Steven Mace
02-02-2002, 03:24 PM
Feb 1, 2002 - 10:00 PM
Concealed gun bill's up for a panel vote
By Chelyen Davis
The News & Advance
RICHMOND - The House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee will vote next week on a bill to allow concealed weapon permit holders to carry their guns into restaurants that serve alcohol.
The bill is being carried by Del. Lee Ware, R-Powhatan, who said concealed weapon permit holders are "among the finest and most law-abiding citizens of the commonwealth."
Ware said he wants those law-abiding people to be able to have their guns in restaurants, as protection against the chance that "some bad guy with a gun will come into the place."
Should that happen, under current law, "the good guys in the place will be carrying only their permit in their pocket," Ware said. "I truly believe this bill will make people safer."
Ware's bill includes a provision that a person with a gun who is under the influence of alcohol or consumes an alcoholic drink will be guilty of a Class I misdemeanor. The provision is a nod to the protests that guns and alcohol don't mix.
But it doesn't placate the bill's opponents - many of whom wore stickers that said, "Even Miss Kitty made you check your gun at the door." They were allotted 15 minutes to speak to Friday's committee meeting.
Opponents and supporters had already given testimony to lawmakers when the bill was in subcommittee, and they'll be allowed more time to speak again before the committee votes on the bill.
Mike Byrne, owner of the Richbrau restaurant in Richmond and former owner of several other restaurants in Richmond and Alexandria, told legislators that he has polled restaurant owners in downtown Richmond and doesn't know of anyone in the business who favors the bill.
"I'm here against bringing a concealed weapon into my business and I can't do anything about it," Byrne said.
Talking to reporters later, Byrne said allowing concealed weapons in bars would "further the fear factor of the unknown."
He also dismissed Ware's provision to make it a crime to drink while carrying a weapon in a bar.
"It would be a misdemeanor? It's too late," Byrne said. "The misdemeanor will be after the fact. … I'm not going to tell a gun owner who's drinking that I'm going to take his gun."
Byrne said he had an incident in Richbrau where a 9 mm gun was found beside a commode - the owner was drinking and forgot it.
Byrne's concerns were echoed by Amanda DiGirolamo, who said she has waited tables and been a hostess at several Richmond-area restaurants.
DiGirolamo said she has seen arguments escalate in bars and restaurants, particularly when people are drinking, and she doesn't want guns added to the mix.
She added that the law currently allows people with permits to carry guns openly - not concealed - in restaurants, which "at least allows me to exercise my best judgment."
In other General Assembly news, the House passed a bill by Del. Preston Bryant, R-Lynchburg, that would regulate how and when lawmakers decide how much money to give to localities for law enforcement through the 599 program.
The bill had opposition when it was debated Thursday, and at the time seemed to be hanging by a thread - the vote to pass it on to a final reading was 50 to 39. One vote the other way on Friday could have killed it.
But in the intervening day, Bryant did some talking to his fellow lawmakers. The bill passed on Friday by 75 to 21.
http://www.newsadvance.com/MGBLBGQU6XC.html
Steve Mace
Concealed gun bill's up for a panel vote
By Chelyen Davis
The News & Advance
RICHMOND - The House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee will vote next week on a bill to allow concealed weapon permit holders to carry their guns into restaurants that serve alcohol.
The bill is being carried by Del. Lee Ware, R-Powhatan, who said concealed weapon permit holders are "among the finest and most law-abiding citizens of the commonwealth."
Ware said he wants those law-abiding people to be able to have their guns in restaurants, as protection against the chance that "some bad guy with a gun will come into the place."
Should that happen, under current law, "the good guys in the place will be carrying only their permit in their pocket," Ware said. "I truly believe this bill will make people safer."
Ware's bill includes a provision that a person with a gun who is under the influence of alcohol or consumes an alcoholic drink will be guilty of a Class I misdemeanor. The provision is a nod to the protests that guns and alcohol don't mix.
But it doesn't placate the bill's opponents - many of whom wore stickers that said, "Even Miss Kitty made you check your gun at the door." They were allotted 15 minutes to speak to Friday's committee meeting.
Opponents and supporters had already given testimony to lawmakers when the bill was in subcommittee, and they'll be allowed more time to speak again before the committee votes on the bill.
Mike Byrne, owner of the Richbrau restaurant in Richmond and former owner of several other restaurants in Richmond and Alexandria, told legislators that he has polled restaurant owners in downtown Richmond and doesn't know of anyone in the business who favors the bill.
"I'm here against bringing a concealed weapon into my business and I can't do anything about it," Byrne said.
Talking to reporters later, Byrne said allowing concealed weapons in bars would "further the fear factor of the unknown."
He also dismissed Ware's provision to make it a crime to drink while carrying a weapon in a bar.
"It would be a misdemeanor? It's too late," Byrne said. "The misdemeanor will be after the fact. … I'm not going to tell a gun owner who's drinking that I'm going to take his gun."
Byrne said he had an incident in Richbrau where a 9 mm gun was found beside a commode - the owner was drinking and forgot it.
Byrne's concerns were echoed by Amanda DiGirolamo, who said she has waited tables and been a hostess at several Richmond-area restaurants.
DiGirolamo said she has seen arguments escalate in bars and restaurants, particularly when people are drinking, and she doesn't want guns added to the mix.
She added that the law currently allows people with permits to carry guns openly - not concealed - in restaurants, which "at least allows me to exercise my best judgment."
In other General Assembly news, the House passed a bill by Del. Preston Bryant, R-Lynchburg, that would regulate how and when lawmakers decide how much money to give to localities for law enforcement through the 599 program.
The bill had opposition when it was debated Thursday, and at the time seemed to be hanging by a thread - the vote to pass it on to a final reading was 50 to 39. One vote the other way on Friday could have killed it.
But in the intervening day, Bryant did some talking to his fellow lawmakers. The bill passed on Friday by 75 to 21.
http://www.newsadvance.com/MGBLBGQU6XC.html
Steve Mace