Gun rights continue to advance at the state level

[TeddyR]

Including a bill passed in Virginia that allows concealed carry without a permit, also known as "constitutional carry."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/va-senate-panel-scraps-gun-control-bills-advances-gun-rights-measures/2016/01/20/db0e0484-bfc8-11e5-9443-7074c3645405_story.html?hpid=hp_local-news_vaguns-827pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

The committee approved several gun-rights bills, including one that would allow the state’s judges to carry concealed weapons without a permit. Another would allow retired law-
enforcement officers who annually meet the training and qualifications of active officers to carry concealed handguns in airports and schools.

The most far-reaching of the approved bills was Black’s, which would lift the permitting requirement for carrying a concealed weapon. The measure, which he referred to as “constitutional carry,” now goes to the full Senate for its consideration.

“It’s based on the idea that the Second Amendment is a constitutional right and that citizens have a right to carry firearms without permission of the government,” Black said. “It’s analogous to the First Amendment, where you don’t need a government permit to tell you what you can say and what you can’t.”

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

1. Wake me when it's signed into law

Virginia just tightened up its concealed carry laws, by recognizing other states' permits only if those states' requirements are at least as tough as Virginia's.

I'd be surprised if they loosen their open carry laws.

[benEzra]

4. They also nixed permits from states that have *stricter* requirements than VA, such as NC.

The net effect of that is to force those carry license holders to open carry while visiting Virginia, which is something I prefer not to do and do not like to be forced to in order to stay legal. Virginia has much less restrictive laws on open carry than NC does.

Also unlike NC, Virginia allows you to keep a gun in your car's glove compartment or console without a carry license, which helps if you're just passing through the state.

[flamin lib]

2. Be careful what you wish for.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/126210258

[Eleanors38]

3. I still think a reasonable, low-cost course should be required to carry in public.