Bill would ban concealed handguns in Virginia bars, restaurants — even for nondrinkers
It may soon be against the law to carry a concealed handgun into a restaurant, bar or club in Virginia.
Currently, a person with a concealed handgun permit is allowed to be in a business where alcohol is served, as long as the gun-owner isn’t under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
However, a bill introduced this week in Richmond by State Sen. Saddam Salim — a Democrat representing parts of Fairfax County, and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church — would make it illegal for a gun owner to carry the weapon into the establishment, even without taking a drink.
Salim’s bill, SB 57, would make it a Class 2 misdemeanor to have the concealed weapon in any business that has been granted a Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority license to sell and serve alcohol for on-premises consumption.
The bill would exempt local, state, federal and certain retired law enforcement officers from carrying a gun into the establishment.
The Virginia Citizens Defense League, a nonprofit focused on protecting the right to keep and bear arms, says Salim’s bill is “a classic example of a solution looking for a problem to solve.”
According to VCDL’s newsletter: “Virginia’s 680,000 permit holders, as well as hundreds of thousands of non-resident permit holders visiting Virginia, have been peaceably carrying concealed handguns in restaurants and clubs that serve alcohol since 2010.”
Introduced Tuesday, Salim’s bill has been referred to the state Senate’s Committee on the Judiciary.