Virginia Senate advances bill that would allow firearms in churches

The Virginia Senate has approved a measure that would allow firearms in churches in response to a deadly church shooting in Texas last year.

SB 372, sponsored by Republican Sen. Ben Chafin of Russell County, was approved on Tuesday by a vote of 21–18.

According to the Associated Press, the legislation would repeal a state law that prohibits weapons in place of worship during a religious service.

Supporters of the legislation contended that congregants may need weapons to defend themselves from an attack, citing the mass shooting at a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, Texas on Nov. 5, when a gunman killed 26 people.

They further argued that the prohibition on carrying weapons into places of worship is an archaic remnant of the state's "blue laws" enacted in the 1800s to prohibit certain activities on Sundays.

A state attorney general's opinion from 2011 stated that current law already allows Virginians to bring firearms to places of worship as long as they have permission. However, Chafin contended that the Legislature needed to clarify and cement the right to carry a firearm in church into law if a church allows it. "It's a private property rights issue," he said.

Democratic Sen. Jeremy McPike argued that the bill was too broad and said that there are better ways of allowing houses of worship decide their own weapons policies. "Those who are voting for this measure are voting for guns over God," he said.

Earlier this year, a GOP-controlled committee had reportedly blocked McPike's legislation that would have required individuals carrying guns in churches to have "express authorization" from the church.

Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam has indicated that he will veto SB 372, which has been moved to the state House for consideration.

The governor said that the state should do more to restrict the proliferation of firearms, noting that more than 900 Virginians were killed by guns last year.

"We do not need these weapons on our streets and in our society," he told a multi-faith event at St. Paul's Church just before the vote.

The governor did not specifically address SB 372 during his remarks during the event, but he discussed his concerns about gun violence. He recalled the shooting in Las Vegas in October, when 58 people were killed by a gunman during a country music festival, and noted that 58 more people would die from gun violence in less than 50 hours after the incident.

"It took 49 hours — 58 more Americans lost their lives, but you never heard about them, did you? Nor did I. When are we, as a society, going to stand up and say enough is enough?" Northam said.