Posted on 12/01/2002 8:37:13 AM PST by gieriscm
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
203 Governor Street
Suite 302
Richmond, Virginia 23219
November 13, 2002
REGULATORY NOTICE
Public Comment Period on Petitions to Amend or Repeal the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s State Park Regulation on Firearms in Parks (4 VAC 5-30-200)
PETITION INFORMATION:
Some members of the public have formally petitioned the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation to consider two regulatory changes to the State Park Regulation on Firearms in Parks (4 VAC 5-30-200). One of these would effectively repeal the Department’s existing regulation and thereby allow for open carry of any firearm in State Parks (unless otherwise restricted by law). The other proposal would amend the regulation to allow individuals to carry a holstered firearm openly in Virginia’s State Parks.
Due to these petitions, on November 18, 2002, the Department of Conservation and Recreation is required to initiate a 21-day public comment period in order to receive comments from interested Virginians on the proposals. At the end of the public comment period (December 9th), the Department has 90 days to issue a written decision to grant or deny the petitioners’ requests to move forward with a regulatory process to possibly change the regulation.
The two petitions that will be printed in the Virginia Register on November 18th are as follows:
1) PETITION REFERENCE: Chancey Petition (to allow open carry of holstered firearms in State Parks)
NAME OF PETITIONER: Matt Chancey
NATURE OF PETITIONER’S REQUEST: The petitioner is requesting the Department of Conservation and Recreation to amend 4 VAC 5-30-200 to allow individuals to carry a holstered firearm openly.
2) PETITION REFERENCE: McHugh Petition (to allow open carry of all firearms in State Parks)
NAME OF PETITIONER: Mike McHugh, President, Virginia Gun Owners Coalition
NATURE OF PETITIONER’S REQUEST: The petitioner is requesting the Department of Conservation and Recreation to repeal 4 VAC 5-30-200 thus allowing open carry unless otherwise restricted by law. (NOTE: In response to a formal opinion issued by the Attorney General, the Department has already been directed by the Governor to initiate a separate regulatory action to amend 4 VAC 5-30-200 to allow the carrying of concealed handguns within state parks by holders of a valid Concealed Handgun Permit issued pursuant to § 18.2-308. Since the Agency does not have discretion on this action, no public comments are warranted on it.)
COMMENTS:
Written comments on each petition should be sent to the Regulatory Coordinator at: Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, 203 Governor Street, Suite 302, Richmond, Virginia 23219.
Comments may also be e-mailed to the Regulatory Coordinator at: regcord@dcr.state.va.us.
Or comments may be faxed to the Regulatory Coordinator at: (804) 786-6141.
NOTE:
All written comments submitted must reference the specific petition to which they are responding. Either "Chancey Petition" and/or "McHugh Petition". Both may be referenced and addressed in the same written comments.
NOTE:
Responses must include name, title, address, and telephone number.
No comments will be accepted before November 18, 2002, or past 5 p.m. on December 9, 2002.
DECISION:
Upon making a decision on whether to begin a formal regulatory process aimed at amending the existing regulations, the Agency will file its written decision with the Registrar of Regulations for subsequent printing in the Virginia Register.
QUESTIONS:
Questions on the process may be addressed by e-mailing the Regulatory Coordinator at regcord@dcr.state.va.us
Regarding the section on concealed carry that I bolded - you can thank Delegate Dick Black (R-32) and Attorney General Kilgore for that!
"Warning: could not send message for past 4 hours"
Why not in our state parks - where the bears are?
When out in the woods, it is much more comfortable to keep a gun holstered than tucked away in a waistband. Whenever I go camping, my .45 is holstered to my belt.
Just my thoughts on the issue.
Hmmmm.... mine went through ok. Hopefully all that means is that a bunch of people who support open carry in parks are letting the Dep't of Conservation & Recreation know about it.
Concealed carry is fine for a small pistol like you'd want for a typical urban self-defense use. However, there are some aggressive bears in the parks, and wearing a holstered .44 revolver openly is a lot easier and more comfortable than concealing it.
free dixie,sw
How can you *not* have open carry? That's what *bear* means.
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