RICHMOND — Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring announced Tuesday that the commonwealth will no longer recognize out-of-state concealed handgun permits, part of a national push to circumvent legislatures opposed to tightening gun laws.
Herring (D) said 25 states have lax laws compared with Virginia, where a history of stalking, drug dealing or inpatient mental health treatment can disqualify someone from carrying a concealed handgun. The move is in step with actions governors and attorneys general are taking to address gun violence without going through Republican-controlled legislatures.
“While you are here, you are subject to the commonwealth’s gun laws,” Herring said during a news conference.
But Herring’s office could not say how many people are suspected of crossing into Virginia with concealed weapons to commit crimes, and Republican lawmakers sharply criticized the move, which enforces laws already on the books.
Nevertheless, more than 6.3 million people who could legally carry concealed handguns into Virginia today will lose the privilege when the change takes effect next year. An additional 420,000 Virginians with concealed-carry permits will no longer enjoy reciprocity when they travel to six states.
Help me out here folks. I have no idea what part of this means. I understand that people with permits from lax states will not have their permits honored in Virginia.
Who are the 6.3 million people who are going to lose the privilege of concealed-carry?
Why will 420,000 Virginians be cut off from reciprocity? Is that automatic?
The 420,000 number is just about the same number of uninsured Virginians because the General Assembly won’t approve Medicaid funds. Perhaps a deal could be struck. I suppose that is an argument for another post.
