GOVERNOR'S VETO

Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto Senate Bill 626, which provides that for a period of 45 days after the issuance of a protective order, the person who has issued the order may lawfully carry a concealed handgun.  This bill eliminates the application and training requirements associated with concealed handgun permits and allows petitioners to carry a concealed handgun immediately upon the issuance of any protective order.

Domestic violence situations can be extremely volatile, and all too often result in serious injury or death.  In fact, when firearms are present in a domestic violence situation, a woman is five times more likely to die.  In 2014, Virginia experienced 112 family and intimate-partner-related homicides, 66 of which occurred with a firearm.

At the end of February, I signed legislation, part of a bipartisan firearms agreement, that will remove firearms from dangerous domestic violence situations.  That bill prohibits subjects of permanent protective orders from possessing firearms and requires them to sell or transfer their firearms within 24 hours.  Senate Bill 626 encourages victims of domestic violence to introduce deadly weapons into an already dangerous situation, an approach that I believe could have significant negative public safety consequences.

Prior to the conclusion of the 2016 legislative session, I proposed amendments to Senate Bill 626 that would allow judges to expedite the concealed handgun permit approval process for individuals who had already given serious consideration to the risks and responsibilities associated with concealing a handgun and completed all necessary training requirements.  These amendments were rejected.

Accordingly, I veto this bill.

 

GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION

That the amendment in the nature of a substitute (16106081D) be accepted.