone who would need or want to own a firearm for certain reasons including self defense the inability to do so just because of close proximity with someone who can't own firearms. A firearm for self defense is useless unless it can be readily deployed. Making it so a firearm must not only be locked up while unloaded would hinder any defensive use. Especially during these times of unrest, where the majority of new gun owners have only bought a firearm for self defense, you would be stripping their ability to do so. Our second amendment right allows us the access to arms and ammunition, but our other amendments secure our privacy to do what we wish with our property. Beyond stripping people of the fundamental primary use age of their arms, you are arguably going against our constitutional rights by implementing this law

Dear Sir or Madame : I oppose any gun control. As a citizen of America, father, and a husband I am responsible for four lives in this world. I take it serious. The self- determination thing with firearms is hard enough. I can't imagine freedom without them. But you, you and the left want to take that away. You want to LIMIT my ability to protect and serve. Why ? You sit in Richmond and serve your loyal democratic master, while I go un- represented. Look at the data. The data that's not paid for buy mike bloomburg and co. You'll see, more gun control only makes it easier for the criminal. My right shall not be infringed upon. Sincerely John Zielanski

Any bill that restricts use of weapons to law abiding citizens is a huge deal. You can outlaw the world but criminals will get anything they want - its the law abiding people who suffer. You may think it's about time to get big guns out of the way and of the streets but you will only restrict access away from those who may step up one day and save you, or that child, or that officer. Did you know the 2nd amendment was not written for hunters, it was written so that we could protect ourselves against a government gone so foul it was turning away from us to socialism and communism . Hitler took weapons first, China took weapons first, Russia did too. it is a paid for movie step one in the plan to make you a communist society. You then have nothing to defend the other rights with. You are done. People in this country will not give up their weapons peaceful in the night. Our weapons are our way of protecting our way of life. What is the government afraid of that they need to disarm us ? This is a SHAM. If you continue to come after criminalizing gun possession it will eventually be seen as an act of hostility against the people who depend on you! The Legal Ones. If our Constitution gave us the Right to bear arms to protect us from a government going crazy - yet that very government is trying to disarm all of us - what is this??? One can only be concerned that it may be disarming us before you do something horrible??? The Bill of Rights Is a Sacred document. Do not mess with it. it outlines our basic rights and freedoms ! Ann Austin

I oppose this bill. People are responsible for their own actions not the actions of others. This bill will affect poor and minority communities at a much greater rate than others. Turning a working single mom into a criminal for giving a friend or family member a place to stay when in need while not having a gun safe for a legally owned firearm used for self defense is criminal in and of itself. This is effectively a tax on those who can least afford it, Virginia has a history of racist gun control legislation and this is a bill which furthers that.

I strongly oppose any law that makes it nearly impossible to access a weapon in protection of their home or person. Oppose Bill 2319

As a constituent, I urge the Committee to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773 Sixteen other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793 The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. Permit holders have completed the required process, have clear backgrounds as verified by the investigations, and are proven outstanding citizens. HB 2285 This is needed to cleanup the language, bringing in obvious exemptions. HB 2310 This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319 There are serious flaws with this bill. First, requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. Second, requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary. Christopher Cusano 5720 Habersham Way Alexandria, VA 22310

This bill is another trap to ensnare an otherwise law-abiding citizen into inadvertently committing a crime. It is ill-conceived and should be discarded.

I support all these bills with one exception: I agree either the concept put forth by Del. Guzman in HB 2319 that people who are not allowed to have firearms should be denied access to those firearms. However, requiring a locked weapon in a secure container to be unloaded is redundant, and increases the time that the owner needs to retrieve the firearm and prepare it for use to defend himself/ herself unnecessarily. Such emergencies require seconds to prepare for, and fumbling with a magazine or fumbling with loading rounds into the firearm in a highly stressful situation leaves the responsible gun owner defenseless to respond. If the committee would amend HB 2319 to remove this point, I can wholeheartedly support all these measures.

I support HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB2310. I do NOT support HB2319. Living with a prohibited person doesn't prevent other criminals from perpetrating violent acts on anyone in the home. Rendering a firearm all but useless during violent attacks where seconds matter is irresponsible and dangerous.

I oppose all these bills because they solve no existing problems and are attempts to limit my constitutional rights. If looking for a problem to solve, try fixing the pathetic educational system that has evolved over the last 30 years.

I am a long time Arlington resident (30+) years, raised four kids here, and have never felt like I needed a gun. That changed this summer as rioters and looters stormed through Georgetown, breaking windows and many shops in Arlington (Apple!) boarded up windows. To have mobs march and scream for defunding the police all while destroying property and purposefully trying to frighten law abiding citizens leads even former gun haters to actually go out and buy guns. Millions across the country realized that self defense is an important right and duty! I support all of the pro gun rights bills checked above because gun ownership is not a crime. People who have received carry permits are more law abiding than even police. To have localities like Arlington start to enact laws that limit their rights to carry and self protect is quite wrong and I think there will be a voter backlash on this issue...even in Arlington! I am shocked by the number of people I have heard that purchased a gun or are contemplating it due to the summer's events. Please support an individual's right to buy, carry and have large enough magazines to defend themselves and their families. Support HB 1773, HB 1793, HB 2285, HB 310. And oppose HB 2319 (Guzman).

This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is ALREADY LOCKED away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack.

I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary.

The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence opposes HB1773, HB1793 and HB2285. Carrying a concealed weapon in public should require a permit that includes a thorough background check and in-person training. Individuals who choose to carry firearms in public put other people at risk when not properly trained. Similarly, general prohibitions on carrying or possession of firearms on local property should apply to all persons - there is no reason to exempt persons with concealed carry permits from these generally applicable rules. More firearms in public increases risk of harm. Finally, there should be no exception to the prohibition on purchasing more than one handgun a month by persons with a concealed carry permit. The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence supports HB2319. If an individual is aware or should have been aware that an individual with whom they reside is prohibited from possessing or transporting firearms, the onus should be on such lawful owner of firearms to ensure that the prohibited person is not able to access such firearm. Very reasonable exceptions exist to the requirement that firearms be locked and inaccessible for those individuals actually carrying the firearm or when the firearm is within their control - not the prohibited individual.

This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack. I am opposed to HB2319 and urge you to vote against this bill. It will accomplish nothing other than to endanger law abiding citizens who might become involved in a life-or-death situation.

As a 20-plus-year CHP holder in Chesterfield Co., and a constituent who votes in EVERY election, I strongly urge you all to vote YES on the following 4 PRO-gun bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. And I must also urge you all to vote NO on this last bill because it fails to acknowledge common sense and is fatally flawed in its construction and intent.: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures any firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack. Thank You, all, for your attention. Sincerely, Ryan S. Bonney Midlothian, VA

I urge my representatives to take no action that would limit constitutional gun rights, and to take proper action to expand or undo gun limits, as they relate to law-abiding citizens of the Commonwealth. Every day in America 65 million gun owners act responsibly with their guns. You never hear about us; you don't see our firearms; we are a threat to no one. Yet gun control laws affect only us because criminals pay no attention to the decisions you're making today. I urge you in the strongest of terms to keep these truths in mind when you vote. Thank you. Virginia Welch, Rockville, Va.

Please do not infringe on our right to self defense and protection by voting this bill into law.

I'm a liberal gun owner looking to provide my own nuanced perspective on these bills. 1773: This one seems obvious to me. It has always seemed backwards to me that you could be in a situation where you're ONLY allowed to open carry. In this area, open carrying tends to make a lot of folks around you uncomfortable, and I personally view it as the less courteous of the two options. I doubt someone with malicious intent is going to open carry regardless of the law, so preventing law abiding gun owners from doing to just makes things more uncomfortable for them and those around them. 2310: To be clear, I think every gun owner should get in person training as soon as possible. However, the coronavirus pandemic has currently made doing so unsafe, which has also coincided with the largest increase in new gun owners in my lifetime (including a huge increase in minority and women gun owners). Reflecting on recent events at the Capitol, it's not hard to imagine why so many of our fellow citizens have decided to become proactive about their own safety, and it is important that the state be flexible in allowing them a reasonable and safe avenue to do so during the pandemic. 2319: I respect what this bill is attempting to accomplish, but have issue with the requirement that firearms be stored unloaded. Besides being unenforceable (as far as I can tell), this defeats the concept of having a firearm for self-defense. It is possible to keep a firearm loaded while also unaccessible from a prohibited cohabitant. Also, in the interest of placing no more burden than necessary on gun owning citizens, please consider amending "prohibited person" to "prohibited person who was also convicted of a violent crime", or similar wording. It seems unnecessary that a gun owner be subject to such measures simply because, for example, their partner was found guilty of tax evasion or was caught using marijuana years ago (both actual reasons you can become prohibited from owning a firearm). 1793: This bill seems essential for concealed carry license holders such as myself. As things stand, it is incredibly easy to accidentally commit a crime while attempting to concealed carry, unless you are able to memorize the specific local ordinances for every town I'm Virginia as they apply to public buildings, parks, and special events/parades, as well as be aware of any and all special events/parades happening on a daily basis. Not exempting concealed carry license holders from these laws makes absolutely no one safer, and creates a legal nightmare for people like me.

