Charleston Council repeals handgun restrictions

[Lasher]

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Handgun sales in Charleston will no longer be subject to additional city restrictions after city council voted 26-1 Monday night to repeal the city's firearm sales laws.

Councilman Robert Sheets, a Democrat representing downtown and part of the East End, cast the lone "no" vote.

The repeal of the nearly 21-year-old ordinance is an attempt by the city to encourage Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin to veto Senate Bill 317, which contains a provision that forces municipalities to allow concealed-carry firearms in city recreation centers — something city officials have been strongly against.

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Charleston's gun ordinance concerning sales includes a 72-hour waiting period for handgun sales, and requires a registration form, photo identification and background checks for handgun buyers. It also limits handgun sales to one per person per month.

The law was implemented in 1993 after a string of violent crime in the city, in particular a situation where drug dealers from large metropolitan areas in the Northeast and Midwest would sell drugs in Charleston, then use the profits to buy cheap guns, according to a Daily Mail article at the time. The city chamber of commerce also endorsed the law.

http://www.charlestondailymail.com/News/Kanawha/201403170253

[Loudly]

1. And how is faster access to a gun going to help Charleston WV?

Answer: It's not.

It's going to do harm.

[Lasher]

2. Tomblin signs gun bill

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has signed off on a controversial bill requiring that cities no longer have stronger gun laws than those of the state and federal government.

"This evening, I signed Senate Bill 317 because I support our 2nd Amendment rights, and I also see the need for uniform and consistent gun laws throughout the state," Tomblin said in a statement. "I believe this legislation will give municipalities clarity for regulating firearms in their facilities.

"I understand the concern of those who have voiced opinions about challenges within the bill related to municipally-owned recreational centers. I will continue to work with local and state officials to address those concerns," Tomblin said.

Last week, after the legislature passed the bill, Charleston City Council voted to eliminate the city's handgun sales ordinance. The ordinance, which limited purchases to one handgun per month and implemented a three-day waiting period on those sales, was instated in 1993 in order to curb a drugs-for-gun-trade between Charleston, the Midwest and the Northeast, as well as decrease the city's high murder rate.

http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201403250181

[theHandpuppet]

3. Disgusting but not surprising.

Sigh.