GOVERNOR'S VETO

Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto House Bill 1853, which requires courts to provide petitioners of certain protective orders with a list of firearms safety or training courses or classes. The bill directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services to approve these training courses and classes, and to publish and disseminate a list of providers.

This bill promotes the theory that the answer to domestic violence is the threat of greater, more lethal violence. Encouraging victims to arm themselves contradicts research which suggests that such a policy is more likely to result in tragedy than to prevent it. Facilitating the introduction of firearms into a volatile situation of domestic violence makes Virginia less safe, not more.

Accordingly, I veto this bill.