Virginia ends reciprocity with 25 states including Washington

[Bob33]

RICHMOND, Va. –  Concealed handgun permits held by residents of 25 states will no longer be valid in Virginia, the state's attorney general said Tuesday, drawing swift criticism from GOP lawmakers.

Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, said the state will revoke its reciprocity agreement with the states because their concealed weapon laws don't meet Virginia's standards. Those states hand out permits to people who are barred under the Virginia law, like fugitives, convicted stalkers and drug dealers, which undermines the state's law and puts residents at risk, he said.

"Evenly, consistently and fairly enforcing Virginia's concealed handgun permit law, as we are now doing, means that it will be more difficult for potentially dangerous individuals to conceal their handguns here in Virginia and that will make Virginians safer, especially Virginian law enforcement," Herring said.

The move means that Virginians will no longer be able to use their concealed handgun permits in six states that require a mutual reciprocity agreement: Florida, Louisiana, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Wyoming.

John Whitbeck, chairman of the Virginia Republican Party, said Herring's announcement was further proof that Democrats have "declared war on the Second Amendment."

The top Republican in the GOP-controlled House of Delegates said that Herring is "damaging the integrity of the office he holds."

"Despite promising to take politics out of the attorney general's office, Mark Herring consistently seeks to interpret and apply the law of the Commonwealth through the lens of his own personal, political opinions," House Speaker William Howell said.

Lars Dalseide, a spokesman for the National Rifle Association, said concealed handgun reciprocity agreements between states have ended before, but his organization is unaware of another state ever implementing a change of this magnitude.

States are currently being notified about the change, which goes into effect on Feb. 1, Herring said. The only states that have tough enough laws to maintain their reciprocity agreement with Virginia are: Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and West Virginia, he said.

The states whose permits Virginia will no longer recognize are: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/12/22/virginia-to-end-recognizing-concealed-carry-gun-permits-from-25-states.html?intcmp=hpbt3

[Machias]

What a bunch of BS.  My daughter is a Virginia resident with a Concealed Pistol Lic and is currently a student at college in Florida.  She is now unable to protect herself unless she gets a non-resident Florida concealed permit.  Pisses me off to no end that one guy can just arbitrarily make up *censored*.  Every single Democrat can......F em every one them.  I think this will backfire as it has poked a stick in a hornets nest over here.

[pianoman9701]

I have to travel to Maine through Boston this February to go visit my mom who I haven't seen in 4 years. I just am not looking forward to being unarmed for 10 days in places where terrorists know it's difficult to get "permission" to carry a firearm. This is ridiculous.

[bobcat]

Is open carry allowed in Virginia?

[Machias]

Yes

[Jonathan_S]

I have always thought of Virginia as a salt-of-the-earth, down-home, common sense State.

The last several years though, it seems as though every bit of news out of the Commonwealth is the same wacky PC junk from farther North 

[pianoman9701]

I have always thought of Virginia as a salt-of-the-earth, down-home, common sense State.

The last several years though, it seems as though every bit of news out of the Commonwealth is the same wacky PC junk from farther North 

Much like the I-5 corridor in WA, infested with CA transplants imposing their warped realities on WA, the beltway has infected VA with liberalism. Common sense is being outvoted by a majority concentrated in a relatively few square miles as compared to the rest of the state.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

RICHMOND, Va. –  Concealed handgun permits held by residents of 25 states will no longer be valid in Virginia, the state's attorney general said Tuesday, drawing swift criticism from GOP lawmakers.

Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, said the state will revoke its reciprocity agreement with the states because their concealed weapon laws don't meet Virginia's standards. Those states hand out permits to people who are barred under the Virginia law, like fugitives, convicted stalkers and drug dealers, which undermines the state's law and puts residents at risk, he said.

All of this begs the question, "Has Virginia been having a problem with crime committed by concealed handgun permit holders from these other States?"  Or is this just some kind of political grandstanding?

[pianoman9701]

RICHMOND, Va. –  Concealed handgun permits held by residents of 25 states will no longer be valid in Virginia, the state's attorney general said Tuesday, drawing swift criticism from GOP lawmakers.

Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, said the state will revoke its reciprocity agreement with the states because their concealed weapon laws don't meet Virginia's standards. Those states hand out permits to people who are barred under the Virginia law, like fugitives, convicted stalkers and drug dealers, which undermines the state's law and puts residents at risk, he said.

All of this begs the question, "Has Virginia been having a problem with crime committed by concealed handgun permit holders from these other States?"  Or is this just some kind of political grandstanding?