Please do not support these gun control bills. These bills have implications that will disproportionally affect minority communities and make it harder for these groups to exercise their second amendment rights.

While a law made to prevent someone who should not have a firearm sounds good, you have to consider the practicality of such a law. It is not practical to have a firearm and ammo separately locked up in all situations. Further, I think this law skips the real issue here which is the person who should not be around a firearm. What are our failures as a society that this person cannot be near a firearm? Clearly we are doing a lot wrong when it comes to proper education, of firearms but also classical education, the failures in the justice system, failures in mental healthcare. There needs to be responsibility taken for these crises not shifting the blame to an inanimate object that someone decides to use for something bad. Stop the viewing and making of fantastical, murderous movies and games that glorify killing. Something is wrong when kids willfully sit playing a game all night where they continually hunt down and “kill” other people for fun. This is a major ethical failure for our country. We promote violent murderous games and movies then when one of these poorly educated, mentally Unstable individuals decided to play i the real work everyone freaks out. We should be freaking out about the failures we have made as a society that causes these people to do this. Hint: it isn’t the presence of real firearms.

I demand that you support: HB 1773, Delegate Freitas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. You also need to oppose: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures any firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack. This bill is an absolute joke and will do nothing. It is obvious that this is a pathetic attempt by Guzman to please her anti gun overlords. This truly is a gun control pandering bill. It's pathetic and this is wasting ink and paper.

When i was growing up i had so much respect for politicians, I thought what an honor to serve the greatest nation on earth. To take an oath to “DEFEND” the CONSTITUTION of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA. To DEFEND the BILL of RIGHTS. That’s the oath you take ! To Defend not to amend as you see fit, these are GOD Given. Not suggestions, NO Politician had the power to change or take away any of these rights, The arrogance of taking the power away from WE the People and more important to put yourselves above God has been shown by our disgraced governor and senators. God fearing Virginian’s have lost our first amendment rights already, almost our second. Please honor the only oath you take when you ate sworn in. Defend our great Constitution. Thank you for your time David Smith Roanoke Virginia 24012

OPPOSE HB2319 You should OPPOSE HB2319. This bill seeks to penalize the law-abiding housemate gun owner, while ignoring the person who is already prohibited from handling guns. Last year's anti-gun laws had a goal: to disarm normal citizens rather than to reduce gun crime. For example, remember that the Virginia Beach killer was a municipal employee who killed his fellow employees in a gun-free municipal building. Just like this year's HB2319, last-year's anti-gun bills did not penalize actual criminals. You should support the new bills HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB310 which help restore some of the rights taken by the 2020 anti-gun laws. Pat Grandelli

I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary. Sincerely, Derek Le Vie 105 Combs Loop Yorktown, VA 23693-1915 heliman406@gmail.com

The 2nd Amendment of United States Constitution clearly states that our RIGHT to bear arms SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED, therefore any bill or law that hinders that RIGHT in any way is UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Those who put forth any such hindrance have grievously breached the Oath of Representative Office they hold and their Constituents Rights and Good Faith.

Please SUPPORT bills HB 1773, 1793, 2285, and 2310, and OPPOSE HB 2319. 1773 Is for constitutional carry. Anyone who could qualify for a concealed handgun permit should be able to carry concealed. Anything less is an infringement on the Second Amendment of the Constitution, which is the Law of the Land. 1793 CHP holders are trained and law-abiding, and should be exempt from local gun-control laws and regulations. They are adding to the safety of their communities, being able to react to a situation and perhaps prevent a crime or mass shooting before police could get to the scene. 2285 Retired LEOs and non-resident CHP holders should be exempt from "one handgun a month". These people can be trusted. Their handgun purchases are not going to result in crime or malfeasance, but add to their ability to protect themselves, their families, and their neighborhoods. 2310 Please extend the availability of online CHP training and certification until at least April 30, 2021. This is the quickest and least expensive way a person can qualify for concealed carry. It benefits many working people, who may not be able to take off work to attend an in-person class. It benefits the poor, who are more likely able to afford the nominal cost of an online course more than a resident course. And it benefits minorities, who often live in poorer neighborhoods where crime is rampant, in that it gives them a quicker way to qualify for a concealed handgun permit. 2319 Please oppose this bill, which, among other things, requires a secured, locked-up handgun to be UNLOADED, which would hamper its use in a life-threatening emergency. If it is locked up, it is already secure. In case of a home invasion, the safe would have to be opened, which is enough hindrance to the emergency acquisition of the firearm. Adding the burden of then having to load the weapon and chamber a round would further delay emergency response to a threat.

These five bills all protect the rights of Virginians to self-defense as they move about the Commonwealth during their daily schedules. For some reason, many prohibitions against the right to self-defense have been imposed on law-abiding Virginians. Of course, criminals will ignore any laws, including local bans on concealed carry. There have been numerous criminal acts near my home in the last six months and "gun free zones" have not prevented any of these acts. Support our rights to self-defense as we move about our daily activities.

I write in support of HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB310. I support these bills as they add to the freedoms & rights of the citizens of the Commonwealth. HP1773, from Del Freitas is of particular interest, as it follows the intent of a Commonwealth, in that your votes & laws imposed should be for the common good. This is a right & freedom that is being stripped from law-abiding citizens. I also vehemently oppose HB2319, as this bill directly throws common-sense right out the window. If you follow this logic, its not enough to lock your car in a locked garage, but you would have to either disconnect & remove the battery or remove the wheels & tires, to ensure that no one could drive your car who was not "authorized" to. What about the rights of the person who is authorized? Does their life mean less, as that the firearm is already locked away, then on top of it now unloaded? What about when something happens & it calls for quick action? First you have to get into the safe to get your firearm, then for sake of argument, you have a shotgun, then you have to locate each shotgun shell, one at a time & load them one at a time. When seconds count, it only takes minutes to get a serviceable firearm into a fireable condition. Are you going to start saying that someone who has never had a DUI, but lives with someone who has, would have to go through my example above every time they came home, because they have to reap the punishment of something they have never done. I know I brought it up earlier "Common-Sense", I understand it is a limited commodity now-a-days but we need to try our best to use it. A "Commonwealth" is just that, an intent for the common good of every single citizen as the whole. It is not for political agendas, the lobbyist, the squeaky wheel groups or any other agenda that is not for the whole of Virginias citizenry. Its time that we stop acting on agendas and parties, it time you ALL start thinking about every Virginian, even the silent ones, that sit back & pray you actually uphold you oath of office & do your jobs. Remember that We the People deserve better. You were sent their to represent all of us, not just some of us. It's time to stop being followers, because the party or fundraisers told you to, but time to stand up & be the leaders we expect you to be. Sic Semper Tyrannis

As a voting constituent I urge you to SUPPORT HB1773, HB1793, HB2285 and HB2310. Gun owners in Fairfax county feel betrayed by the actions of the state and county. I also urge you to please OPPOSE HB2319

I don't know why you communists keep passing anti-gun legislation. There are too many anti-gun laws on the books to keep track of so people just ignore them! Do you really think that people bother to inconvenience themselves in order to follow your unconstitutional laws? No, they don't. They just go about their business regardless of what you do. The police don't even enforce those unconstitutional laws. They just look the other way or wave you on.

I strongly support HB 1773, HB 1793, HB 2310. They are common sense limits on localities extending the already egregious limitations on the law-abiding citizens' right to possess the means and have the opportunity to protect and defend themselves. Additional local regulations would also further Balkanize Virginia with respect to gun ownership and control. They are blatant tyranny calculated to harass and intimidate the law abiding citizens of the state. Such moves do not increase public safety. They are also strongly divisive. I also support HB 2319, noting that, in addition to any religious objection, citizens have a right to opt out of any treatment that has not been proven safe to the standards already established for other widely available medications and medical treatments. The public record on the current Covid-19 vaccines clearly shows that they have been hysterically rushed to approval without any of these safeguards. That a citizen may be compelled to take such treatments is even more ridiculous when the mortality rate from Covid-19 is a scant 0.3%. If the governor, any official, or any other entity under their governance volunteers to turn themselves into lab rats, that is fine by me. Under the circumstances, they should not have the right to require others to do so.

HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). -A permit is nothing more than a piece of paper and come on if that worked, domestic violence injunctions would work. Stop with the red tape, over-regulation and join the other states that have successfully adopted this. And with all the over-regulation about open-carry, and virtue signaling by people that are ignorant about guns (being scared because a responsible person has an openly carried gun) you would think this makes perfect sense. Besides, criminals don't follow the law, they already have constitutional carry. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. - These local laws are becoming more intrusive, probably unconstitutional, and making it difficult for law abiding people to be compliant. Law abiding people who have already been approved to own and use a firearm. The lack of common sense and lack of logic that is being thrown about in the name of "gun control" is ridiculous. Virginians have spoken, loudly, and yet you still continue to push for things YOU want, not what the people want. Useless laws that are not even being enforced are just, well, void!! HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. - Self explanatory HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Encouraging individuals to have to attend public gatherings is completely against the guidance given by the Governors office, the CDC, and many other agencies. And where is the data showing this is an issue related to the online class? - COVD - why are we forcing people to subject themselves to COVID just to obtain a permit when the governor even says social distance, stay home, don't do unnecessary socializing. Just seems like something that is a non-issue. Where are the stats saying this has been a problem? Have we had a rash of shootings by otherwise unqualified concealed permit holders that would have resulted otherwise had the holder been to an in-person class? And this one anti-gun bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures any firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack. - Self Explanatory and already covered by federal law. How much over-regulation are you going to continue to propagate? And I'm sorry an unloaded, stored firearm in a home shows how ignorant the drafter of this bill really is to the aspects of self-defense. I'd challenge this is also unconstitutional and violates the constitution in that the home is not where the government gets to dictate law; it's intrusive and invasive and, again, where is the data supporting that there is an issue that needs to be addressed?

I’m pretty sure you all took an oath to protect, preserve, & uphold the Constitution of the United States. With that said then why do you even consider any gun legislation????It is very sad what is happening to this country with the continued attacks on the 2nd Amendment and the Constitution as a whole. Guns aren’t the problem, it’s people. The continued removal of God in this country is slowly destroying our society with less and less morals, respect, & love for one another. Your ‘gun control’ legislation serves no purpose but continue to chip away at the Constitution which is what got us to where we are today. I implore you to reconsider these bills and think of this country & our Constitution. We must have the right to defend ourselves with the same tools as the murderers and thieves amongst us. You KNOW they don’t EVER adhere to any gun control laws so therefore innocent men, women, children pay the price. Please...think. Thank you~

I urge you to suport pri- Second Amendment bills and ooose the bill that further infringe on liberty and the right of Virginians to keeo and bear arms. Very Respectfully, Milton Clary

When reading this purposed, I do not see how punishing someone for the former actions of someone else will solve anything and even enforcement raises more than enough questions to recognize that this is another unenforceable law if it were to be made law. Stigmatizing someone who served their time and then casting that net onto others will not change anything and will be a only be a tack on charge after a crime happens. Rather than focus on creating legislation that will only disproportionately be enforced and further stigmatize people, focuse energy on rehabilitative laws. The most concerning problem is that the current legislature has expressed desire to expand and experiment with what makes someone a prohibited person effectivly weaponizing laws like these against nonprohibited persons in a false claim of "safety" for even prohibited persons who comitted non-violent offenses.

HB 1773 - This is also known as "Constitutional Carry" and has been enacted in many other states. The net effect in those states is a DECREASE in crime using a firearm and crime in general. This will only serve to make Virginia Safer HB 1793 - Holders of concealed carry permits are statistically LESS LIKELY TO COMMIT a crime than police officers. I ought to know as a former police officer. This will allow law abiding citizens who go through the extra scrutiny of obtaining a permit to protect themselves and others. HB 2285 - Retired police officer who served honorably deserve the respect entailed in this bill. HB 2310 - This is a necessary stop gap that will prevent law abiding citizens from running afoul of a new law. HB 2319 - This punishes a citizen who has done no wrong and will fall disproportionally on persons of color.

SUPPORT HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB310. OPPOSE HB2319! HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds people with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. I urge you to OPPOSE - HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures any firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack.

I support the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution and want no more gun control. Thank you.

I am what many would consider a Northern Virginia Liberal. I have not been particularly politically active and as far as firearms I own a 5 shot revolver and a pump action shotgun. I have a Concealed Carry Permit but have never used it. I am humbly writing to ask the Virginia State Legislature to respect the spirit of the constitution of our state and our country. Unlike some other states, Virginia has shown for centuries that it respects its own citizens to be well informed and mature enough to carry firearms. The recent trend away from this long held respect is worrisome. I implore the committee and the legislature at large to abandon obnoxious gun control efforts, to return to the free and open state we have been for so long, and to restore our rights in Northern Virginia and elsewhere now restricted. My vote, and the vote of anyone like me, which has been traditionally center left, depend upon the continued respect of our rights and liberties, given by God, and hitherto recognized by the state.

It is imperative to support the rights of the 2nd ammendment for citizens. As stated, the 2nd Ammendment 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. " . Ergo support of the first 5 bills HB 1773, HB 1793, HB 2285, HB 2310 supports the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed. I am opposed to HB 2319 due to it infringes upon the right of a citizen to keep and bear Arms. It is important for the representatives to interrupt the constitutional rights of citizens and not infringe upon that right.

Why are you all trying to make us less safe? Its alot like saying you need to take a vaccine, but then suddenly make that vaccine less available and distribution less efficient. Its almost like you want people to die. The only thing that should die are these horrible bills. My body, my choice. My security, my choice. Hands off my security. Kill these bills.

Please support, and pass the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Please OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures any firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack.

Greetings, Please follow the science and advocate for common sense solutions to crime and violence, and support actions which enable me to protect myself and my family if ever necessary to do so. Restricting civil liberties should not be taken so lightly. The CDC and many other organizations have clearly identified the root causes of crime, homicide, related early death as poverty, drugs, and alcohol. Our legislative bodies should never act to limit our Constitutional liberties. I urge you all to SUPPORT the following bills which advance citizens to protect themselves and their families form criminals. HB 1773, Delegate Frieta. HB 1793, Delegate Davis. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler. HB 2310, Delegate Runion. Please OPPOSE HB 2319, Delegate Guzman. This bill places an unreasonable limitation on citizens and places them at risk far more than it enhances safety. Understandably, the firearm should be adequately secured. Requiring it be unloaded and ammunition also secured elsewhere is a ridiculous provision. Further, how would you possibly enforce it. This is not a common sense proposal. Respectfully, Jarrett Rhodes

Representative Guzman, We need to stop with the division in America. You can start by dropping all the anti gun legislation that yourself and fellow democrats are attempting to pass. They are all a direct “INFRINGEMENT” upon our 2nd Amendment right. You can and should be focusing on real issues that affect so many folks here in our Commonwealth. Take a stroll down Broad Street sometime and look at all the boarded up locations. Ask the people what they really need. They will probably say things like good paying jobs, good housing at an affordable price, safe schools and streets and peace of mind that our social security will be there when the time comes and not given away to illegal immigrants. Focus on things that will get our country another 200 years down the road. So our children’s children will have a solid safe country. Do these things and Virginia will be the gold standard of our society. Freedom, Peace and Protectors of OUR Constitution, not dismantlers. Don’t do these things and you will complete the digression to a third world country that the DNC has been hell bent on. Remember, your not there to “control” the people. You are there to ensure we have a safe, efficient and secure state, and country, so “We the People” can flourish, make memories, raise our families and be proud to be an American. American Patriot, Chuck Pulver

I am writing to express my opposition to any and all legislation that infringes on my constitutional right to bear arms. Our founding fathers knew then that an armed populace is a deterrent to those that would seek to take away other rights. History shows that the first thing those seeking to control the populace do is to disarm them. A responsible citizen gun owner is not the problem, criminals are. If fact, any devise: a car, a truck, a ball point pen, a utility knife, can become a weapon in the hands of someone with a bad intent. I urge you to stop these efforts to disarm Virginians.

I believe most Virginia citizens are pro-Second Amendment in the fullest sense. As one of them, I do not want my right to own, open-or-concealed carry, and use my firearms sensibly and lawfuly to be infringed upon. This right is a also matter of public safety. I have a right to defend myself and others against criminal, anarchist and terrorist elements should such an occasion arise. As a retired Army officer, an antique US military weapons collector, reentactor and target shooter, I think I am capable of repsonsibly, safely and lawfully able to own, care for and utilize my weapons without politically motivated restrictions placed upon me. Frankly, I believe that any further restrictions placed upon our collective/individual fundamental right to keep and bear arms as protected within the 2nd Amendment of the United States Constitution amounts to criminalistic legislation against me and my fellow citizens. I fully support HBs 1773, 1793, 2285,& 2310, and reject HB 2319 emphatically. Politicians need to listen to the citizens and not to the whims of divisive, anti-American special interest groups looking to alter American societal traditions, norms, and constitutional rights. Elected officials are meant to represent us and our Constitution as written and implemented, period. Americans do not need to be reeducated against our fundamental and inalienable rights, traditions, societal norms and culture, nor does our nation at the local, municipal, county, state and national strata need to be transformed into something unrecognizeable and un-American. Therefore, I reemphasize to the Virginia State Legislature - PASS HBs 1773, 1793, 2285,& 2310, and REJECT HB 2319! America first, America only, America always! Thank you.

