HB 2340 Update: Whom Are You Going to Call?

Virginia House Bill 2340, the one that withholds support from any potential federal gun bans, has been referred to another committee. Once again, here's the full text:

http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?131+ful+HB2340

Here's the e-mail Delegate R.G. "Bob" Marshall sent to a constituent who e-mailed it to me. Why? My Delegate and State Senator are already co-sponsoring HB 2340. So, evidently, they want you readers to check the list below and see if you need to call your Delegates.

If your legislators are on this list, and you like HB 2340, you might want to send them notes of thanks: Delegates: Marshall, R.G., Gilbert, Lingamfelter, Cole, Crockett-Stark, Fariss, Hodges, Kilgore, Morefield, Morris, Ransone, Rush and Wright; Senators: Black and Carrico.

Could Virginia lose federal grant money as a result of this bill? I think some delegates may have been less vocal in supporting HB 2340, after this objection was raised, because stranger things have happened. Even symbolic votes of no confidence in the federal government, which have not violated existing laws or conditions of existing monetary grants, could be penalized by the terms of subsequent grants. Perhaps the question is...should we be telling good ol' Uncle Sam to tighten his budget and stop handing out grants? I say yes ('cos I love my Uncle Sam and do not want to see him go bankrupt) but I can imagine how any loss of any grants could become controversial.

I would still stand up and be counted with Delegate Marshall on this bill, but I would also remind you readers that I would skip a few meals, and have skipped meals, rather than let Uncle Sam waste his money to provide me with food. Being a Real Fiscal Conservative is not for Republicans only, but it's for brave, self-reliant people only. No wimps need apply.

From Delegate Marshall:


"Dear 2nd Amendment Supporters:


My HB 2340, which says Virginia law enforcement and the National Guard will not enforce any new federal gun control efforts, was to be voted on by the full House of Delegates today. However, the House of Delegates shamefully voted to send my HB 2340 to the Appropriations Committee with a non-recorded vote to look into “concerns” that Virginia might lose federal grant money for Joint Task Forces as a result of this bill. This is simply not true!

HB 2340 will not prevent a state or local official from participating in such task forces or from aiding a federal official in an investigation related to a federal crime such as kidnapping across state lines, or a drug operation just because the person being investigated happened to be in possession of a firearm made illegal through new Federal gun controls. As such there should be no reason for the Federal government to withhold funding for such Task Forces. What HB 2340 WILL DO is give Virginia a leg to stand on in opposing new Federal gun control legislation.

On the floor today I equated failing to protect the Second Amendment rights of our citizens to accepting 30 pieces of silver from the Federal Government in exchange for a fundamental right.

Delegate Kirk Cox (R-66) raised the objection about losing Federal funding but when questioned could not point to any funding that has been lost as a result of HB 1160 which became law July 1, 2012.

HB 1160 was very similar to HB 2340 with regard to the method used to stand against the Federal Government’s intrusion into the Constitutional rights of Virginia citizens. In that case the bill was to keep Virginia from assisting the Federal Government in detaining citizens with no trial and no charges filed under the NDAA. To my knowledge no funding has been withheld by the Federal Government as a result of HB 1160 becoming law and none would be withheld as a result of HB 2340.

I requested a record vote on the motion to refer the bill to Appropriations, but could not even find the necessary 20 members willing to second my demand for a record vote. I asked for a division which resulted in an overwhelming number of Republicans raising their hands (in addition to the Democrats, of course) to send the bill to the Appropriations Committee. I could only identify 4 other members who voted not to send the bill to Appropriations, Delegates Mark Cole, Todd Gilbert, Scott Lingamfelter and Tony Wilt. If the Appropriations Committee fails to take the bill up or make a motion on the bill, every member must be held accountable because silence on HB 2340 is consent to an agreement with federal efforts to abridge our Second Amendment rights.

Please contact the members of the Appropriations Committee below and urge them to act without delay to send HB 2340 to the full House of Delegates for a vote before crossover, or HB 2340 will be killed and Virginia will be left with nothing to protect its citizens from new federal gun control laws!

Chairman Lacey Putney dellputney@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1019

Delegate Robert Tata delbtata@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1085

Delegate Riley Ingram delringram@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1062

Delegate Joe May deljmay@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1033

Delegate Bev Sherwood delbsherwood@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1029

Delegate Kirk Cox delkcox@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1055

Delegate Steve Landes delslandes@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1025

Delegate Chris Jones delcjones@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1076

Delegate John O’Bannon deljobannon@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1073

Delegate Scott Lingamfelter delslingamfelter@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1031

Delegate Charles Poindexter delcpoindexter@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1009

Delegate Jimmie Massie deljmassie@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1072

Delegate Ed Scott delescott@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1030

Delegate Chris Peace delcpeace@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1097

Delegate Tag Greason deltgreason@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1032

Delegate Jim Scott deljscott@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1053

Delegate Johnny Joannou deljjoannou@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1079

Delegate Bob Brink delbbrink@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1048

Delegate Onzlee Ware deloware@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1011

Delegate Algie Howell delahowell@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1090

Delegate Mamye BaCote delmbacote@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1095

Delegate Rosalyn Dance delrdance@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1063 "