Virginia Gun Owners - SB698 ALERT

VAHV Email Alert List ^ | 01/13/2003 | Gail Horne

[gieriscm]

Okay folks, This is "It"!!!

VAHV had several Board members lobbying the Senate Courts of Justice committee today to determine if SB698, (designed to close the gun show loophole in Virginia) really had any kind of real chance. They have just reported back that if we can flood the offices of the committee members tomorrow with phone calls and faxed letters, then the bill does in fact have a real chance.

YOU ARE NEEDED!!!

Please take a moment and make a phone call and or send a fax. Simply say that you hope that you can count on your legislative representative to support SB698. Check the list below and call your Senator on Tuesday, January 14, 2003. One short, quick phone call might be the difference.

1)Call,email or fax your representatives to let them know you support SB 698. It is most important to contact members of the Senate Courts of Justice Committee before the hearing on January 15. These include:
Kenneth Stolle, (Chairman), (804) 698-7508
Ken Cuccinelli, (804) 698-7537
Janet Howell, (804) 698-7532
John Edwards, (804) 698-7521
Bill Mims, (804) 698-7450
Linda "Toddy" Puller, (804) 698-7536
Dick Saslaw, (804) 698-7535
Harry Blevins, (804) 698-7514
Frederick Quayle, (804) 698-7513
Thomas Norment, (804) 698-7503
Louise Lucas, (804) 698-7518
William Roscoe Reynolds, (804) 698-7520
Nick Rerras, (804) 698-7506
Bo Trumbo, (804) 698-7522

If you need to find out who your reps are or would like to see the text of the legislation, go to: www.legis.state.va.us

If anyone can, BE THERE!!

2) Attend a hearing of the Senate Courts of Justice Committee, Wednesday, January 15, 2:00 PM in Senate Room A at the General Assembly Building in Richmond (next to the Capitol). The bill MUST be voted out of this committee as a first step. Opponents will be there to testify against the bill. It is important to show that we want sensible gun legislation. Senate Room A is just to the left inside the GAB. Please allow time to clear security into the building.

After the 15th, YOU CAN STILL HELP!!

3) Attend our Lobby Day on the morning of Monday, January 20th (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day). Visit with our respective representatives to let them know we support this bill and oppose any attempts to weaken existing gun laws. We will have a short training/briefing before we actually go lobby. For more information, contact Gail Horne of VAHV at 757-423-8801.

BACKGROUND
Current law requires that federally licensed dealers must perform background checks, but not unlicensed sellers, who make up 22-35% of the vendors at gun shows in VA. Last year there were 74 gun shows in VA where more than 16,000 guns were sold. Nationwide, gun shows have been cited as the second largest source of crime guns. This loophole allows criminals convicted of felonies and domestic violence as well as other prohibited people to buy a firearm at a gun show with no questions asked. This bill would NOT hurt business at gun shows; 18 states have already acted to require criminal background checks for all sales at gun shows. Three of the five states with the highest number of gun shows, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and California, passed this legislation years ago and their gun shows continue and prosper. Furthermore, this bill is NOT about the Second Amendment or restrictive gun laws, but simply applying the law requiring criminal background checks in a common-sense way to all gun sales at gun shows.

Thank you for all that you do to support this effort to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.

Gail C. Horne, VAHV, Inc.

[gieriscm]

Ok Virginians, get out and email/fax/call these Senators and tell them that you do NOT support SB698. This is doubly important if you live in any of these Senators' districts. SB698 will require that vendors who are exhibitors, but who are not selling guns, to be licensed to deal. Further it makes the gun show promoter liable for transactions that occur in the parking lot, which in many cases is out of their control as the parking area can serve many businesses.

I will be in Richmond on the 20th to do my own lobbying.

[Anti-Bubba182]

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[gieriscm]

Ping!

[Copernicus]

For comment and discussion

[supercat]

SB698 will require that vendors who are exhibitors, but who are not selling guns, to be licensed to deal.

I remember anti-gunners complaining that less than half of the sellers at a gun show had FFL's. What they neglected was that less than half of the sellers were actually selling guns (most were selling books, magazines, knives, clothing, optics, camping gear, food, or non-gun items).

[The_Macallan]

"Nationwide, gun shows have been cited as the second largest source of crime guns."

BZZZZT!! WRONG!!!


Dept. of Justice; Firearm Use by Offender - Table 8
FACTS about the "Gunshow Loop-Hole" nonsense:

1991: Source of guns used in crimes by State prison inmates nationwide -
* 40.8% from street source (drug dealer, theft, blackmarket).
* 33.8% from family or friend.
* 18.9% from retail store or pawnshop.
* 4.6% from other source
* 0.6% from gunshows.