Would like for your support on all the bills except HB2319.

Let's keep this simple. HB 1773 - This is a GREAT bill. Please move this along. HB 1793 - This is a GREAT bill. Please move this along. HB 2310 - This is a good bill to support, but it could be improved upon by simply doing away with the legislation that prohibits on line concealed carry training. HB 2319 - A horrible bill. VOTE IT DOWN!!! Sincerely, Craig S. Lane 613 Cobbler Terr Leesburg, VA 20175

Concerning HB 1793, 2285, 2310, 2319... I strongly encourage you to vote for these HBs as it is our 2nd Right Amendment Right to have such legislation protecting all and any lawful persons to exercise their God given rights to protect themselves and loved ones. These HBs contribute to and help enforce our 2nd Amendment Rights . Concerning HB 2319... Mr. Guzman, No anti-gun laws will stop criminals from committing crimes against law abiding people. They are criminals for a reason...they do not adhere to our country's laws ! This HB will only delay the reaction time of a law abiding citizen from protecting himself & loved ones, should a criminal engage in such crimes as home invasion, intent to cause injury or death to an innocent victim. This HB contradicts common sense when it comes to a person protecting themselves and loved ones from a criminal. I respectfully request this HB not pass the legislator. Respectfully, Drew Boles, Wirtz,VA.

DO NOT Support HB 2319. Anything short of this is unconstitutional. Responsible gun owners are not the problem. If you support this bill, I will work with GOA, NAGR, VCC, VCDL, and VFK (and all other pro-Constitution, freedom-loving groups) to make sure you are not re-elected.

Good evening, I urge you to vote NAY on this bill. HB 2319 would place restrictions on an honest, law-abiding citizen for the irresponsibility of another. This is not how justice works. Will you next require neighbors of someone with a DUI be restricted from driving? Will neighbors of pedophiles be banned from procreating? Again, we have an attempt to punish good people for the actions of bad people. Please vote NAY on this bill. Thank you, Vincent Smith

There are four pro-gun bills and one anti-gun bill. The anti-gun bill should be rejected since the people of this Commonwealth believe in a freedom to own a gun and that should not be taken away. No matter what it represents, the anti-gun politicians want to remove all guns and in so doing are creating an environment that will not be so rewarding for anti-gunnersand their comrades.

Please support HB 1773, 1793, 2285, and 2310. Please particularly support HB 1793, which exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. Fairfax County wasted no time posting "no guns" signs on miles of secluded, wooded trails behind my neighborhood. I've lived here since 2012 and never once seen a police officer on those trails. Along with the risk of criminal interaction in a secluded area, there is the risk of attack by wildlife or stray dogs. Our most vulnerable populations should not be stripped of their most effective means of self defense deep in the woods. Concealed carry permit holders are the most law-abiding segment of society. They should not be targeted by a feel-good do-nothing law that emboldens the criminal element. Please oppose HB2319. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack.

HB2319 is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack. This bill is a form of infringment.

Please do not pass this legislation. This is the kind of bill that chips away little by little at the 2nd amendment, and that's exactly what you all are trying to do with these kinds of bills. Death by a thousand cuts. If you look at any of the raw data behind gun violence, it doesn't take long to figure out that most of the gun violence is committed by career criminals who are not buying their weapons the way that law abiding citizens buy weapons, they are acquiring them on the black market, through drug deals, or through theft. There is nothing you can pass(as far as legislation) is concerned that will stop criminals. The only way to stop crime is to enforce the laws we currently have, strongly. We cannot be lenient when enforcing the law! It must be swift and consistent. That is the only way to deter crime, along with teaching and raising our youth better than we have. Law abiding citizens are not the one's committing crime. Very rarely are guns used in violence(when you consider the entire country), and even more rare is someone that commits a crime not to have a past history of committing crimes, and that comes from a failure to rehabilitate them. Please, please consider the hard evidence when considering legislation that goes against a constitutional right, and even more so when it's a constitutional right to protect oneself and our families.

Any law against the constitution is not law !!! HB2319 should never be considered under the oath of office you took and HB 1773, 1793, 2285 and 2310 are in our Constitution and is your duty to uphold the Constitution you took a oath to uphold...

As a constituent, I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary. Sincerely, Simon Khiabani 15268 Cartersville Ct Haymarket, VA 20169 1simon.sk@gmail.com

As a long-time Virginia citizen and voter, I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, to correct errors in the previous bill bringing in some obvious exemptions. Allowing retired police officers is in the interests of public safety. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And please OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable, unnecessary, imposes added needless costs on the owner and does little to nothing for public safety. Sincerely, Marc Gorelick 1830 Columbia Pike #210 Arlington, VA 22204 gorelickmarc13rarius@hotmail.com

Please oppose HB2319, as it's another burden for gun owners. How could the legal gun owner protect themselves or their household base upon the code in this bill on storing the firearm when a thief breaks in during the night, or at any other unexpected time??? HB1793 is about the best house bill I've seen this year. Please support. HB1773 would be wonderful to gun owners, it would even help ease problems that HB2310 is trying to address. Thank you for your service

As Virginia & Roanoke County citizens who take an active part in National, State & local politics, we want all of our VA Elected Officials to know that we support and will defend our 2nd Amendment Rights and fully expect each and every one of you folks to do so also. Voting for any bill that restricts our 2nd Amendment Rights will be noted and appropriate actions on the upcoming election cycle can be assured. We will actively watch and remember how each member of our State Legislature votes on any such bills/measures. God Bless each one of you fine dedicated Virginia Representatives and we trust that you will individually & collectively give proper attention to our U.S. Constitution paying particular attention to our 2nd Amendment Rights prior to any further voting! Ralph & Mary Bosen 7180 Buckeye Road Roanoke, VA 24018 540-774-8949

Arlington young professional. Millenial. Latino. Pro-Gun. Thanks.

I respectfully request that any and all my representatives to please use common sense on pro-gun rights bills. I'm retired law enforcement and currently carry a LEOSA card. Some of the bills I've seen introduced should be thrown out and not even considered. Remember that criminals will ALWAYS get weapons regardless of your passed laws in Virginia or the United States. Please work on more important matters like the Covid situation, opening up businesses, employment, and stop tearing apart our history such as monuments. If you continue to let our present governor continue with his erratic ideas, I believe we're headed down a slippery slope. Respectfully, Roy Beatty

I am a voter. I will support anyone who supports bills HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB2310. I will not vote or support anyone who supports bill HB2319. Carl Dodge

Hi Committee members and Staff, Support: HB-1773, HB-1793, HB-2285 HB-2310 Oppose: HB-2319 Thank you for honoring your Oath of Office and the Rights of the Citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). I strongly support this bill because CHP holders are statistically the most law-abiding citizens. There should be no limitation on the exercise of rights for law-abiding citizens. Instead, focus on keeping criminals off the streets so we can live free. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. I strongly support this bill because CHP holders are statistically the most law-abiding citizens. There is no reason to restrict carry by law-abiding citizens anywhere . HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. One handgun a month is a sill law to begin with. Two recent straw purchase cases in VA resulted in arrests and prosecution. Emphasis should be on enforcing existing law, not imposing new infringements on the rights of the law-abiding. CHP holders are the most law-abiding segment of society, and there is no reason their purchase thresholds should be limited under the guise of stopping arms trafficking. I object to any exemption for LEOs. They are citizens, too, and should be held accountable to the same laws as other citizens. This applies to active duty as well as retires LEOs. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. The law to require in-person training is silly to begin with. CHPs are silly to begin with. We need to return Constitutional carry since the right to keep an bear arms is protected by the 2nd Amendment. Anyone who is too dangerous to own and carry a firearm should be in prison or otherwise removed from civil society. Permitting does nothing more than turn a right into a privilege, HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures any firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack. This is a silly bill that grasps at possibility instead of being rooted in fact. It implies that gun owners are inherently irresponsible. There is no reason a law-abiding citizen should be required to act as a prohibited person just because he or she cohabitates with one. It is already illegal for a prohibited person to possess a firearm. We don't need more laws that only impact the law-abiding and will do nothing to stop crime.

SUPPORT HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB2310. OPPOSE HB2319!

