On Friday, January 28th, the House Committee on Public Safety voted 11-9 to advance House Bill 827, to restore and advance Virginia’s firearm preemption law to prevent localities from restricting Second Amendment rights. The Subcommittee #1 previously voted on Thursday to advance it to the full committee. It will now move to the House floor, where it can receive a vote soon. Please contact your delegate and ask them to SUPPORT HB 827.
House Bill 827 prevents localities from passing their own restrictions on lawful carry. Ever since the General Assembly allowed them to do so, anti-gun jurisdictions have created a confusing patchwork of carry restrictions that are difficult to know and obey and result in arbitrary boundaries that disarm law-abiding citizens without doing anything to keep armed criminals out.
It also prohibits localities from filing lawsuits against the firearm industry for lawful activities. It does not prohibit lawsuits for breach of contract or negligence from firearms or ammunition purchased by localities.
In addition, it requires localities to sell any firearms they receive in so-called “gun buyback” events to licensed dealers rather than destroy them. This ensures that firearms obtained by, or with the assistance of, taxpayer-funded resources are made available to law-abiding citizens in sales that recover funds for the localities.
Again, please contact your delegate and ask them to SUPPORT HB 827.