An excellent question. One that should be asked of every proposed new gun restriction.

[JimmyHoffa]

RICHMOND, Va. –  Concealed handgun permits held by residents of 25 states will no longer be valid in Virginia, the state's attorney general said Tuesday, drawing swift criticism from GOP lawmakers.

Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, said the state will revoke its reciprocity agreement with the states because their concealed weapon laws don't meet Virginia's standards. Those states hand out permits to people who are barred under the Virginia law, like fugitives, convicted stalkers and drug dealers, which undermines the state's law and puts residents at risk, he said.

All of this begs the question, "Has Virginia been having a problem with crime committed by concealed handgun permit holders from these other States?"  Or is this just some kind of political grandstanding?

I guess someone could try to make an argument about Washington and Alaska, since both those states allow marijuana sale/use at the state level still in violation of federal law.  And it would be possible for those states to be enabling armed drug dealers, but if they don't commit the crime in VA it shouldn't be an issue.  Don't know of any stretches for the other states.  Best guess is grandstanding, though.

[Bob33]

RICHMOND, Va. –  Concealed handgun permits held by residents of 25 states will no longer be valid in Virginia, the state's attorney general said Tuesday, drawing swift criticism from GOP lawmakers.

Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, said the state will revoke its reciprocity agreement with the states because their concealed weapon laws don't meet Virginia's standards. Those states hand out permits to people who are barred under the Virginia law, like fugitives, convicted stalkers and drug dealers, which undermines the state's law and puts residents at risk, he said.

All of this begs the question, "Has Virginia been having a problem with crime committed by concealed handgun permit holders from these other States?"  Or is this just some kind of political grandstanding?

An excellent question. One that should be asked of every proposed new gun restriction.

It clearly does not sound like it.

Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, said the state will revoke its reciprocity agreement with the states because their concealed weapon laws don't meet Virginia's standards. Those states hand out permits to people who are barred under the Virginia law, like fugitives, convicted stalkers and drug dealers, which undermines the state's law and puts residents at risk, he said.

"Evenly, consistently and fairly enforcing Virginia's concealed handgun permit law, as we are now doing, means that it will be more difficult for potentially dangerous individuals to conceal their handguns here in Virginia and that will make Virginians safer, especially Virginian law enforcement," Herring said.

[JimmyHoffa]

Using that reasoning, Washington Driver's Licenses shouldn't be recognized in forty something states, because Washington even gives them out to illegals.

[bobcat]

So, just open carry then. If they don't want you to conceal your handgun what other choice do you have?

[Sitka_Blacktail]

RICHMOND, Va. –  Concealed handgun permits held by residents of 25 states will no longer be valid in Virginia, the state's attorney general said Tuesday, drawing swift criticism from GOP lawmakers.

Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, said the state will revoke its reciprocity agreement with the states because their concealed weapon laws don't meet Virginia's standards. Those states hand out permits to people who are barred under the Virginia law, like fugitives, convicted stalkers and drug dealers, which undermines the state's law and puts residents at risk, he said.

All of this begs the question, "Has Virginia been having a problem with crime committed by concealed handgun permit holders from these other States?"  Or is this just some kind of political grandstanding?

An excellent question. One that should be asked of every proposed new gun restriction.

It clearly does not sound like it.

Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, said the state will revoke its reciprocity agreement with the states because their concealed weapon laws don't meet Virginia's standards. Those states hand out permits to people who are barred under the Virginia law, like fugitives, convicted stalkers and drug dealers, which undermines the state's law and puts residents at risk, he said.

"Evenly, consistently and fairly enforcing Virginia's concealed handgun permit law, as we are now doing, means that it will be more difficult for potentially dangerous individuals to conceal their handguns here in Virginia and that will make Virginians safer, especially Virginian law enforcement," Herring said.

So it is an imagined problem they are hoping to solve? Boy, think of the imagined solutions to imagined problems we could come up with. How about "Virginia refuses to recognize concealed laser gun permits issued on Mars, to make Virginians safer, especially Virginia law enforcement".

But I'm also curious about Virginia recognizing drivers licenses from other states when other states don't have the same standards that Virginia has. What if your state doesn't require the same amount of insurance that Virginia does? Or your state doesn't have as harsh a penalty for a DUI? Or it's easier for you to get a drivers license reinstated in your state after a suspension?

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Using that reasoning, Washington Driver's Licenses shouldn't be recognized in forty something states, because Washington even gives them out to illegals.

I see we were thinking along the same lines.