Republican delegate seeks to allow concealed weapons statewide

For the second time, Virginia Beach Republican Del. Glenn R. Davis is sponsoring a bill to change state law to allow concealed weapon permits in every locality.

Del. Glenn Davis wants to change the law that lets local governments regulate rules regarding firearms in public buildings, parks, recreation centers and during permitted events in their areas. This law includes allowing each locality to determine its own regulations for concealed carry permits.

“My bill [HB1793] was put in in response to input and concerns expressed to me over the legislation that was passed during the 2020 session,” Davis said.

Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, was the chief patron of the bill passed in the Senate, and Del. Marcia Price, D-Newport News, was the chief patron of the House version. The legislation passed both chambers in March 2020.

“I’ve always favored measures that I think will reduce the amount of gun violence we have in our country, and once we had the change in partisan control, a lot more of those policies became realistic,” Surovell said.

In the past six years, there have been 6,227 injuries from gun violence, 2,624 murders and 62 mass shootings in Virginia, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Amending the state law is necessary, which is why Davis said he submitted the bill.

“This bill only allows a continuity of laws across the commonwealth, as opposed to a patchwork of laws that create an entrapment type environment for when law-abiding gun owner’s cross city lines. It will have no impact on gun violence in the state.” he said.

Surovell disputed Davis’ statement.

“I don’t really see his [Davis’] bill as being particularly necessary,” Surovell said. “If a particular local government wants to say that conceal carry permit holders can bring their firearms into libraries or community centers or protests, that locality can do that; it’s their choice. We don’t need to pass a new law for conceal carry permit holders to not abide by local regulations, that’s just up to the locality.

The law requires signs to be posted around areas where guns are prohibited, so all parties present are aware and notified.

“The firearms rights community always likes to point out that their members are some of the most law abiding, conscious members of our society, so I assume they’ll keep an eye out, look at the signs and follow the law,” Surovell said.

David originally submitted his bill last August during a special session of the general assembly, but he said Democrats refused to hear it.

“I don’t think they [Democrats] want to talk about the unintended consequences that have occurred from the legislation they have passed during the 2020 session,” Davis said. “That legislation makes it very difficult when you cross a city – especially when you cross a city line for something like a family emergency or a last-minute important errand or what have you – because there’s then an entirely new set of gun laws you have to comply with.”

Surovell said the special session was about criminal justice reform, not gun violence, which was probably why the bill was not heard the first time.