Skip to main content

Fighting Back in Virginia

Virginia Republican Rep. Glenn Davis introduced two pro-2A measures in a special session that are designed to partially roll back some restrictive laws.

Fighting Back in Virginia
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

While we’ve heard mostly only bad news about the Second Amendment in Virginia since anti-gunners flipped the legislature a year ago, some good news out of the commonwealth deserves attention.

Many gun rights supporters feared anti-gunners would hijack the special session, which started earlier this week. However, Republican Rep. Glenn Davis beat them to the punch, introducing two pro-2A measures designed to partially roll back some of the restrictive laws that took effect on July 1.

As most Firearms News readers likely remember, one of the new laws did away with Virginia's preemption law, which kept municipalities from passing tougher statutes than those at the state level. Since then, several communities have already done just that, creating a dangerous patchwork of regulations nearly impossible to navigate for lawful gun owners. Other communities are also considering similar statutes.

House Bill 5020 provides a partial remedy to that, at least for those who have a state concealed carry license. That legislation would exempt holders of a concealed handgun permit from any local ordinances that prohibit possessing, carrying or transporting firearms and ammunition.

The other measure, HB 5024, would do away with the Class 1 misdemeanor penalty for buyers and sellers who don't follow the state’s so-called "universal" background check law. The current law, which just went into effect last month, provides the Class 1 misdemeanor penalty for both the buyer and seller if they fail to obtain government permission for the transfer.

In Virginia, Class 1 misdemeanors are punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine. Other examples of Class 1 misdemeanors include traffic offenses such as Reckless Driving or DUI, and criminal offenses such as Assault & Battery.

Both of these measures are good starting points in the effort to roll back many of the restrictions passed last year after anti-gunners gained control of the general assembly. We’ll keep you posted on their progress.


Freelance writer and editor Mark Chesnut is the owner/editorial director at Red Setter Communications LLC. An avid hunter, shooter and political observer, he has been covering Second Amendment issues and politics on a near-daily basis for the past 20 years.

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

The main caliber is 6.5 Creedmoor with a 23″ barrel length, but thanks to a quick-detachable, free-floating handgu...
Learn

Guns.com: A Great Resource for Firearms Dealers

The main caliber is 6.5 Creedmoor with a 23″ barrel length, but thanks to a quick-detachable, free-floating handgu...
Guns

Guns.com: A Unique Firearms Inventory Found Nowhere Else

The main caliber is 6.5 Creedmoor with a 23″ barrel length, but thanks to a quick-detachable, free-floating handgu...
Guns

Guns.com: How to Sell Your Firearms Online

The main caliber is 6.5 Creedmoor with a 23″ barrel length, but thanks to a quick-detachable, free-floating handgu...
Guns

Guns.com: The Original Online One-Stop Shop for Guns

The main caliber is 6.5 Creedmoor with a 23″ barrel length, but thanks to a quick-detachable, free-floating handgu...
Guns

M2 Carbine

The main caliber is 6.5 Creedmoor with a 23″ barrel length, but thanks to a quick-detachable, free-floating handgu...
Guns

HK MP5K

The main caliber is 6.5 Creedmoor with a 23″ barrel length, but thanks to a quick-detachable, free-floating handgu...
Guns

Lost Boys Submachine Guns

The main caliber is 6.5 Creedmoor with a 23″ barrel length, but thanks to a quick-detachable, free-floating handgu...
Guns

Pistols from SCCY Firearms

The main caliber is 6.5 Creedmoor with a 23″ barrel length, but thanks to a quick-detachable, free-floating handgu...
Guns

A Taurus Optics Ready Revolver

The main caliber is 6.5 Creedmoor with a 23″ barrel length, but thanks to a quick-detachable, free-floating handgu...
Guns

New Product From CZ-USA

The main caliber is 6.5 Creedmoor with a 23″ barrel length, but thanks to a quick-detachable, free-floating handgu...
Gear

Leupold Mark 5HD 2-10

The main caliber is 6.5 Creedmoor with a 23″ barrel length, but thanks to a quick-detachable, free-floating handgu...
Guns

LaRue Tactical's Siete Quick Change Barrel System

Firearms News Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW OUR CURRENT ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Buy Single Digital Issue on the Firearms News App

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top Firearms News stories delivered right to your inbox.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Firearms News subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now