Posted on 01/07/2020 5:24:47 AM PST by oldvirginian
The following bill, profiled January 6, 2020, in the Virginia House of Delegates makes indoor shooting ranges not owned by government illegal to own and operate.
HOUSE BILL NO. 567
Offered January 8, 2020
Prefiled January 6, 2020
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 3 of Chapter 12 of Title 18.2 a section numbered 18.2-511.2, relating to indoor shooting ranges; prohibited in buildings not owned or leased by the Commonwealth or federal government; exceptions; civil penalty.
---------- Patron-- Helmer
---------- Committee Referral Pending
---------- Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Article 3 of Chapter 12 of Title 18.2 a section numbered 18.2-511.2 as follows:
§ 18.2-511.2. Indoor shooting ranges; prohibited in private buildings; exceptions; penalty.
A. As used in this section, "indoor shooting range" means any fully enclosed or indoor area or facility designed for the use of rifles, shotguns, pistols, silhouettes, skeet, trap, or black powder or any other similar sport shooting.
B. It is unlawful to operate an indoor shooting range in any building not owned or leased by the Commonwealth or the federal government unless (i) fewer than 50 employees work in the building or (ii) (a) at least 90 percent of the users of the indoor shooting range are law-enforcement officers, as defined in § 9.1-101, or federal law-enforcement officers, (b) the indoor shooting range maintains a log of each user's name, phone number, address, and the law-enforcement agency where such user is employed, and (c) the indoor shooting range verifies each user's identity and address by requiring all users to present a government-issued photo-identification card.
C. Any person that violates the provisions of this section is subject to a civil penalty of not less than $1,000 nor more than $100,000 for the initial violation and $5,000 per day for each day of violation thereafter.
“They’re worse than California’s anti gun laws.”
Agreed, but my take is they are worse than CA because it took CA decades to get where VA wants to get overnight. The Kalifornians just grew up with gun laws inching along. With VA it’s a throat slashing.
I liken this to Clinton & Bush where socialism just inched along. Then comes obama that couldn’t push communism fast enough. The result was Trump. Trump was the result similar to Reagan being being the result of Carter.
My point is, I think the good people of VA will win out here come next election, especially if these radical bills become law.
I think the point is to establish the law, then slowly ratchet down the number of employees to one.
More importantly: What problem does this law address? Or is it a totally unnecessary law?
And more importantly than that: Is this a Bill of Attainder or an unlawful Restraint of Trade?
This crap has SoreAss and Doomburg’s names all over it.
I think they are going this route because it’ll be in place for years before it gets to a court to be overturned. Meanwhile, they’ll swamp Virginia with even more of the same nonsense.
Rinse and repeat.
I can name two within 15 miles of me and businesses that combine shooting ranges and scenario training can have a lot of employees.
Interesting law, stopping shooting in a safe controlled environment where accidental shootings are least likely to happen. This has nothing to do with protecting the public from guns and everything to do with curbing 2A rights.
I have a feeling this is not the limit of where one can shoot in VA. Other bills will surface making it illegal to fire a gun anyplace, including private property out in the woods miles from a residence.
I just refer to them as the American Nazi Party.
If more than 50 employs in the building
No recalls in Virginia.
Impeachment only.
Right. What is the legal and policy reason for outlawing indoor ranges? This is nothing more than blatant discrimination against something leftists don’t like. I cannot imagine this passing any Constitutional test, but then why does this even need to be tested?
Again, leftists are fancasts at their core.
And more importantly than that: Is this a Bill of Attainder or an unlawful Restraint of Trade?
Good questions. I'm not saying this is a good thing, bad thing, loophole, etc. One problem I see though, and our side can get tunnel-vision at times is that everything is an attack or nefarious. I'm not defending it, as it seems pretty worthless to me, but how much of what government does isn't worthless when viewed in the light of the founding documents.
The very nature of government is one of incrementalism, and more focused on infringing freedom than promoting it. I'm just of the opinion that we should be clear and focused on what proposals say or mean. If they aren't clear then the focus should be on getting that clarification.
You’re right.
I was riffing with a faulty memory chip.
Mea culpa
Neal Knox was right.
No more compromises! Time to push back, beginning with a recall petition.
Mark
“but it seems to allow indoor shooting ranges in buildings where fewer than 50 employees work. I have been to a lot of indoor shooting ranges, and I don’t think I have ever seen one in a building with more than 50 employees.”
The shooting ranges will have to be in government owned buildings and 90% of users must be government LEO with government ID with date/time logs kept.
The NRA HQ is in VA... and they have an indoor, state-of-the-art shooting range. This should be interesting
“It is unconstitutional to write laws targeting specific businesses or individuals.”
Since when has the constitution bothered the liberals?
Never.
No worries. The whole state is going to be a range soon enough.
Not long ago we had the appropriate response to treason like this that only required the temporary use of a length of rope and a tall tree. VA dems look to meet the criteria to use this response once again and rightfully so.
Democrats are domestic enemy number one. Far worse than any Islamic terrorists. That's really saying something.
I can see indoor ranges becoming the new speakeasy.
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