We told you recently how anti-gun Virginia lawmakers had, for the second year in a row, passed a number of arguably unconstitutional measures related to firearms and sent them to Gov. Glenn Younkin for his consideration. It was like déjà vu all over again since those same lawmakers had passed more than 30 anti-gun schemes last year.
Fortunately for Virginia gun owners, Youngkin once again made good use of his veto pen, vetoing some two dozen punitive restrictions that Democrat lawmakers wanted to force on their constituents. According to an alert from the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), the governor vetoed 30 gun-control bills, modified six other gun control bills so that they no longer pose a threat to Virginia’s lawful gun owners and signed four bills that had been modified in the General Assembly changing VCDL’s position from “oppose” to “neutral.”
Among some of the worst measures vetoed were SB 848 and SB 880. The first would have raised the purchase age for certain semi-automatic rifles, shotguns, and pistols to 21, while the other would have prohibited carrying certain semi-automatic centerfire rifles or shotguns on any public street, road, alley, sidewalk, public right-of-way, or in any public park or other places open to the public.
Two other measures, SB 891 and its House companion HB1607, would have imposed an arbitrary five-day delay before a law-abiding citizen could take possession of a legally purchased firearm. As we’ve mentioned many times in the past, there is no evidence that waiting periods reduce suicides, homicides, or mass shootings.
Other bills vetoed would require state-mandated firearms storage and prohibit law-abiding adults and individuals under the age of 21 from owning specific semi-automatic rifles, shotguns and pistols.
“The Democrats and the gun control organizations pushed this year to go easier on violent criminals, while at the same time attacking people like you and me,” VCDL said. “These vetoes are their just desserts for disrespecting the Constitution and minimizing the importance of self-defense for good, decent people.”
The National Rifle Association, which has its headquarters in Virginia and spent a lot of effort lobbying at the state capital, expressed thanks to Gov. Youngkin for once again heading off what was certain to be a disaster for lawful gun owners.
“On behalf of Virginia’s NRA members and Second Amendment supporters, I want to thank Governor Youngkin for standing strong in his support for the Second Amendment by vetoing the litany of gun control bills pushed through the General Assembly this year,” John Commerford, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA), said in an alert to members. “For the second year in a row, gun control activists tried to enact dozens of radical, California-style laws that would have severely restricted the Second Amendment rights of gun owners in the Commonwealth. The NRA applauds Governor Youngkin for upholding his promise to protect our Constitutional freedoms.”
As we’ve mentioned before, Virginia is a poster child for the phrase “elections matter.” Had they not elected Youngkin and a Democrat won the governorship, gun laws would already be a disaster.
This fall Virginia voters will head to the polls to elect a governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and members of the House of Delegates. When heading to the polls, gun owners should remember that it took a great effort by Gov. Youngkin to save their butts two years in a row.
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