As an avid Sportsman please know that Virginia’s actions thus far has deterred me from hunting in the Commonwealth. I’m sure you’re aware of the enhanced revenue that out of state sportsman generate, both in licensing fees and sales taxes. Your recent anti-gun legislative stance is the reason I DID NOT come to Virginia to hunt this year. The word is out amongst Sportsmen, “Virginia is persona non grata”. STAY AWAY. is this truly the message the Legislature intended to send. You have made most of my hunting guns illegal. The patchwork of anti-gun laws you permitted can make me a felon simply by driving across a double secret imaginary line. You did this with intention, purpose and malice. Small businesses suffer as you infringe on my 2nd Amendment. I respectfully urge you to NOT approve these Bills. Thank you.

I am pro freedom and pro 2nd amendment. I am against any law that will abridge my 2nd amendment rights. Gun laws only affect the law abiding as the lawless will not heed restrictions that have been put to paper. Murderers use guns as tools to cause mayhem. Law abiders use guns as a tool to defend themselves and the helpless against these would be murderers. Most law enforcement recognizes this and are happy to have, these exemplary citizens as allies. Promote and support bills: HB1773, HB1793, HB2285 and HB2310. Strike and kill HB 2319. Long live a free United States of America.

Virginia is a low crime and low gun crime state. Enacting a bunch of high crime state laws is going to make us a high crime state. Don't fix a problem that doesn't exist and hurt the citizens of Virginia doing it.

SUPPORT HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB310. OPPOSE HB2319! Protect my right to defend my family if put into a situation where our lives are in imminent danger. In the current environment, where it can be dangerous to speak at all, I implore you to safeguard my God-given rights to protect myself and my loved ones. Sincerely, A 63-year-old woman, wife, mother, and grandmother

SUPPORT HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB310. HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. OPPOSE HB2319! This is one of the most absurd, intrusive, ridiculous, thoughtless, oppressive, un-Constitutional ideas I've ever heard in my life - sincerely!! - in my LIFE!!! Since your “red flag” law leaves a presumed-dangerous person free (though without her own firearms) to inflict harm to herself or others……..wouldn’t you want her roommate or spouse to have readily available means of self defense ?!?! Again, this is absurd, and you must oppose HB 2319 !! HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures any firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack.

I am a 69 year veteran and life long Commonwealth citizen. I hold a degree in Political Science and History and Masters in Management, specifically organizational behavior. The bill as written, has several points which are lacking a logical basis. First if a firearm is stored loaded it is intended to be used for personal self defense. If a firearm is intended to be stored until sporting use is utilized then of course it is stored unloaded. These two states are standard states of firearm storage by any responsible gun owner. As it concerns safe storage for a firearm utilized for self defense this adds an extra step, which requires time in order insert a magazine or load an individual cartridge, and then chamber the round or shell. In most situations in a response for self defense, this additional time could be the difference between life and death. Not to mention the noise of going through this procedure would create, possibly hastening the actions of the perpetrator. Also, with the various types of storage units that require some from of biometric access such as a code or fingerprint, its nearly impossible for the unintended to actually access a firearm. This delayed access is particularly important when police response times are extended such as in rural areas. The results of the passing of this bill would just create a greater danger to the gun owner and his or her family. The net result of this bill is actually a public safety negative. Personally, as a citizen, I would prefer the committee spend more of its time insuring the safety of the public by introducing bills that would reduce the number of Opioid deaths in the state, that are many times those of the criminal use of a firearm. With due respect to the committee, Patrick L Hamp, USNR(ret) Oak Hill, VA

HB 2319: Those who habitate with a person who is not authorized to operate a firearm, already have enough of a burden to secure the firearm. In the event of an emergency situation (home intrusion?), then the seconds it takes to reload a firearm could be the difference between life and death. HB1773: This makes logical sense. If a person holds a firearm, there is nothing to gain as a matter of public policy by requiring they open carry it. HB1793: CHP holders have already been subjected to background checks. HB 2285: Background checks have already been completed. Any further restrictions, serve no purpose, other than publicity. HB2310: Due to COVID, people have limited options for classroom education. We should not discourage people from exercising their rights. However, this would be moot if we passed HB1793

OPPOSE HB2319 The lawful citizens have had enough “Gun Control” wrongfully forced upon them. The good people of Virginia have had enough of the State Government’s tyranny. Strike this bill down !

As a Virginia citizen, I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary. The citizens of Virginia DO NOT want nor need any further infringements on their GOD-GIVEN RIGHT to defend themselves!

As a constituent, I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has ever repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary. Sincerely, Lee Ann Bonnell Glen Allen, VA 23059

As a constituent, I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has ever repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the weapon be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary. Sincerely, Robert Hicks Linden, VA

As a constituent, I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has ever repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary. Sincerely, Eric Bonnell Glen Allen, VA 23059

HB1173 Freitas: let's trust the people. If they would be allowed to carry a concealed handgun, why the paperwork and registration process so that they can? HB1793 Davis: let's make it easy for the people we ought to trust. Concealed is concealed - there's no argument for social comfort, there's no argument for public safety . . . crossing the street shouldn't change all of the rules. HB2285 Fowler: a good cleanup bill to align the populations affected by gun restrictions. HB2310 Runion: until COVID ends, we need to support virtual learning of all types. HB2319 Guzman: this bill would be awfully hard on those in small apartments and homes. Further, it puts the compliance onus on the innocent party.

Please do not pass any legislation tinkering with making it more burdensome to own firearms and ammunition or to use them in self-defense or any other legal activities. The government fixation on firearms is so embarrassing. Anyone wishing to keep tampering with the 2nd Amendment has ulterior motives on reducing freedom of American citizens, and I wish you would just make that agenda plain instead of continually hiding it.

HB 1773 - I support this bill. This bill would save court clerks huge amounts of unnecessary paperwork without a negative impact on public safety. HB 1793 - I support this bill. The restrictions put in place by localities in the last year are all about sending an anti-gun political message, not about making people safer. Concealed handgun permit holders can be trusted to safely carry a gun on the sidewalk--why should they be barred from bike trails and parks? HB 2285 - I support this bill, which may be helpful to military members who have moved to Virginia but have not obtained a Virginia concealed handgun permit. This would not exempt gun buyers from background checks. Permit holders from some other places, such as DC, have gone through even more stringent application processes than in Virginia! HB 2310 - I support this bill. The pandemic made it very difficult for people to get their concealed handgun permit applications submitted to their local court clerk, especially if they needed to submit something in person. This bill would help people who would have been able to submit by the deadline but for a pandemic-related closure of their local court clerk's office. HB 2319 - I oppose this bill. This bill would punish people who failed to understand the complex laws that caused their roommate to be prohibited from gun possession due to criminal and mental health histories. It would be difficult to prosecute because the Commonwealth's Attorney would have to show that the defendant knew about the roommate's history AND knew that it caused them to be prohibited from possessing guns. This bill also overreaches by putting requirements on ammunition storage that probably exceed the restrictions placed on some individuals due to their criminal convictions, protective orders, or mental health history.

Please vote against all gun control bills. With all the riots going on we the people need to be able to protect ourselves. If you to take away guns then you should give up your security. All people unprotected seems fair. Also maybe you should check the U.S. Constitution as to the second amendment. Thank you, A.G. Morris IV.

As a constituent in Arlington, VA, I would like the following actions to be taken on these bills. Oppose HB 1773 - If an individual is eligible for a CHP, they should take the necessary steps to apply for a CHP if they wish to carry concealed. This is common sense. Support HP 1793 - Individuals who have CHPs should be allowed to carry and be exempt from local gun control. Criminals do not obey laws that forbid crime so individuals who have received education and training to carry concealed should be allowed to do so. Oppose HB 2285 - One Handgun a month is perfectly reasonable, regardless of person. Support HB 2310 - CHP training being required in person during a pandemic seems dangerous. Please delay this until April. Oppose HB 2319 - If your roommate or child doesn't have a driver's license, you're not required by law to lock away the key or vehicle. Same should apply to firearms. Responsible storage and maintenance is the responsibility of the gun owner, not for the law to decide. There are common sense laws and then laws that don't make any sense. Please continue to make good legislative decisions that do not punish law abiding gun owners, while pushing for safety that is reasonable and constitutionally appropriate. THANK YOU!

