I am opposed to a ban on concealed handgun carry in state office buildings.  Common sense dictates, and previous mass shootings demonstrate, that human predators bent on committing capital crimes like murder are not deterred by laws that prohibit the possession of firearms in Gun Free Zones.  Disarming off duty police officers and law abiding citizens licensed to carry concealed weapons is not a sensible strategy for dealing with criminals.    

Police are seldom present when gun crimes occur.  Law enforcement agencies nationwide changed their shooting incident response strategy because they realized active shooters do not stop killing until they either decide to on their own or encounter armed resistance.  Off duty police and licensed private citizens can provide immediate armed resistance, and save lives, by engaging a shooter long before the police can arrive.  Disarming off duty police officers and law abiding citizens licensed to carry concealed weapons is not a sensible strategy for dealing with the active shooter threat.      

The threat of mass shootings is no longer confined to the mentally ill offender.  Terror attacks have already occurred in the U.S. at Fort Hood, San Bernardino, and other locations.  Terrorist groups have declared their intention to continue launching attacks on American soil, and our federal national security agencies unanimously predict they will do so.  There is no reason to believe terrorists will not attempt to replicate Mumbai, Charlie Hebdo, and Paris style attacks here in the U.S.  Disarming off duty police officers and law abiding citizens licensed to carry concealed weapons is not a sensible strategy for dealing with the terrorist threat.      

Investigations of recent mass shootings in this country determined many of the murderers selected Gun Free Zones as their target locations.  The Commonwealth of Virginia should not encourage the targeting of state employees and citizens by designating state office buildings as Gun Free Zones.  

Please extend the period for comments on this proposed regulation.