Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

From NRA-ILA:

In what has become a common occurrence, the Senate and House committees took opposite tracks on issues of importance to Virginia’s gun owners and sportsmen. NRA members will recall that last year, Henry Marsh the Chairman of Senate Courts of Justice Committee, created a “Special Subcommittee” to consider many of the pro-Second Amendment bills after they had passed in the House of Delegates, many with large bi-partisan majorities, yet in reality this subcommittee was designed to kill those bills.


On Monday, January 17, the Senate Subcommittee voted 4 to 1 to “Passed by Indefinitely” (defeat) Senate Bill 876, sponsored by state Senator Richard Stuart (R-28). SB 876 sought to codify a version of “Castle Doctrine,” which would allow lawful occupants of a dwelling to use any degree of physical force, including deadly force, against an intruder who has committed an overt act against him without the fear of civil liability. State Senator Ryan McDougle (R-4) was the sole vote in favor of defending your right to self-defense.



On the House side, the Courts of Justice Criminal Subcommittee voted in favor of reporting Delegate Bill Cleaveland’s (R-17) Castle Doctrine bill, House Bill 1573, to the full House Courts of Justice Committee by a 5-3 vote.


Both HB 1573 and SB 876 were exactly the same yet received two different reviews.


With all 140 seats of the General Assembly up for election this year, it is important you know where your legislators stand on your right to self-defense.



In addition, due to time constraints, the House Courts of Justice Civil Subcommittee was forced to move the hearing of House Bill 1422, sponsored by Delegate Dave Albo (R-42) to the subcommittee’s next meeting. HB 1422 would add one family firearm, not to exceed $3,000 in value, to the list of items that every householder shall be entitled to hold exempt from Chapter 7 Bankruptcy.

Today, Tuesday, January 18, the House Privileges & Elections, Elections Subcommittee deferred a hearing on House Bill 1501 till the next subcommittee meeting. HB 1501, sponsored by Delegate Lacey Putney (I-19), would provide that the State Board of Elections, in cooperation with the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, would make mail voter registration application forms available where hunting and fishing licenses are sold. HB 1501 is an important piece of legislation that will encourage greater participation by sportsmen’s in the political process.

Upon the request of a colleague, state Senator Roscoe Reynolds (D-20) asked that his bill, Senate Bill 757 be “passed by for the day,” the bill will be heard at the next committee meeting, on Tuesday, January 25th. It is a common courtesy given to fellow Senators who have questions on a bill and need further research into an issue to request that a sponsor “pass by for the day” a bill he or she introduced. SB 757 would improve Virginia’s code by allowing the discharge of pneumatic guns on or within private property with permission of the owner or legal possessor when conducted with reasonable care to prevent a projectile from crossing the bounds of the property.

In the meantime, please contact the following members of the Senate Local Government Committee and respectfully request that they support SB 757.





Senator Fred Quayle (804) 698-7513 - district13@senate.virginia.gov

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Senator Mark Herring (804) 698-7533 - district33@senate.virginia.gov

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Senator Dave Marsden (804) 698-7537 - district37@senate.virginia.gov

Here we go again.

Marsh found the magic formula for killing pro-gun bills. It'll be a bloodbath after crossover. The only way any House gun bills will survive is if they escape getting assigned to the COJ committee.

Either that or they'll allow a few little token bills through when the bargaining begins between the members