RICHMOND, Va. – Concealed handgun permits held by residents of 25 states will no longer be valid in Virginia, the state's attorney general said Tuesday, drawing swift criticism from GOP lawmakers.

Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, said the state will revoke its reciprocity agreement with the states because their concealed weapon laws don't meet Virginia's standards. Those states hand out permits to people who are barred under the Virginia law, like fugitives, convicted stalkers and drug dealers, which undermines the state's law and puts residents at risk, he said.

"Evenly, consistently and fairly enforcing Virginia's concealed handgun permit law, as we are now doing, means that it will be more difficult for potentially dangerous individuals to conceal their handguns here in Virginia and that will make Virginians safer, especially Virginian law enforcement," Herring said.

 

The move means that Virginians will no longer be able to use their concealed handgun permits in six states that require a mutual reciprocity agreement: Florida, Louisiana, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Wyoming.

 

John Whitbeck, chairman of the Virginia Republican Party, said Herring's announcement was further proof that Democrats have "declared war on the Second Amendment."

The top Republican in the GOP-controlled House of Delegates said that Herring is "damaging the integrity of the office he holds."

 

"Despite promising to take politics out of the attorney general's office, Mark Herring consistently seeks to interpret and apply the law of the Commonwealth through the lens of his own personal, political opinions," House Speaker William Howell said.

Lars Dalseide, a spokesman for the National Rifle Association, said concealed handgun reciprocity agreements between states have ended before, but his organization is unaware of another state ever implementing a change of this magnitude.

 

States are currently being notified about the change, which goes into effect on Feb. 1, Herring said. The only states that have tough enough laws to maintain their reciprocity agreement with Virginia are: Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and West Virginia, he said.

The states whose permits Virginia will no longer recognize are:

Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming

It's ok, just carry on your holster on your belt. Because Virginia is for lovers.

Just saw an online offer for a concealed carry. Says it takes 45-60 minutes and is valid in several states. I'm guessing Va. Wouldn't accept that one.

Wish Kentucky would do this for Ohio drivers :lol:

Just saw an online offer for a concealed carry. Says it takes 45-60 minutes and is valid in several states. I'm guessing Va. Wouldn't accept that one.

I don't think any of those on-line offers are actually recognized by any state...I know Kentucky isn't one of them.

 

My Wife has dealt with people applying for Concealed Carry Permits for almost 14 years and said there have been several people come in over the years with these On-Line Certificates demanding their permit...saying they have already paid for it. It's in most cases just a scam.

Those states hand out permits to people who are barred under the Virginia law, like fugitives, convicted stalkers and drug dealers, which undermines the state's law and puts residents at risk, he said.

Which state is giving permits to convicted felons?

The "Test" for Concealed Carry in Virginia

 

 

• Are you under indictment for a felony offense?
  
• Are you the subject of an active misdemeanor or felony arrest warrant from any state?
  
• Have you ever been convicted, as an adult, in any court of a felony offense?
  
• If you are 28 years old or younger, have you ever been adjudicated delinquent as a juvenile 14 years of age or older at the time of offense of a delinquent act, which would be a felony if committed by an adult?
  
• Were you adjudicated as a juvenile 14 years of age or older at the time of the offense of murder in violation of § 18.2-31 or 18.2-32, kidnapping in violation of § 18.2-47, robbery by the threat or presentation of firearms in violation of § 18.2-58, or rape in violation of § 18.2-61? (If adjudicated as a delinquent for these offenses, you must answer yes. You are ineligible regardless of your current age and prohibited for life unless allowed by restoration of rights by the Governor of Virginia and order of the circuit court in the jurisdiction in which you reside.)
  
• Have you ever been convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime punishable by more than 2 years even if the maximum punishment was not received?
  
• Is there an outstanding protective or restraining order against you from any court that involves your spouse, a former spouse, an individual with whom you share a child in common, or someone you cohabited with as an intimate partner?
  
• Is there an outstanding protective or restraining order against you from any court that involves stalking, sexual battery, alleged abuse or acts of violence against a family or household member?
  
• Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana, or any depressant, stimulant, or narcotic drug, or any controlled substance? The Federal Gun Control Act defines an addicted person, or unlawful user, as a person who has a conviction for use or possession of a controlled substance within the past year or persons found through a drug test to use a controlled substance unlawfully, provided that the test was administered within the past year.
  
• Have you ever been acquitted by reason of insanity?
  
• Have you ever been adjudicated legally incompetent or mentally incapacitated, or adjudicated an incapacitated person?
  
• Have you ever been involuntarily admitted to a facility or involuntarily ordered to outpatient mental health treatment?
  