In this day and age, after ALL of the settled law as opined by SCOTUS it absolutely stuns me that you liberals continue to infringe upon our GOD GIVEN CONSTITUTIONALLY protected RIGHTS (NOT privileges - RIGHTS) to protect ourselves through gun ownership which (as ratified and adopted by the Commonwealth) SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED). Have any of you even bothered to read the Federalist papers regarding the definition of gun ownership and rights to the same? GUN RIGHTS ARE A MATTER OF SETTLED LAW WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT! It is long past time for you liberals to stop taking a note out of the authoritarian Nazi playbook, stop ne8ng so bigotted against gun owners, and stop trying to turn us into helpless victims! These rights are not ONLY enshrined in the 2nd Amendment (as adopted by the Commonwealth, written, in fact, by a Virginian), but also within the Preamble to the Constitution itself. As a FREE society (whether you like or or not), we CANNOT 'form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the COMMON DEFENSE, or promote the GENERAL WELFARE AND SECURE THE BLESSINGS of liberty to OURSELVES AND our posterity,' WITHOUT the settled laws of the land which ensure our gun rights and rights to ownership of same. Get over it tou bunch of school yard bullies!

I didn't spend 23 years of my life defending The Constitution to let a bunch of spinless, yellow bellied cowards shred kit.

Now that you have made a horrendous patchwork of inconsistent local laws regarding firearms, those of us that face very real dangers could accidentally break the law just by trying to protect ourselves. I am a woman. I am only 4'10" tall. I have had stalkers, and due to work in law enforcement as a computer forensic examiner, I am threatened by criminal defendants and their associates. Because I am not a cop or special agent, no law enforcement exceptions apply to me. I cannot get a protective order because I do not always know who made the threats. I have been attacked several times. My assailants threatened to burn my house, kill my family, and torture and rape me. The very least you could do after making the legislative mess in last year's session is to exempt concealed carry permit holders from these ridiculous restrictions. We have been background checked, we have taken at least one safety course (though many of us opt to take courses and train with our firearms regularly in order to be sure that our skills and safety practices remain current). HB2319 is particularly troubling. If the firearm is locked away from the "bad guy", then it is also less accessible to the peaceful law abiding person (who will be less able to access it when needed for self defense).

Dear delegates - As a law-abiding citizen who wishes to ensure my God-given (NOT state granted) right to protect myself and my family against both criminals and tyrannical government I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO SUPPORT the following four bills before your committee: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Likewise I STRONGLY OPPOSE yet another anti-gun bill submitted to your committee: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures any firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack.

Please vote against any and all forms of Bill's designed to limit or restrict our right to bear arms. Thank You Cameron Reed

I urge you to approve all of these except HB2319-Guzman. It should be rejected

Remember your oath of office and do not infringe on citizen’s rights!

I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary.

Would you please discontinue what seems like a targeting of honest gun owners on proposed laws that either punish owners in various ways making it very difficult to purchase ammo, use a high powered flash light, attempt to impose heavy taxation which of course targets people of lower income, limiting the ability to smith or modify self defense weapons. I understand that the nature of certain laws is to limit the ability to have fully automatic weapons which already exist, but continues to ignore the reality that anyone at anytime can obtain the necessary resources to act in a way that is malevolent to society that completely disregards any laws that could ever be passed. A law breaker has no intentions of abiding by laws acting in a way that demonstrates any actual character. The current laws that exist are already limiting and to expect complete certainty in all situations is impossible even at the expense of personal freedom that I and most everyone, even non gun owners typically value over continued restrictions. These points continue to be made time and time again and the laws that are propose need to practical purpose that does not restrict individuals who simply wish to have their rights respected rather than continually challenged. It always appears that these bills are also proposed with the attempt to pass them without the public having an awareness of such situations creating a lack of transparency. What is your intent as representatives of VA, to always follow a party affiliated narrative if democrat and attempt to institute control measures. Do we just endlessly continue to play out arguments of such nature for years to come or can we simply acknowledge that most people act responsible and some sadly at times do not but limiting those responsible is not a solution that deters those of evil intentions in the end.

As a constituent I urge you to SUPPORT HB1773, HB1793, HB2285 and HB2310. I urge you to OPPOSE HB2319.

Virginia voters have overwhelmingly shown that racist, Jim Crow gun control is unwelcome in the Commonwealth through Lobby Day after Lobby Day and hundreds of Second Amendment Sanctuary Cities. Your vote against civil rights for POC and all citizens will be remembered on voting day and beyond.

As a constituent I urge you to OPPOSE HB2319.

All gun laws in the United States have lead to racial disparities in enforcement (see NY and DC) and support the carceral state by creating new victimless crimes to arrest more people. Ultimately these laws are created by people protected by guns (legislators) and are enforced by people with guns (police). Help end racism and step back from empowering the carceral state by opposing "gun control."

I ask you to heavily support HB1773 allowing common sense firearm carry enable individuals the right to adequately protect themselves. I ask you support HB1793 as local ordinances not allowing carry is a severe infringement on Virginians right to self protection. I ask you to support HB2310, as Virginians right to self defense doesn't go away in a pandemic I ask you to support HB2285 although I believe that the law of only purchasing 1 handgun a month for the common Virginian is infringement on their inherent 2nd amendment right. I ask you to strongly oppose HB2319. This is a violation of privacy and the enforcement of this would violate people privacy. Not a good slope to go down.

HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. And this one anti-gun bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures any firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. This bill requires that stored firearms must be UNLOADED, which is unreasonable since the gun is already locked away from the prohibited person. This bill increases the time it would take for the gun owner to respond to a violent attack.

Please support the constitutional rights of your constituents and break with the Democrats who are working so hard to subvert our rights! There is no human right more fundamental than the right to defend yourself and your loved ones from violent attack.

Committee Members, I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary. Sincerely, Seth Tilstra

As a constituent I urge you to SUPPORT HB1773, HB1793, HB2285 and HB2310. I urge you to OPPOSE HB2319.

Please SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And please OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary. Sincerely, Adam Gifford 1616 Peppers Ferry Rd Pulaski, VA 24301-2904 afgiff4d@gmail.com

Dear Delegates, Please, your existing gun laws do not work. Please do not enact more anti-gun legislation that also will not work. In all seriousness, if we're so worried and afraid about proven violent felons getting their hands on guns (again), how about you just put, and keep, them in jail out of circulation? That really is the only foolproof method of keeping criminals from repeating their violence upon us. No more gun control! Stop infringing on my 2nd Amendment rights (and similar rights in our Commonwealth's Constitution)! Enact strong laws that put and keep actual violent offenders in jail. Not useless laws that only serve to limit or prevent my ability to defend my family, and to engage in various firearms' competitions. If you want to actually save lives, how about banning cell phones and booze? Think about all the lives senselessly lost to drunk and distracted driving. Or do those lives not matter? Thank you for your consideration.

I am happy to see legislation protecting 2nd amendment rights, although disappointed that they have become necessary. Any gun control stacks the cards against women, people of color, and the disabled community. We should be providing education and training, NOT restricting rights of good citizens.

SUPPORT HB1773, HB1793, HB2285, and HB2310! OPPOSE HB2319!

Please support HB1773, 1793, 2285, and 310. These are common sense changes that are needed to reduce the burden on law abiding citizens that practice their rights as guaranteed by the Constitution and a bill of Rights. Please DO NOT support HB 2319 Citizens do not need any more restrictions on our rights. I do not support gun control and refuse to support political leaders that do.

As a Virginia Resident, I urge you to SUPPORT the following bills: HB 1773, Delegate Frietas, allows a person who would qualify to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit to be able to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person could lawfully openly carry a handgun (“Constitutional Carry”). 16 other states already have Constitutional Carry and no state has every repealed it. HB 1793, Delegate Davis, exempts concealed handgun permit holders from any local gun-control that is permitted by 15.2-915. The Virginia State Police keep track of concealed handgun permit revocations for any reason, and those revocations are a fraction of one percent for Virginia’s 700,000 permit holders. There is no public safety reason to prohibit permit holders from carrying a handgun everywhere they go. They have jumped through every hoop the state has required, have squeaky-clean backgrounds, and have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens. HB 2285, Delegate Fowler, adds someone with a valid non-resident concealed carry permit and retired police officers to the list of exemptions to One Handgun a Month. This is more of a cleanup bill, bringing in some obvious exemptions. HB 2310, Delegate Runion, extends the time that an online concealed handgun permit training course is valid to April 30, 2021. This bill has an emergency clause to take effect the minute the Governor signs it. Because local government services have been cut back due to COVID-19, online firearms courses are helpful in following government guidelines on social distancing and doing as much as possible in a virtual manner. And OPPOSE this bill: HB 2319, Delegate Guzman, requires a person cohabiting with another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms, secures firearms and ammunition so the prohibited person does not have access to them. There are two serious flaws with this bill. 1) requiring a gun that is stored locked and inaccessible to the prohibited person AND UNLOADED is unreasonable and makes the firearm unusable in an emergency by the gun’s owner. 2) requiring the ammunition be stored separately from the ammunition is also unreasonable. Unless the gun and ammunition can be stored in the same vault, the gun owner needs two vaults. A vault for gun owners with many firearms can be an entire room with a steel door that only the gun owner can access. Requiring two separate rooms in the house to be used is unreasonable and unnecessary.

