VA Governor Promises Concealed Carry Ban In State Offices After Signing Executive Order Banning Open Carry

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA — The Governor of Virginia, Terry McAuliffe, signed an executive order Thursday that bans firearms in nearly state office buildings. Additionally, McAuliffe vowed to restrict concealed carry as well.

As the current ban stands, it applies to open carry only. The banning of concealed firearms requires a much longer process, but the Governor expects to have proposed regulations for concealed carry within 30 days.

“Gun crimes are not acts of God,” McAuliffe said. “But for too long, certain politicians and lobbyists have told us that gun violence in America is some sort of natural phenomenon, something we cannot do anything about. Today, we are gathered to recognize that we are not helpless to gun violence. That we can prevent it, and we are willing to act here in the commonwealth of Virginia.”

The executive order is further reaching,  also calling for judges and prosecutors to “use their powers to require gun forfeiture in domestic violence cases, directed the Virginia State Police to request tracing of every gun used in a crime and established a statewide tip line to allow people to collect rewards for successfully reporting gun violations.”

One thing is for sure: creating more gun free zones hasn’t stopped criminals in the past, and it’s not going to in the future, either.