VIRGINIA: Gun Tax Hike Passes Senate, Heads to House in the Old Dominion On Monday, February 9, the Virginia Senate passed Senate Bill 1166 by a 27-13 vote. SB1166 now heads to the House where it awaits a committee assignment. This bill would increase the gun tax charged by the Virginia State Police to run the mandatory background check from $2 to $5, a 150% increase for Virginia residents. For non-state residents, the legislation mandates an increase of 60%, from $5 to $8. Once SB1166 is assigned to a House committee, we will let you know where to direct your efforts in opposition. Please continue checking your email and www.NRAILA.org for updates on this bill.
Three Pro-Gun Bills Advancing in the Virginia General Assembly! Earlier this week, the Virginia House of Delegates passed House Bill 2528 and House Bill1655. Both bills now move to the Senate where they await a committee assignment. HB 2528, introduced by Delegate Mark Cole (R-88), would establish that no locality or entity may participate in a gun "buyback" program where individuals are given a thing of value or money in exchange for surrendering a firearm to the locality unless the governing body passes an ordinance authorizing a gun "buyback."
The legislation also requires that any locality holding gun "buybacks" sell the firearms to a federally licensed dealer. In many cases those firearms are destroyed. HB1655, authored by Delegate Charles Carrico (R-5), would require a court to award reasonable attorney fees, expenses, and court costs to any entity that prevails in an action challenging an ordinance, resolution, motion, or administrative action as being in conflict with a locality's authority to control firearms.
This legislation will help protect Virginia's preemption statute which reserves to the Commonwealth the right to regulate firearms. Also, passed this week was Senate Bill 1513, the companion to HB1655. This bill now heads to the House where it awaits a committee assignment.
Thank you to the NRA members who answered the call and contacted their State Legislators in support of these bills. Once these bills are assigned to committees we will let you know where to direct your efforts in support. Until then, please keep checking your email and www.NRAILA.org for updates.
Posts