Hello, I am an honest, law-abiding, hard-working, tax-paying, property-owning husband and father. Please do not further restrict my firearm-related rights. Thank you, Chris

WE support this bill,this HB2325 will increase public saftey,reduce recidivism and help with increasing healthy communities,all of which will save a lot of tax dollars.

Virginia needs an independent method to determine the status of state prisons. The history of solitary confinement shows that DOC portrays itself in the best possible light and sometimes in misleading ways. The Senate and House of Delegates need an unvarnished account of what happens in order to better provide for the public safety and make sure prisoners are rehabilitated before release and not damaged into further crime by solitary confinement, lack of programs or other deficiencies that easily happen with restricted budgets and priorities set mostly to security. We need an ombudsman office

Hello, Delegates; Please Vote YES for HB2325 Creation of Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman to bring accountability and oversight to the Virginia Department of Corrections. A fully-funded Ombudsman would prevent future costs to taxpayers by identifying problems in the DOC early, before they require major, expensive lawsuits like those just recently sited in the Richmond Times Dispatch: Jan 2021. A Second recent settlement in solitary confinement suits against Virginia Department of Corrections was settled for $150,000. It was reached in the case of a mentally ill Virginia inmate allegedly held in solitary confinement for 600 days leading to his mental and physical collapse. It is the second recent settlement reached in a case of the alleged misuse of solitary confinement by the state. Earlier this month, there was a $115,000 settlement in a suit filed by Nicolas Reyes, 55, an inmate who cannot speak English and who was allegedly held in solitary confinement for 12 years. By Frank Green of the Richmond Times Dispatch Please hold DOC accountable for its abuse of power and mismanagement of Virginia taxpayer's money. Vote YES for SB2325. Thank you. Gary and Debra Turner

Thank you, Chairman Krizek and members of this subcommittee for considering our written testimony. As co-founder of the Humanization Project I am in touch with people behind bars on a daily basis and can assure you that oversight of DOC is desperately needed. I would get into details of the appalling things we have heard of, especially during this pandemic, but I know that is not your focus. Your focus is to consider the costs of this bill. We believe that the projected costs are overinflated and know that similar oversight boards in other states cost between one and two million dollars per year. You should have written testimony from other experts attesting to this as well. I would also like to encourage you not to just consider the costs of the bill, but to consider the costs of NOT having oversight for DOC. In the past week alone, I have seen two articles citing DOC lawsuit settlements that together cost over $250,000. In the first six months of 2020, DOC spent over a million dollars to settle just two lawsuits. At the moment, lawsuits are one of the only ways that people behind bars have any recourse for wrong doing against them. This bill would create a different avenue for them, one that should be more effective for all involved and avoid escalation into the courts. It is incomprehensible that an entity with over a billion dollar budget and responsible for the lives of almost 30,000 people has no real oversight. Please vote to report this bill out and help change that. Thank you, again.

We support HB2325 and ask that you support the bill. VADOC is the largest employer in the Commonwealth and demands a $1.4B budget line. They also are charges with the safety and care of over 30,000 Virginian who are unable to advocate for themselves and are considered legally disabled for the purposes of litigation. This is by definition a vulnerable population. We go to great lengths to protect children and senior citizens, as we should, through oversight because they are also vulnerable and often unable to advocate for themselves. We should do the same for not just the population of those incarcerated in VADOC, but also for the staff, contractors, and volunteers at these facilities. This bill does that. While the VAODC will submit an inflated Fiscal Impact Statement, we have submitted documents and testimony that illustrate that this office and oversight is viable with lees than $2M in funding as it has been operating in other states with similar budgets, population, and prison population. You may recall in the Special Session VADOC actually proffered a fiscal impact statement asserting that it would cost more to reduce their prison population by several thousand than it would to keep more people incarcerated. If that was the case we should have put up fences around the Commonwealth to realize savings. The fact is that the assertions that VADOC makes regarding the fiscal impact of this, and any other bill that is undesirable to them, are simply an underhanded and obvious attempt to undermine and kill this bill which only further bolsters the argument and need for independent oversight.

On behalf of the ACLU of Virginia and its 200,000 members and supporters, we write to strongly support HB 2325. We submitted a written letter to the members of the appropriations committee via email last night, and I would refer you to that letter for our full statement, but we urge this committee to appropriate the money needed to provide meaningful and independent civilian oversight over the Virginia Department of Corrections. H.B. 2325 will create a new Office of the Ombudsman that will be entrusted to monitor VDOC facilities, resolve concerns of incarcerated people and their loved ones, and ultimately ensure that external stakeholders, including members of the Virginia general assembly, have the information necessary to bring much-needed transparency and accountability to an agency with a $1.4 billion annual budget. Although we understand that VDOC has estimated such an office will cost between $9 and $11 million, annually, the experience of other states strongly suggests this figure is overblown and that approximately $1.5-$2 million is all that is necessary to fully fund an agency that will enable greater transparency and improved stewardship over a major component of the Commonwealth’s annual budget.

My name is Tinsae Gebriel, and I’m submitting written comments on behalf of FAMM. FAMM strongly supports this bill because we believe prisons should be safe, humane, and conducive to rehabilitation. An agency like the DOC that is responsible for the care and safety of nearly 30,000 people needs transparency and oversight. All prison systems should be subject to oversight by a body that is independent, able to access and inspect prisons, offer recommendations to the DOC to ensure that prisons are well-managed, and help resolve concerns that are flagged by family members, prisoners, and staff. An independent oversight body can help prevent costly future problems, improve prison conditions for both the incarcerated and staff, and help the General Assembly identify systemic changes. It is essential that the Ombudsman Office receive funding. Creating an Ombudsman without adequate funding ensures that no oversight will actually be done. The Washington State Office of Corrections Ombuds, which has similar oversight powers as those established in HB 2325 has an annual budget of less than $1.5 million. I urge the committee to advance this bill and appropriate the proper money needed to enact HB 2325. Thank you.

We support the bill, and we believe the FIS is completely overstated. DPB did a FIS for SB1442, which would create a 33 position Public Defender Office in Chesterfield. They estimated it would cost $3,060,354 per year to fund the office. The Ombudsman's office would be substantially smaller than a public defender's office. Assuming that creating an 11 person office would be about half the cost, this would put the cost estimate in line with the fiscal impact of this type of office from other states, including Washington, upon which this bill is modeled. That is if you even need 11 people in this office. DOC currently has a budget of approximately 1 billion dollars, and changes to the earned sentence credit system will result in DOC having fewer people in their care in the coming years. Therefore, there will be savings within the DOC budget that can be used to fund this office. This office will also help save the Commonwealth money from attorney's fees, OAG resources, and settlement payments form lawsuits as it will help to reduce the number of lawsuits filed against DOC over time.

VADOC has no position on this bill. However, if I am needed for any technical questions, I can be reached at 804.840.6449. Thank you

I urge the Public Safety Committee Chair and Members to fully support all of the following: HB 1941 - Rasoul HB 2226 - Kory HB 2291 - Williams Graves HB 2325 - Hope HB 1941 - Rasoul would require that, whenever a law-enforcement officer discharges a firearm or weapon on a person resulting in death or serious bodily injury, any video or audio recording that relates to such incident produced or obtained by a law-enforcement officer be open to inspection and posted on a website that is available to the public or that clearly describes how the public may access such data. This legislation provides new protections for victims of police brutality, specifically Black and Brown victims. Accountability must be present in law enforcement if better relationships are to be fostered between them and Black communities, which is why I join the Virginia NAACP in supporting this crucial legislation. HB 2226 - Kory establishes a process that allows a person to contest the determination that they are a member of a criminal street gang, request information about whether their information has been entered any systems, request removal of their information from said systems, and petition a general district court for review of an agency's decision to enter his information into the systems. This legislation will provide a modern and advanced demonstration of Virginia attempting to combat its discriminatory past. Virginians deserve a chance to address any allegations that have been made about them, especially criminal affiliation, which is why I join the Virginia NAACP in supporting this important legislation. HB 2291 - William-Graves would add a sheriff's office to those law-enforcement agencies that may be overseen by a law-enforcement civilian oversight body created by a locality and adds a non probationary deputy sheriff to those law-enforcement officers who are subject to such body if created by a locality. This legislation provides new protections to prevent police brutality and hold law enforcement accountable. Permitting civilians to be included in the conversation of law enforcement allows for the fostering of better relationships in Virginia communities, specifically Black, which is why I join the VA NAACP in supporting this crucial legislation. HB 2325 - Hope would create the Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman. The bill enumerates the duties and powers of the Office to protect the livelihood of inmates such as providing information, as appropriate, to inmates, family members, representatives of inmates, Department of Corrections employees and contractors, and others regarding the rights of inmates. Legislation such as this provides new protections for inmates and their well being. Correctional facilities and officers must be held accountable now more than ever, which is why I join the VA NAACP in supporting this crucial legislation. Thank you for your time, consideration, and work on behalf of equity for Virginians.

