Though a pro-Second Amendment majority sits in the House of Delegates this session, that’s not stopping anti-gun lawmakers from continuing to push the same radical gun control they’ve pushed for the past two years. Here is one bill that shows they are as dedicated as ever to chipping away at the right to self-defense.
House Bill 590, sponsored by Delegate Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-72), requires anyone with firearms in the same residence as a minor under 18 years of age, to store them unloaded in locked containers, and store ammunition in separate locked containers. There are limited exceptions for firearms carried on the person, and firearms that are within both two feet of distance and eyesight.
This outlandish bill effectively bans home-defense firearms for anyone with a minor in the home. Many Virginians currently keep a loaded handgun, rifle, and/or shotgun locked in a quick access safe by the bed ready for immediate use while still securing it out-of-reach of children. Many who carry a handgun for self-defense also store them in a quick-access safe when at home. That will not be permitted under HB 590. Instead, if the person needs their firearm for home defense, they must open two sets of locks, retrieve a firearm from one container and ammunition from another, and then load the firearm. All of this will likely have to be done under stress, and possibly in the dark.
In addition, the bill will effectively end youth hunting. It imposes a one-size-fits-all restriction on parents to prevent them from making their own decisions on when their children are ready to hunt on their own.
HB 590 is still pending a committee referral. Please stay tuned to www.nraila.org and your email inbox for further updates.
