Victims of domestic violence, etc.; firearms safety or training course. (HB768)

Introduced By

Del. Todd Gilbert (R-Woodstock) with support from co-patrons Del. Jason Miyares (R-Virginia Beach), and Del. Michael Webert (R-Marshall)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Victims of domestic violence, etc.; firearms safety or training course. Provides that the Department of Criminal Justice Services may distribute funds from the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Victim Fund to reimburse an entity that offers a firearms safety or training course or class approved by the Department free of charge to victims of domestic violence, sexual abuse, stalking, and family abuse. The bill also requires that, upon the issuance of a protective order, the petitioner for the order be provided with a list of such approved courses or classes. Read the Bill »

Status

03/02/2016: Failed to Pass in Committee

History

DateAction
01/12/2016Committee
01/12/2016Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/16 16100430D
01/12/2016Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/19/2016Assigned to sub: Criminal Law
01/19/2016Assigned App. sub: Criminal Law
01/19/2016Assigned Courts sub: Criminal Law
01/25/2016Impact statement from DPB (HB768)
01/29/2016Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 3-N)
01/29/2016Subcommittee recommends referring to Committee on Appropriations
02/03/2016Reported from Courts of Justice (14-Y 7-N) (see vote tally)
02/03/2016Referred to Committee on Appropriations
02/04/2016Assigned to sub: Public Safety
02/04/2016Assigned App. sub: Public Safety
02/11/2016Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N)
02/12/2016Reported from Appropriations (21-Y 1-N) (see vote tally)
02/13/2016Read first time
02/15/2016Read second time
02/15/2016Speaker ruled Amendments by Delegate Simon not germane
02/15/2016Engrossed by House
02/16/2016Read third time and passed House (78-Y 21-N)
02/16/2016VOTE: PASSAGE (78-Y 21-N) (see vote tally)
02/17/2016Constitutional reading dispensed
02/17/2016Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
02/24/2016Reported from Courts of Justice (10-Y 5-N) (see vote tally)
02/24/2016Rereferred to Finance
03/02/2016Continued to 2017 in Finance (15-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 6 clips in all, totaling 11 minutes.

Transcript

This is a transcript of the video clips in which this bill is discussed.

MR. SPEAKER RISE TO VERY BRIEF HE WILL SPEAK TO THE BILL.

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): THE GENTLEMAN HAS THE FLOOR.

[Unknown]: I HASE TO DISRUPT THE RHYTHM, I WILL BE VERY QUICK. WHEN I ASKED YESTERDAY ABOUT THIS BILL, WHETHER OR NOT THAT THIS TRAINING MONEY WOULD GO FROM THE SERVICES AND PROSECUTION, THE ANSWER WAS YES. THEY DID SAY, THOUGH, THERE WAS 100,000 LEFT IN THE FUND, SO I WAS CURIOUS TO KNOW WHY THAT WAS. I TALKED TO FRANCINE ECKER, THE HEAD OF DCJS, AND SHE SAID THAT UNLIKE MOST THINGS, THE MONEY THAT COMES INTO THIS FUND SOLELY COMES FROM FINES AND FEES, AND THEY AWARD THINGS ONCE A YEAR, SO MR. SPEAKER, OUT OF $2.8 MILLION, THEY SPENT $2.7 MILLION, AND, IN FACT, THEY CAN'T GO BELOW ZERO. THEY JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WILL BE THERE. SHE SAID HALF THE MONEY GOES TO PROSECUTION OF THESE OFFENSES, AND HALF GOES TO VICTIMS SERVICES LIKE IF THIS BODY WANTS AN SHELTERS. APPROPRIATIONS AMENDMENT FOR TRAINING, I THINK THEY WILL FIND A LOT OF SUPPORT ON THIS SIDE OF THE AISLE, BUT TAKING MONEY FROM PROSECUTING OFFENSES AND SHELTERS FROM VICTIMS DOES NOT SEEM TO ME TO BE A WISE CHOICE. THANK YOU MR. SPEAKER. MR. SPEAKER?

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): GENTLEMAN FROM PRINCE WILLIAM, MR. LINGAMFELTER.

Del. Scott Lingamfelter (R-Woodbridge): MR. SPEAKER, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THERE WAS MONEY LEFT IN THIS FUND. THAT IS NOT THE INTENT TO DEPRIVE ANY OF THE CURRENT SERVICES THAT ARE OUT THERE. WE VERY MUCH SUPPORT THOSE, SO MY COMMITMENT TO YOU IS WE WILL COME BACK NEXT YEAR AND LOOK AND SEE WHAT COMES OUT OF THIS AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THE RIGHT THING BY THIS FUND. YOU CAN REST ASSURED OF THAT.

[Unknown]: SHALL THE BILL PASS?

Del. Scott Lingamfelter (R-Woodbridge): THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL.

[Unknown]: AYES 78, NOS 21. AYES 78, NOS 21, THE BILL IS PASSED. CONTINUING WITH THE CALENDAR, HOUSE BILLS THIRD READING REGULAR, PAGE 49 OF THE PRINTED CALENDAR, HOUSE BILL 773, A BILL TO AMEND AND REENACT A SECTION OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA RELATING TO THE

Comments

Mary D. Devoy writes:

House GOP wants to help 'women in crisis' arm themselves, January 21, 2016
http://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/government-politics/article_55eef3b0-2500-583b-926a-838f5f4e43d5.html

So the State of Virginia is going to train victims of abuse to shoot a gun at a “perp”. If the victim then murders said “perp” is the State of Virginia accountable for that murder?

This is a very odd service for the Commonwealth to provide and the liability seems to be the best issue to point out even though I have many, many more concerns with such a proposal but if I raised them the patron would probably belittle them because they came from me and according to the patron my opinion/stance is completely irrelevant and I should ONLY comment on VSP Registry issues.

Are we (the State) going to buy the gun for the victim next year? Don't forget the ammo.