1997: Source of guns used in crimes by State prison inmates nationwide -
* 39.2% from street source (drug dealer, theft, blackmarket).
* 39.6% from family or friend.
* 12.1% from retail store or pawnshop.
* 7.4% from "other" source
* 0.7% from gunshows.

* * * Guns used in crimes are very rarely ever obtained by the criminal through gunshows.

This is the most recent data available from the U.S. Dept. of Justice, dated November, 2001 and revised on 2/04/02.

I hope someone in Virginia can use real FACTS like this against the LIES being spread by the anti-gun crowd.

[William Tell]

From the article: "Three of the five states with the highest number of gun shows, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and California, passed this legislation years ago and their gun shows continue and prosper."

What lies. The county I live in passed an ordinance outlawing gun shows at our county fairgrounds and their hasn't been a gun show there since. I have to travel sixty miles plus to attend a gun show.

[Gopher Broke]

If you would rather email, here are the emails for the Senate Courts of Justice Committee Members.....

district33@sov.state.va.us,district20@sov.state.va.us,district03@sov.state.va.us,district13@sov.state.va.us,district06@sov.state.va.us,district15@sov.state.va.us,
district18@sov.state.va.us,district35@sov.state.va.us,vasen08@aol.com,district22@sov.state.va.us,district16@sov.state.va.us,district01@sov.state.va.us,
district32@sov.state.va.us,district21@sov.state.va.us

[BCR #226]

BTT PING!

[tgslTakoma]

A little birdie asked me to PING! Virginia's Freepers to this thread, and I'm happy to oblige.

If you want off (or on) the VA PING! list, please FReepmail me.

[P8riot]

Just got this today from the VCDL (Virginia Citizen's Defense League) Alert system:

Any defenders of the Second Ammendment in Virginia need to get in touch with the folks in the State Senate to let their voices be heard.

SB 698, Senator Marsh's gun show "loophole" bill is being promoted not only by Virginians Against Handgun Violence, but now by the Brady Campaign. VAHV thinks that they can get the bill out of committee if they have enough phone calls.

WELL - LET'S SHOW THEM HOW GRASSROOTS REALLY WORKS!

This is urgent, so please do this as soon as possible. The committee meets on Wednesday at 2 PM, so time is short.

To make this easy, VCDL has a reflector setup. You send your e-mail to one address (below) and it will automatically get sent to every important member of the Senate Courts of Justice committee for you! Since your one e-mail is going to multiple people, the greeting needs to be generic (Dear Senator) and NOT specific (Dear Senator Trumbo).

Here is the magic e-mail address:

scoj@vcdl.org (or if you wish to type in the address: scoj@vcdl.org)

Suggested e-mail:

Dear Senator,

As a law abiding gun owner, I urge you to vote AGAINST SB 698, Senator Marsh's bill to close the imaginary "gun show loophole." This bill would destroy gun shows by putting a huge and unreasonable burden on gun owners and gun show management, while doing nothing to stop criminals. According to a recent U.S. Department of Justice report, only .7 percent (much less that one percent) of guns used in crimes are obtained from gun shows! This bill is not about public safety. It is about shutting down gun shows and creating an unconstitutional gun registration.

I am counting on you to protect the rights of Virginia's gun owners.

Sincerely,
Name
Address
Phone

[Ligeia]

Thanks for the heads up. I read somewhere in the past week where Gov. Warner signed the legislation allowing guns in state parks for concealed carry permit holders. I'm surprised about that. The Sarah Brady's of the world are not amused. They still think one should use pepper spray to fend off a bear or other adversary.

Related threads:
Keep guns out of state parks

Virginia: Guns in State Parks

Guns in Virginia state parks (Million Brain-Dead Moms Alert)

[gieriscm]

I read somewhere in the past week where Gov. Warner signed the legislation allowing guns in state parks for concealed carry permit holders.

Heh heh heh... Warner didn't sign legislation. He was forced to enforce an opinion issued by Attorney General Kilgore (hopefully our next Governor) who, at the request of Delegate Dick Black (R-32), asked the AG for a legal opinion of carry in state parks based on current law. Kilgore happily obliged, and Warner is forced to go along...

Black and Kilgore really twisted not only Warner's tail, but the anti's as well, on this issue. :)

[Ligeia]

Warner didn't sign legislation.

He signed something and I can't remember what it is! The article claimed he 'signed it quietly' and now I can't find the article. I know I'm not losing my mind... :^)

[BlueCat]

Warner is in the process of selecting another Supreme Court Judge. I don't know the details, but an acquaintance of mine is under consideration. He is as anti-gun as you can get and still live in Virginia.

[m1911]

Ping

[gieriscm]

Thanks to all who responded! SB698 died in committee.