Permitless carry will soon be allowed in West Virginia after the state legislature voted to override Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s veto of a controversial gun bill, which cleared the state House and Senate last month.
On March 3, Gov. Tomblin vetoed House Bill 4145. In the following days, the state House voted 64-33 and the state Senate voted 23-11 to override the veto.
As of June 5, anyone over the age of 21 who is legally allowed to possess a firearm will be allowed to carry concealed without a permit in the state of West Virginia. The state already allows permitless open carry but required a permit in order to carry concealed.
Under the new law, West Virginians who do apply for a concealed carry permit will be eligible for a $50 tax credit.
With the passage of this law, West Virginia will become the eighth state in the United States to allow constitutional carry. The other states that authorize constitutional carry include Alaska, Arizona, Kansas, Maine, Montana, Vermont and Wyoming. It is important to note that Wyoming allows permitless carry for its own residents, but visitors are required to have permits.
“West Virginia’s law enforcement officers have dedicated their lives to keeping us safe and helping us in times of need, and it’s disheartening that the members of the Legislature have chosen not to stand with these brave men and women – putting their safety and the safety of West Virginians at risk,” Gov. Tomblin said after the legislature overrode his veto.
Other politicians in the state felt differently about the potential threat to public safety. “As the chief legal officer of the state and the person in charge of criminal matters for the state at the WV Supreme Court and in federal courts, I know that this legislation will not impact public safety,” West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrissey said after Gov. Tomblin’s veto. “If this bill is enacted, we will not only expand freedom, but we will keep our citizens protected.”
The National Rifle Association was encouraged by the West Virginia legislature’s decision to protect the Second Amendment rights of their constituents. “Self-defense is a fundamental right that must be respected,” said Chris W. Cox, the executive director of the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. “Law-abiding West Virginians are now free to choose the method of self-defense that best suits their needs.”
