Virginia Democratic Del. Dan Helmer filed a bill Wednesday that would give the commonwealth’s attorney general, Mark Herring, discretion over which states’ carry permits Virginia would continue to recognize.
Virginia’s current concealed carry reciprocity law recognizes every out-of-state concealed carry license, but the new proposal from Helmer could limit the number of out-of-state concealed carry permits Virginia recognizes if Herring deems their carry permit requirements insufficient.
“This is certainly more restrictive than the current process, which recognizes everyone’s permit. He can start saying, well, for this reason or that reason, I’m not going to recognize their permit now,” Virginia lawyer George Lyon of Arsenal Attorneys told the Washington Examiner.
Lyon noted, ”There are provisions where people can be denied a permit. For example, if they’ve had a stalking conviction or if they’ve had a drug conviction or possibly multiple DUI convictions.”
Virginia is home to the headquarters for the National Rifle Association. The legislature flipped from Republican to Democrat after the 2019 election.
The state’s concealed carry reciprocity law was briefly tinkered with in 2015, after the then-Republican majority General Assembly found itself in a grudge match with Herring over firearms-related issues.
When Republicans initially refused to budge over passing two specific measures, Herring ceased concealed carry reciprocity agreements Virginia had with the 25 states. Six of these states, which had recognized Virginia’s concealed carry permit on the condition that the commonwealth recognize their concealed carry licenses, severed their agreements with Virginia as well.
Republicans and Democrats came to a compromise on the measures, one associated with domestic violence and protective orders and the other related to state police being stationed at gun shows for background checks of private sellers. Herring restored not just the original reciprocity agreements but ensured reciprocity pacts with every state that offers them. As a result of this deal, all out-of-state concealed carry permit holders could carry concealed in Virginia.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Herring’s and Helmer’s offices, but they did not provide comment.
