The gun ban instituted in certain government buildings by Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D.) last October does not make gun carry in those locations illegal, the state government clarified.
The “no guns” signs posted in certain public buildings throughout Virginia are not backed by the force of law. According to state officials, if an agency employee observes somebody carrying a gun in a newly restricted area, they are supposed to ask that person to leave. If the person refuses to leave, they may then be charged for trespassing.
On October 15, 2015, McAuliffe signed an executive order implementing a number of new gun control measures. Among them was the ban on the carry of firearms in some executive buildings like the DMV and state liquor stores. The action faced immediate scrutiny from critics.
The head of the state’s most active gun rights group questioned the gun carry ban’s legality as soon as it was signed. “Does he have the authority to do the ban in government buildings? We don’t think he does,” Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, told theWashington Free Beacon in October. “The problem that he has is that he’s been given no authority to do such a ban. The General Assembly issues concealed carry permits and they say where you can and can’t carry them. And there’s nothing in there that gives him any authority to say ‘you can’t carry a concealed handgun in this building.’”
Van Cleave said he thinks has been proven right.
