West Virginia's no-permit hidden gun bill vetoed again
Source: Associated Press
West Virginia's no-permit hidden gun bill vetoed again
Jonathan Mattise, Associated Press
Updated 2:15 pm, Thursday, March 3, 2016
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Flanked by law enforcement officers Thursday, West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin vetoed a proposal for a second-straight year that would let people 21 years old and up carry hidden guns without permits or training.
Dozens of police officers and sheriff's deputies filled the governor's lobby as the Democrat nixed the bill over their safety concerns. Tomblin cited the same worries when he vetoed a similar bill last year.
Unlike last year, though, the GOP-led Legislature has ample time to override Tomblin's veto and cement the bill into law. It only takes a simple majority to override policy vetoes in West Virginia, often making them a symbolic gesture.
Tomblin used the news conference to counter the gun lobby's contention that only county sheriffs opposed the bill because they would lose money from concealed carry permit purchases. Officers ranging from the State Police to university police were on hand. The event also was a show of force to a Legislature that can render Tomblin's decision moot.
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