• Have you ever been the subject of a temporary detention order and subsequently agreed to voluntarily admission for mental health treatment?
  
• Have you been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable discharge?
  
• Are you an alien illegally in the United States?
  
• Are you a nonimmigrant alien? A nonimmigrant alien is prohibited from receiving a firearm unless he or she falls within an exception to the nonimmigrant alien prohibition (e.g., hunting license/permit; waiver).
  
• Are you a person who, having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced your citizenship?
  
• Have you ever been convicted for the misdemeanor crime of domestic violence? This includes all misdemeanors that involve the use, threat of, or attempted use of physical force (e.g., simple assault, assault and battery) if the offense is committed by one of the following parties: a current or former spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabiting with or has cohabited with the victim as a spouse, parent or guardian, or by a person similarly situated to a spouse, parent or guardian of the victim.
  
• Are you a person who, within a 36 month period, within the last 5 years, has been convicted under Virginia law of 2 misdemeanor offenses for Possession of Controlled Substance or Possession of Marijuana? (Handgun Purchases Only)
  

 

I admit that I love that the highlighted items are questioned and hopefully tested...I think those could/should be worked into the purchasing of Firearms also, not just concealed carry.

The "Test" for Concealed Carry in Virginia

 

 

• Are you under indictment for a felony offense?
  
• Are you the subject of an active misdemeanor or felony arrest warrant from any state?
  
• Have you ever been convicted, as an adult, in any court of a felony offense?
  
• If you are 28 years old or younger, have you ever been adjudicated delinquent as a juvenile 14 years of age or older at the time of offense of a delinquent act, which would be a felony if committed by an adult?
  
• Were you adjudicated as a juvenile 14 years of age or older at the time of the offense of murder in violation of § 18.2-31 or 18.2-32, kidnapping in violation of § 18.2-47, robbery by the threat or presentation of firearms in violation of § 18.2-58, or rape in violation of § 18.2-61? (If adjudicated as a delinquent for these offenses, you must answer yes. You are ineligible regardless of your current age and prohibited for life unless allowed by restoration of rights by the Governor of Virginia and order of the circuit court in the jurisdiction in which you reside.)
  
• Have you ever been convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime punishable by more than 2 years even if the maximum punishment was not received?
  
• Is there an outstanding protective or restraining order against you from any court that involves your spouse, a former spouse, an individual with whom you share a child in common, or someone you cohabited with as an intimate partner?
  
• Is there an outstanding protective or restraining order against you from any court that involves stalking, sexual battery, alleged abuse or acts of violence against a family or household member?
  
• Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana, or any depressant, stimulant, or narcotic drug, or any controlled substance? The Federal Gun Control Act defines an addicted person, or unlawful user, as a person who has a conviction for use or possession of a controlled substance within the past year or persons found through a drug test to use a controlled substance unlawfully, provided that the test was administered within the past year.
  
• Have you ever been acquitted by reason of insanity?
  
• Have you ever been adjudicated legally incompetent or mentally incapacitated, or adjudicated an incapacitated person?
  
• Have you ever been involuntarily admitted to a facility or involuntarily ordered to outpatient mental health treatment?
  
• Have you ever been the subject of a temporary detention order and subsequently agreed to voluntarily admission for mental health treatment?
  
• Have you been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable discharge?
  
• Are you an alien illegally in the United States?
  
• Are you a nonimmigrant alien? A nonimmigrant alien is prohibited from receiving a firearm unless he or she falls within an exception to the nonimmigrant alien prohibition (e.g., hunting license/permit; waiver).
  
• Are you a person who, having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced your citizenship?
  
• Have you ever been convicted for the misdemeanor crime of domestic violence? This includes all misdemeanors that involve the use, threat of, or attempted use of physical force (e.g., simple assault, assault and battery) if the offense is committed by one of the following parties: a current or former spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabiting with or has cohabited with the victim as a spouse, parent or guardian, or by a person similarly situated to a spouse, parent or guardian of the victim.
  
• Are you a person who, within a 36 month period, within the last 5 years, has been convicted under Virginia law of 2 misdemeanor offenses for Possession of Controlled Substance or Possession of Marijuana? (Handgun Purchases Only)
  

 

I admit that I love that the highlighted items are questioned and hopefully tested...I think those could/should be worked into the purchasing of Firearms also, not just concealed carry.

 

It's not that much different than the application that must be filled out to buy a firearm in most counties in Florida. I've filled it out for all of my weapons. Also in most counties, you have to wait 3 days regardless of firearm type, unless you already have a conceal permit.