This proposed regulation will have the opposite of the intended effect by disarming a group of people who are statistically among the most law abiding and responsible in the Commonwealth.  This does nothing to enhance public safety.  In fact it does just the opposite.  By advertising the creation of new so-called gun free zones, this regulation would play into the hands of terrorists, violent criminals, and the criminally insane.  There have been no shootings in state agency buildings and this prohibition on those with a concealed handgun permit (CHP), some of whom have active and ongoing threats to their lives, is entirely without any justification and needlessly and recklessly endangers innocent lives.

Disarming good citizens (who are the only ones likely to obey the prohibition) does not make them safer.  Criminals and terrorists, by definition, are not deterred by signs and laws.  This is merely more security theater designed to make the faint-hearted feel safe without actually doing anything to make them safe.  Its reliance on voluntary compliance should make it obvious to anyone with two brain cells to rub together that it will not and cannot stop anyone who is determined to carry a weapon of any sort into a state agency building.  So, given the failure of such laws to provide real security against violent actors, what, exactly, is their purpose? 

Furthermore, the Governor has no authority for this regulation.  If the General Assembly wanted the Governor to have such power, it would have granted it to him explicitly, as is required in the Virginia Constitution; a document at which I doubt our erstwhile Governor has ever glanced.  The Governor, it seems, is confused about the concept of separation of powers.  He is not empowered to make law, only to faithfully execute the laws written by the legislative branch.  Using regulations to usurp the power of the legislative branch is a brazen attempt at an end run around the state Constitution.  In other words, this proposed regulation is not only unnecessary and harmful, it is illegal.

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 magnet for terrorists, criminals, and the criminally insane to conduct their evil and savage actions.  A cursory study of mass killings in this country demonstrates to even the densest among us that nearly all of them have occured in gun free zones.  Creating more kill zones for murdering criminals and terrorists is nothing short of criminally negligent.

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

Please extended the comment period for another 30 days.