Local Issues

Virginia Begins to Dismantle Dillon’s Rule

Today the Virginia Senate Judiciary Committee took an historic vote today by passing Senate Bill (SB) 35; giving municipalities the ability to ban firearms at public events. SB35 is a stark departure from Virginia’s long standing practice of having unified laws amongst it’s jurisdictions, also known as “One Virginia”. SB35 will create a patchwork of local gun laws which law-abiding gun owners will have to navigate as they travel across jurisdictional lines. Imagine the complexity of such laws where a gun owner can open or conceal carry in one locality, but becomes possible felon when the gun owner enters another locality.

This bill has the endorsement of the Virginia Governor and Attorney General.


In Depth: Local Issues

While all eyes look to Washington and the state capitals for answers, often times the government closest to home can come up with the best solutions. Local government is a key thread in the fabric of American government, fostering an approach to problem solving that puts communities first. In states…

+ Local Issues In Depth