West Virginia lawmakers ignored heavy objections from law enforcement, desperate pleas from Governor Earl Ray Tomblin and all common sense, overriding a veto and passing a law makes makes it legal for adults to carry concealed guns without training and without permits:
Tomblin held a rare veto-signing ceremony Thursday, surrounded by dozens of police officers, to try to convince legislators to let the veto stand.
“I urge you to look around this room for a moment and see that law enforcement are concerned about this bill,” Tomblin said Thursday.
Never mind heavy opposition from law enforcement, the West Virginia lawmakers moved forward, overwhelmingly voting to override the governor’s veto. Safety of the residents be damned, they did it in the name of the Constitution:
“While we completely respect the law enforcement community, we also will always come down on the side of the Constitution and ensuring that our rights are protected,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, said Friday. “They want the permit process and the training associated with that, which I completely respect and admire their position, but the constitutional authority to carry a weapon is inherent in our Second Amendment.”
The bill was passed, despite clear opposition from residents:
Sen. Corey Palumbo, D-Kanawha, noted that public opinion polling was overwhelmingly against allowing permitless concealed weapons.
“This bill is not just a slap in the face to the governor, which often times many of us are happy to do,” Palumbo said, “it’s a slap in the State Police’s face, sheriffs, municipal police officers and the vast majority of our constituents.”
Needless to say, the National Rifle Association is thrilled:
The National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) applauds the West Virginia state legislature for overriding Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s veto of HB 4145, making constitutional carry the law in West Virginia.
“Self-defense is a fundamental right that must be respected,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director, NRA-ILA. “Law-abiding West Virginians are now free to choose the method of self-defense that best suits their needs. The NRA and our five million members are pleased that the legislature voted in support of West Virginians’ Second Amendment freedoms.”