GOVERNOR'S VETO

Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto House Bill 798, relating to the purchase, possession, or transportation of a firearm following a misdemeanor conviction of assault and battery or stalking.

Individuals convicted of felonious assault and battery or subsequent instances of stalking already automatically lose their firearms rights.

Despite Virginians already having mechanisms in place for disarming individuals deemed dangerous, such as through protective orders, the proposed legislation seeks to remove a constitutional right for misdemeanor offenses.

Accordingly, I veto this bill.