CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - The West Virginia Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would shoot down municipal gun control laws in cities such as Charleston.
Senate Bill 317 prohibits cities and counties from creating ordinances to restrict the selling or the carrying of firearms and ammunition.
Municipalities could still enforce local gun regulations in “municipal buildings dedicated to government operations,” like courthouses and city halls. The bill also allows individuals to keep firearms in municipal public parking lots if their vehicles are locked and the gun is out of view.
West Virginian cities with local gun ordinances include Charleston, Dunbar and Martinsburg.
Charleston Mayor Danny Jones said he’s against the legislation. He said he is concerned about citizens having the right to carry weapons to public pools, parks and other areas where children play.
“This bill would do away with our three-day waiting period for hand guns and take away our one handgun a month law. This prevents us from keeping guns out of pools and recreation centers. I’m against this kind of tampering,” he said.
Jones said he believes the National Rifle Association has had strong influence on the creators of the bill.
Bill Sponsor John Unger, D-Berkeley, said the bill is meant to make gun laws uniform at the state level. “This bill upholds our constitutional rights under the 2nd Amendment by having uniform laws across the State of West Virginia. This way we don’t have some cities and municipalities grandfathered in and other who aren’t. It makes gun ordinances uniform and specific,” he said
Unger confirmed that even facilities owned by the city cannot be regulated unless the local government body meets or utilizes the facilities.
The bill has moved to the House.
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