The West Virginia senate made short work of passing SB 347, also known as the constitutional carry bill. The bill was amended in the house to change the minimum age for carrying concealed without a permit from 18 to 21 and passed in that chamber by a 71 to 29 margin, with 51 Republicans and 20 Democrats voting for the bill. Earlier this week, the Senate confirmed the amended house vote. Observers at opencarry.org predict . . .
that Governor Earl Tomblin (above) will allow the bill to become law without his signature:
No one expects him to (sign it). He’s expected to ignore it and let the 10 days run out until it becomes law.
I think it would be political suicide to veto it.
The bill passed the Senate easily with a 32-2 vote.
Think how happy Charleston mayor Danny Jones will be once constitutional carry is the law of the land in The Mountain State.
©2015 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Gun Watch
Update: Considerable resources are being expended to pressure Governor Tomblin to veto SB 347. I have been informed that MoMs Demanding Action and Everytown are organizing phone banks to pressure the Governor, that even Joe Manchin is said to be pressuring him. While the bill passed with veto-proof majorities, the governor can veto it. The Legislature is no longer in session, so if the bill is vetoed, there will not be a way to override the veto. As a Democrat, more pressure would need to be applied from the supporters of constitutional carry, than from opponents, to prevent him from vetoing the bill.