This proposed regulation will have the opposite of the intended affect by playing into the hands of terrorists, violent criminals, and the criminally insane.  All but two of the public massacres since 1950 had been committed by criminals and terrorists in “gun-free zones,” which is exactly what this regulation creates.  We have had no shootings in state agencies and this prohibition on those with a concealed handgun permit, some of whom have active and ongoing threats to their lives, is entirely without any justification and needlessly and recklessly endangers innocent lives.  This regulation even bans off-duty police officers from carrying their weapons.

Disarming good citizens (who are the only ones likely to obey the prohibition) does not make them safer.  The cost of providing additional security to protect everyone who has been disarmed by this regulation will be prohibitive, and not as effective.  If parking lots are included in the ban, then citizens will be disarmed to and from their residences and everywhere in between, which directly contravenes the intent of the general Assembly in creating the Concealed Handgun Permit regime that has existed and worked successfully in the Commonwealth for decades.

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.  The ban won’t hold up in court, due to lack of authority by the Governor, and so will cost the Commonwealth a large amount of money in fruitless litigation costs.

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.

This regulations should not be approved and the emergency regulation withdrawn.

Please extended the comment period for another 30 days.