Virginia Gun Control Updates

[Jgunner]

While we won Gov, and took back the House of Delegates. The Dems still control the State Senate.

Don't expect much progress on bad gun laws being repealed for a few years.

But, we stopped more bad laws from getting created which is a win.

Thats why we are where we are. We think a stalemate is winning. That gov had better get his ass in gear and repeal some shit or we are all fucked in the not too distant future

 

[NovaHunter]

Thats why we are where we are. We think a stalemate is winning. That gov had better get his ass in gear and repeal some shit or we are all fucked in the not too distant future

You do realize that's not how our state or national governments work anywhere in the U.S.

A newly elected executive cannot just repeal a bunch of law passed by a predecessor. And, truthfully, I am thankful none can.

 

[Jgunner]

You do realize that's not how our state or national governments work anywhere in the U.S.

A newly elected executive cannot just repeal a bunch of law passed by a predecessor. And, truthfully, I am thankful none can.

Yeah, but he can surely get that ball rolling

 

[Tx_Aggie]

Yeah, but he can surely get that ball rolling

@NovaHunter is right, he really can't.

He can direct state law enforcement, he can Veto, and as the de facto leader of the Republican party in Virginia he can help to set the legislative agenda. But he can't just unilaterally repeal law. No matter how much we may want that to be true.

Our new Republican Attorney General might be able to do something, with the Governor's backing, if for instance there's a case to be made to the State Supreme Court that some of those bad laws violate Virginia's Constitution.

Either way, we can help Youngkin in a couple of ways.

The first is to continue to put pressure on the Democrats in the Senate who are from conservative districts. These are the same Senators who helped us kill the AWB Bill last year, mostly out of fear of losing their seats if they voted for it.

The second is to be ready to give our new Governor a majority in the Senate in the 2023 state wide elections (and keep the House!) so that he can really get some things done during his last two years.

There's still a lot of fighting to do, and we need to remember that it's really up to all of us to get it done.

 

[NovaHunter]

@NovaHunter is right, he really can't.

He can direct state law enforcement, he can Veto, and as the de facto leader of the Republican party in Virginia he can help to set the legislative agenda. But he can't just unilaterally repeal law. No matter how much we may want that to be true.

Our new Republican Attorney General might be able to do something, with the Governor's backing, if for instance there's a case to be made to the State Supreme Court that some of those bad laws violate Virginia's Constitution.

Either way, we can help Youngkin in a couple of ways.

The first is to continue to put pressure on the Democrats in the Senate who are from conservative districts. These are the same Senators who helped us kill the AWB Bill last year, mostly out of fear of losing their seats if they voted for it.

The second is to be ready to give our new Governor a majority in the Senate in the 2023 state wide elections (and keep the House!) so that he can really get some things done during his last two years.

There's still a lot of fighting to do, and we need to remember that it's really up to all of us to get it done.

One of the better things our new AG can do is re-instate former AG Cuccinelli's 2011 opinion regarding carrying in churches. That prior opinion was rescinded by Herring, and can be found here: https://www.nraila.org/articles/20110411/virginia-attorney-general-issues-opini

Del. Gilbert is looking like good bet to be the new HOD Speaker. He'll be the most conservative speaker we've had in any recent memory, and perhaps much longer. Del. Webert is a friend and will be back leading the committee in the HOD that votes on all 2A matters. I have no doubt he and Del. Frietas will push some really good policies, and I am sure if Del. Gilbert is Speaker he'll back them too.

The problem is the State senate. It is currently 21 Dem and 19 GOP. As long as the Dems control the chamber, they'll block pretty much everything, especially laws repealing all their "progress" over the last 4 year.

One of the more interesting potential moves Youngkin can do is appoint a Senate Democrat to a state level cabinet position. If a reasonable Dem in a close senate district is interested in retiring in a few years with a bigger pension appointing a Dem could be a way to force an open seat with the hope of the GOP candidate riding the current wave and winning the special election. Then the senate is split 20/20 and LT Gov. Sears ( who is a family friend and VERY conservative and VERY pro 2A) would be the tie breaking vote.

If that latter scenario happens, we have a chance at really rolling back the woke policies enacted over the last 4 years. We essentially did this in 1997 when Gilmore won and appointed Sen. Waddell (Dem) and the gentleman who won the special election was GOP (Mims).

This is all possible, but narrow and I haven't heard whether or not Youngkin is contemplating a strategy like this or not. What I will say is short of some scenario like this I don't see many bad policies repealed in the next 2 years.

 

[ZY100]

VA Senate elections in 2023 are agonizingly far away….

While we had a lot of bad new laws…

Lest people forget in the past two years we had bills propsed that would have shut down just about every outdoor gun range in VA (or build to DoE specifications), ban supressorors, ban “Assault Weapons”, ban mags over 10 rounds, etc, etc.

These bills all made it to committee…and if the Dems controlled the HoD and the Gov and Lt Gov….we would be looking at these again.

We all need to keep the pressure on and voices heard. No incumbent Democratic should go unopposed…we can not take our eye off the ball just because we had a good 5th inning.

ZY

 

[Thumper580]

I wrote to the VCDL and asked them to get the background check on private gun sales in VA. repealed by Youngkin. They responded that they have a long list of items they plan to discuss with our new governor... My fingers are crossed.

 

[Maggot]

Either way, we can help Youngkin in a couple of ways.

The first is to continue to put pressure on the Democrats in the Senate who are from conservative districts. These are the same Senators who helped us kill the AWB Bill last year, mostly out of fear of losing their seats if they voted for it. Like Creigh Deeds.

The second is to be ready to give our new Governor a majority in the Senate in the 2023 state wide elections (and keep the House!) so that he can really get some things done during his last two years.

There's still a lot of fighting to do, and we need to remember that it's really up to all of us to get it done.

 

[Tokay444]

They haven’t had the big ballot dump yet! Just wait till 12:01

 

[Maggot]

One of the better things our new AG can do is re-instate former AG Cuccinelli's 2011 opinion regarding carrying in churches. That prior opinion was rescinded by Herring, and can be found here: https://www.nraila.org/articles/20110411/virginia-attorney-general-issues-opini

Del. Gilbert is looking like good bet to be the new HOD Speaker. He'll be the most conservative speaker we've had in any recent memory, and perhaps much longer. Del. Webert is a friend and will be back leading the committee in the HOD that votes on all 2A matters. I have no doubt he and Del. Frietas will push some really good policies, and I am sure if Del. Gilbert is Speaker he'll back them too.

The problem is the State senate. It is currently 21 Dem and 19 GOP. As long as the Dems control the chamber, they'll block pretty much everything, especially laws repealing all their "progress" over the last 4 year.

One of the more interesting potential moves Youngkin can do is appoint a Senate Democrat to a state level cabinet position. If a reasonable Dem in a close senate district is interested in retiring in a few years with a bigger pension appointing a Dem could be a way to force an open seat with the hope of the GOP candidate riding the current wave and winning the special election. Then the senate is split 20/20 and LT Gov. Sears ( who is a family friend and VERY conservative and VERY pro 2A) would be the tie breaking vote.

If that latter scenario happens, we have a chance at really rolling back the woke policies enacted over the last 4 years. We essentially did this in 1997 when Gilmore won and appointed Sen. Waddell (Dem) and the gentleman who won the special election was GOP (Mims).

This is all possible, but narrow and I haven't heard whether or not Youngkin is contemplating a strategy like this or not. What I will say is short of some scenario like this I don't see many bad policies repealed in the next 2 years.

Though he wont, Id like to see done what Bob MacDonnell suggested, starting gun safety classes in elementary school.