(SB1134)

GOVERNOR'S VETO

Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto Senate Bill 1134, which relates to the storage of firearms where a minor or person prohibiting a firearm is present.

While my position on this legislation remains largely unchanged from last year, I would like it to be known that I stand with the patrons in expressing my support for increasing practices of safe firearm storage. I continue to support incentives for safe firearms storage such as the firearms safety device tax credit. However, this particular legislation would limit individuals' access to firearms in their homes and criminalize responsible law-abiding citizens.

Virginia law currently prohibits the reckless storage of loaded firearms where children under the age of fourteen are present and provides justly harsher penalties than this proposal.

Furthermore, a similar law was deemed unconstitutional in District of Columbia v. Heller. In this case, the court ruled that mandates on storage or trigger locks that make it impractical for citizens to use firearms for the lawful purpose of self-defense are unconstitutional.

Firearm regulation in Virginia should remain targeted at malicious intent and negligence rather than imposing mandated unrealistic practices for largely responsible gun owners that limit their ability to properly defend themselves within the intended guidelines of the law.

Accordingly, I veto this bill.