Please vote YES on 2325!

VSC NAACP are in strong support of all checked bills

Please vote for HB2325. Inmates’ needs are often not attended to and their family’s concerns are not heard because there is not currently an Ombudsman position in place in the VA Department of Corrections whose mission is to look out for them. Inmates need access to resources and a professional person (with an oversight committee) to provide those resources. Thank you.

I urge you to vote YES!

Please vote YES on this bill HB 2325 to provide transparent justice to the imprisoned.

Please vote yes on HB 2325, which would establish an independent oversight mechanism for the Department of Corrections (VADOC). From my work with incarcerated people in Virginia through Interfaith Action for Human Rights, I can vouch for the need for this legislation. Over the last 5 years, we and other advocates and family members have brought many allegations of abusive treatment in prisons to the attention of the leadership of the VADOC. In every instance, we have been told we have been misinformed and that the allegations have been investigated and found to be unsubstantiated. Yet no report of an investigation is ever provided to the prisoner, the prisoner's family, or outside advocates. There is currently no independent entity charged with overseeing the VADOC that can seek the truth regarding these allegations and provide accountability. If the VADOC has no concerns about transparency and accountability and is confident about being vindicated against allegations of staff misconduct, it should welcome independent oversight. Please do not allow this bill to be killed by an inflated financial impact statement. We know that Washington State implemented a very similar oversight mechanism at a cost of $1.5 million. There is no reason to think that it would cost more than this for Virginia to adopt a similar approach, and $1.5 million represents one-tenth of one percent of the VADOC’s annual budget. This money would be well spent if it could prevent costly future problems and lawsuits. Gay Gardner, Interfaith Action for Human Rights

As the Social Action Linking Together (SALT) Coordinator of Public Affairs, a Virginia voter, and a Virginia taxpayer, I urge you to support HB 2325, legislation that will provide protections for the incarcerated and staff, and encouraging them to report problems and seek the Ombudsman’s help. The legislation will: - Provide greater transparency and accountability to taxpayers - Help lawmakers get information they need to enact informed budgets and legislation - Prevent costly future problems and lawsuits - Encourage good behavior and improved performance at the DOC - Improve prison conditions and facilities for both staff and incarcerated people - Improve the DOC’s relationships with incarcerated people and their families by creating more help for receiving and resolving complaints. Submitted by Robert Stewart on 01.28.2021

Please vote 'YES" on this bill.

Covid has exposed the inhumane treatment of those incarcerated in VADOC. The sad part is the situation was already bad before Covid and no one cared. Since Harold Clarke and Sec Brian Moran have no plans to make a difference then someone independent of the VADOC needs to come in and monitor the situation. The incarcerated are people and deserve to be treated like people. It is time for accountability. Please pass this bill.

Good morning, Just wanted to send a written statement also in Hopes to help you all understand how much HB2325 is needed! Thos bill will help the worker at the different facilities, the residents and the family members on the outside! It is heartbreaking they way they are treated at times , and as a family member you struggling to help help! I also want you to know that I personally appreciate you reading this and hope you voted YES if you didn’t I think it would be helpful for your constituents if you explain why!! Thank you again Frances Ross

Department of Corrections has managed to shut off communication with family members and individuals who are incarcerated and have no one to answer to other than Harold Clark - who will respond IF he feels like it. We were told that Department of Corrections received no additional funding to facilitate the early release of individuals who were eligible for early release. COVID numbers rose, people were dying, staff was contracting and carrying the virus and no one would give any measure of transparency to the public. The same email would be sent out to families inquiring about their loved ones. I lost a close family friend due to COVID last year. He should've come home; he was elderly, he had cancer and he had less than a year left on his sentence. He had been moved to Deerfield Correctional Center, where he would never walk the streets as a free man again. He was not sentenced to die. His name was Teddy Bear to us; but to the state, he was just another number. Data was said to be inaccurate as put out to the public. Re-entry organizations were not given appropriate notice of how many people would be released into the community. The burden of providing services fell on grassroots organizations. People who are incarcerated have not been able to touch or see their loved ones for near a year and tensions are steadily increasing inside of the facilities across the state and we are still shut out. There is little to no communication; there is no one to keep track or report on health and safety issues or concerns inside of the facilities. They need someone who will oversee conditions and be a liaison between the DOC and the community. I support this bill and hope that this position can be created and maintained, even after this pandemic is over. Thank you for your time.

I apologize that I cannot be there to speak in person in the morning. I am writing in support of HB 2325, and knowing this subcommittee, I trust that it should report to the full committee easily. Very simply, an entity that has dominion over the well-being and lives of tens of thousands of people should not be without some sort of oversight. That VADOC currently has no oversight is appalling. As the Humanization Project we are in touch with many people behind bars on a daily basis. For years we have seen the need for oversight, but as the current pandemic has progressed that need has become increasingly urgent. In 2020 we bore witness to so many appalling situations, from men being literally saran-wrapped into their cells and denied water to clandestine transfers and floods. We know, currently, if someone behind bars has a complaint, those complaints just remain within the department of corrections, often being submitted to the exact person who caused the complaint in the first place. Something more must be done. This isn't rocket science, nor do we need to reinvent the wheel. Other states have oversight for DOC and so should we. Issues surrounding costs are exaggerated. This should be simple and easy. Please vote to report HB 2325. Thank you!

HB 2325 would create much-needed independent oversight over the prison system by creating an office whose responsibility it is to inspect prisons, recommend and monitor improvements to prison conditions, and help resolve concerns of those who are incarcerated and employees. Virginia’s prison system, especially with conditions deteriorating as COVID continues to spread throughout its facilities, is long overdue for an accountibility mechanism. Prisons perpetuate a system of injustice. Decades of STRUCTURAL RACISM in criminal justice policies have created tremendous disparities in who gets imprisoned and for what. At minimum, racial and economic justice require stringent oversight for a system that disproportionately targets Black, Brown, and poor people. Monitoring conditions of confinement and providing assistance for self-advocacy for people behind bars is bare minimum in protecting prisoner’s rights—because prisoner’s rights are human rights and that cannot be forgotten. Pass this bill and then continue with efforts to END mass incarceration.

My name is Valerie Slater and I am the Executive Director of RISE for Youth and a Board member of The Activated People. I am writing in support HB 2325 which provides numerous protections for incarcerated people and staff. These protections encourage staff and incarcerated individuals alike to report problems and seek the Ombudsman’s help. Some protections provided in this bill are : - The creation of a confidential hotline and electronic complaint form that allows incarcerated people, families, and staff to submit complaints directly to the Ombudsman - IT bans retaliation by DOC officials against people who file complaints or report issues - It sets reasonable and prompt timelines for the Ombudsman to respond to complaints and - It allows the Ombudsman to work with DOC officials to resolve complaints. This bill provides responsible oversight and protection for the human rights of incarcerated individuals and DOC staff. For these reasons, RISE for Youth and The Activated People support this bill and ask that you committee members vote Yes on HB2325.

Early May of 2020 I got a phone call from my shocked son telling me he had been moved from a level 2 to a more dangerous level 4 facility. No explanation was given nor were any charges placed against him. When the transfer occurred, he was alone in a cell under quarantine as he was one of the first to be diagnosed with COVID 19. At the time I was the administrator of a Facebook page for his facility. The wife of the other man involved had sent a letter to state officials demanding changes. Criticism was growing on the page as time passed. They weren’t following CDC guidelines and families panicked when COVID cases increased. Phone calls and emails to wardens and those in higher command were ignored. In desperation we contacted Elliott Harding, a lawyer in Charlottesville who was willing to find out why the transfer was made. Courteney Stuart of CBS 19 News in Charlottesville did a series of 4 interviews that aired weekly in May. They described the story of the unusual transfer made during a pandemic. Our goal was to have our loved ones returned to a level 2 facility. By the end of May, Mr. Harding received the transfer papers from DOC. The documents showed 2 men were transferred who were in buildings where there were no alleged security violations. I believe the transfer was retaliation for criticism on Facebook of the prison’s conditions. They used the alleged safety violations by others as an excuse for the retaliation. They violated their own operating procedures by transferring during the pandemic to silence criticism of their handling of the COVID 19 outbreak. The second transfer came just days after the final documents arrived. On June 1st the DOC honored our only request and transferred our loved ones back to Level 2 facilities. Unfortunately, our story is not unique for DOC. If the Department of Corrections had had an independent oversight committee and ombudsman, we wouldn’t have needed a lawyer and the news media to help us. Please support this bill. Thank you.