Virginia has had a ban on the open carry of some firearms in certain locations since the 90s, but that’s about to change. And while a recent judge’s order required a change to the law, the bill’s author argued it was about something much more pernicious.
“We’re creating criminals out of people who want to drive to their next door neighbor’s farm in their pickup truck," said Central Virginia Republican Delegate Tom Garret on the House floor in March, speaking against a bill by Richmond Democratic Senator Mike Jones that expands a ban on the open carry of some types of firearms from a handful of cities to the entire state. This makes no sense; there’s a time and place to put on the brakes.”
Garret’s mention of “criminalizing while driving” resonated with Jones; The Senator said the long-running law targeted majority Black cities in Virginia - Richmond, Chesapeake, Newport News among others.
Jones argued that was likely on purpose.
“This portion came on the books in the 90s. Anyone who had a capacity magazine, 20+, needed a concealed carry in all the Black parts of the Commonwealth," Jones told Radio IQ Tuesday. "And there’s no other way to say it.”
Notably Jones also said the impetus for the law was about quote “geographic consistency,”
“If you and I are in Chesterfield, we’re fine, but we cross under that bridge, we’re riding dirty now as they say,” Jones said.
And a Richmond judge invalidated the existing law on constitutional grounds in March, writing “gun violence is an issue that besieges the entirety of the Commonwealth, regardless of geography or population."
But Jones said lingering impacts in the wake of tough on crime policies of the 80s led to that 90s era law and he was glad to see it changed.
“This was a byproduct of that, and all they do is seek to stack on charges for individuals who get stopped in Richmond," he said. "Driving while Black is a thing.”
Spanberger signed the new law late last month; it goes into effect July 1.
