Action | Promulgation of new regulation banning concealed firearms in executive branch agency offices |
Stage | Emergency/NOIRA |
Comment Period | Ended on 1/27/2016 |
This proposed regulation adds an entire new realm of easy targets for terrorists, violent criminals, and the criminally insane. We have had no shootings in state agencies and this prohibition on those with a concealed handgun permit (as well as off-duty police officers!), some of whom have active and ongoing threats to their lives, is entirely without any justification and needlessly and recklessly endangers innocent lives.
Only law-abiding citizens will obey this regulation, and disarming good citizens does not make them safer.
Importantly the Governor has no authority for this regulation. If the General Assembly wanted the Governor to have such power, they would have granted it to him explicitly, as is required constitutionally.
This proposed regulation is a solution for which there is no problem. It endangers state employees, law abiding citizens, and the innocent by making state buildings a safe zone for terrorists, criminals, and the criminally insane to conduct their evil and savage actions. Almost without exception all mass shootings have been perpetrated in gun-free zones where the gunmen knew no one could fight back. In the first critical minutes of an active shooter situation... when the police HAVE NOT yet arrived, only a law-abiding citizen with a firearm has any chance to stop the carnage.
This regulations should not be approved and the emergency regulation withdrawn.
Please extended the comment period for another 30 days.
Sincerely,
Brian G. Wright