“I don’t believe that entire list en masse should be published, because a lot of those people are under witness protection programs … (and) are trying to protect themselves from domestic violence,” said Dominion Shooting Range Armorer David Robinson, 29, of Richmond, over the pop of pistols in the shooting range lobby Tuesday in Chesterfield.

 

 

The measure proposed by Delegate Mark Cole, R-Fredericksburg, would protect the information provided by people who apply for concealed handgun licenses.

 

The bill, passed Wednesday by an 81-17 margin, would exempt data about concealed carry permit holders from public disclosure and the Freedom of Information Act, a transparency tool that makes public data accessible.

 

“When you publish those lists, you’ve basically given up names to criminals that are already after those individuals and that’s what should really be protected,” said Robinson, who holds a concealed carry permit and carries a handgun daily.

Jennifer Davies, 27, of Richmond, agrees with Robinson that concealed carry permit holders should have the freedom to publicize their status as a legal weapon-holder, or keep it private.

Davies, who teaches private firearms safety training classes at Dominion Shooting Range, said some students have their permit enlarged and framed, then proudly “hang it on their back door or garage doors.”

Virginia gun stores offer badges, similar to a sheriff’s badge, which concealed carry permit holders can pin to their jackets.

Davies said other permit holders hide the fact that they can conceal weapons because they “don’t want to be harassed” by police or advocates of gun control.

In March 2007, many of the names on the list were made public by the Roanoke Times. The newspaper created a searchable online database of concealed carry permit holders in honor of Sunshine Week, a national initiative to raise awareness about open government and freedom of information.

Information was provided by the Virginia State Police, after the Roanoke Times filed a Freedom of Information request. The paper later removed the database and requested that the police verify the data.

“When we posted the information, we had every reason to believe that the data the State Police had supplied would comply with the statutes. But people have notified us that the list includes names that should not have been released,” said Debbie Meade, president and publisher of The Roanoke Times, in a March 2007 statement. “Out of a sense of caution and concern for the public we have decided to take the database off of our website.”

Editors at the Roanoke Times did not respond to requests for comment from Virginia Statehouse News on Tuesday.

Delegate Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, said exposing the names of gun owners could make those houses vulnerable to robbery by people who want to steal guns.

Delegate Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, who voted against the measure Tuesday, said he doubts any criminal would knowingly break into the home of a gun-carrying Virginian. 

 

Another opponent, Delegate Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, said the information should be accessible to the public, so people know when they are encountering a concealed weapon holder. She said the issue is a basic matter of public safety. 

A total of 17 Democrats voted against the measure.

The bill now heads to a Senate committee, which has not been assigned.

Read it here: http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?121+ful+HB25+pdf

Watch a video of Robinson: http://youtu.be/Y8dyWNFG2JQ

Read the Roanoke Times editorial: http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/trejbal/wb/108160