Public safety issues are already dominating the discussion here in Richmond.
My Republican colleagues and I have introduced legislation that will begin the process of holding fentanyl dealers accountable for the lives they take with their poison. Under our legislation, anyone who gives or sells a lethal dose of fentanyl is liable for
murder. Democrats in the Senate have already voted down one version of this legislation, but this problem is too significant for us to stop fighting. On average, five Virginians a day die from a fentanyl overdose.
Firearms are also at the forefront of the discussion, as Democrats – who often complained that Republicans were obsessed with guns – have introduced a raft of legislation about guns. Democrats seem to have missed the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Bruen, which significantly restricts the limits that can be placed on our Second Amendment rights. Most if not all of the laws I’ve seen proposed by Democrats are flatly unconstitutional, and neither I nor my Republican colleagues have been shy about telling them so.
For example, Democratic Del. Patrick Hope has introduced a bill that would require Virginians to get a license from the State Police before they can legally purchase any firearm of any kind. While I hope these bills don’t make it out of the House, I’m thankful they’ll all but certainly meet a veto from Governor Youngkin if they do.
This session, I am continuing to carry legislation that supports our 2A rights. HB289 would allow those with a concealed carry permit to store their firearm in a motor vehicle in a public parking lot. It should be heard in committee soon.
