VCDL Firearm Bill Analysis for the 2019 General Assembly Session, January 21, 2019

Virginia Citizens Defense League ^ | January 19, 2019 | Philip Van Cleave

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Table of Contents
Bills That VCDL StronglySupports...........3
Bills That VCDL Supports........................5
Bills That VCDL StronglyOpposes..........7
Bills That VCDL Opposes........................9
Bills On Which VCDL is Neutral............11

SB 1012, Senator Chase, allows firefighters or emergency medical services (EMS) personnel to carry a concealed firearm everywhere they may go while on duty and as long as they were previously employed as a law-enforcement officer or served in the armed forces. Firefighters and EMS workers often arrive at the scene of a crime before the police do and need to be able toprotect themselves if attacked. They should not have to spend time disarming themselves when going into a location where firearms are normally prohibited, such as a school or courthouse.All that should be required by this bill is that the firefighters or EMS personnel have a concealed handgun permit.

SB 1024, Senator Black, repeals the prohibition on carrying of firearms in a place of worship during a service, unless a person has “good and sufficient reason” to do so. This is a Jim Crow-esqu Blue law where “good and sufficient reason” is not defined anywhere and it is totally at the discretion of each judge as to whether a person falls under that exemption. What is a “place of worship?” If a person has a prayer group in their home, is it considered a service in a “place of worship” at that time? The Commonwealth should not be dictating to churches what they can or cannot do as far as their own security. Finally, churches would continue to be able to prohibit or restrict fire arms at all times using Virginia’s trespass law, which has a much more severe penalty than 18.2-283 does anyway.

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......This is a Jim Crow-esqu Blue law where “good and sufficient reason” is not defined anywhere and it is totally at the discretion of each judge as to whether a person falls under that exemption...

This & “place of worship being undefined could make it a question for the jury. Maybe appellate would “create” definitions.” Who knows what kind of horrorcould be pulled out of thin air?
Or,that part of the statute could fall as void for vagueness.