I strongly oppose this regulation for the following reasons:

• There has been zero problems with shootings in Virginia state agencies nor anything else to justify this restriction on law-abiding citizens;
• Concealed handgun permit holders are the most law abiding group of people in the Commonwealth, yet even they are prohibited from defending themselves in a state agency building under this proposed regulation;
• The General Assembly has not granted authority to the Governor to be able to prohibit guns in state agencies.  The General Assembly controls the field on firearms laws in Virginia -- Virginia is a Dillon Rule state;
• A bill passed out of the General Assembly this year clarifying that the Governor lacks the authority to prohibit firearms in state agencies, but the bill did not make it into law because the Governor vetoed it.  The will of the citizens of Virginia through their elected representation is clear - this regulation is not supported by the majority of voters;
• All this regulation does is create additional gun-free zones, in which all but two of the public mass shootings since 1960 have happened.  This would simply increase the risk of a shooting in a state agency.

I strongly urge that the proposed regulation to be withdrawn from consideration.