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On March 4, the West Virginia House voted to override Governor Earl Ray Tomblin’s (D) veto of permitless carry legislation and on Saturday, March 5, the West Virginia Senate followed suit.
When Tomblin vetoed the legislation–House Bill 4145–he released the following statement:
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. It’s unfortunate that the concerns of officers from every law enforcement branch in the state, including the West Virginia State Police and university campus police officers, have been ignored by today’s action.
But lawmakers who view the requirement of a concealed carry license as a burden on the exercise of Second Amendment rights saw things differently. WSAZ 3 reports that the Senate override the veto by a vote of 23-11.
The override means persons 21-year-old or older who are not barred from gun possession will be able to carry a gun without permit and persons 18-20 years of age will be able to get a concealed carry permit to carry a gun.
Permitless concealed carry “now becomes law in 90 days.”