New West Virginia CCP Reciprocity Law

[tamarac]

Hey Guys,

Just wanted anyone that might be interested and wasn't already aware, to know that the State of West Virginia recently (June) passed a new CCP reciprocity law, HB 3074. I have sent an email to the PA Attorney General's Office asking that PA work with WV to get reciprocity with them.

Here are the links to the announcement of the new law in WV and to the PA Attorney General's Office.

http://www.wvago.gov/press.cfm?ID=350&fx=more

http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/

Also here is a link to a WV citizen's group regarding the new law.

http://www.wvcdl.org/

If you decide to write please be positive and polite. I did get an email back and had a chance to talk with one of the attorney's in the office and just asked that he let our Attorney General know that I was hoping he could help us out here.

Take care!

[LittleRedToyota]

unfortunately, this law actually guarnatees that PA residents won't be able to concealed carry in WV anytime soon (i.e., until they pass a different law).

the two reasons for this are:

1. in order for WV to establish reciprocity with another state, the other state has to have standard for issuing permits that are equal to or more stringent than WV. WV requires much more than PA...thus, this law prevents them from establishing reciprocity with PA.

2. the law makes it so that WV cannot honor non-resident permits. thus, as PA residents, we cannot get, for example, a FL non-resident permit and use it to carry in WV.

[27hand]

I just emailed the WV AG yesterday regarding open carry.

I checked Packing.org and open carry.org and both sites say it's legal.

Just wanted verification from the AG before I go there on Sat


The only states that WV recognizes are Kentucky and Va and you must have a resident permit from one of those two. I didn't check to see if either issue non resident permits but think that Va does not.

I have a Utah which recognizes WV but its not reciprocal

27

[TonyF]

Originally Posted by 27hand

I just emailed the WV AG yesterday regarding open carry.

I checked Packing.org and open carry.org and both sites say it's legal.

Just wanted verification from the AG before I go there on Sat


The only states that WV recognizes are Kentucky and Va and you must have a resident permit from one of those two. I didn't check to see if either issue non resident permits but think that Va does not.

I have a Utah which recognizes WV but its not reciprocal

27

Hans,

Did you ask if OC is legal inside a vehicle in WV or is it like PA in that you need an LTC?

[LittleRedToyota]

open carry is legal without a permit inside a vehicle in WV.

however, there are a couple of towns in WV that had anti-open carry ordinances that were grandfathered in when WV passed state pre-emption. you cannot open carry at all in those towns.

i have yet to find a definitive list of what those towns are.

[LittleRedToyota]

Originally Posted by 27hand

The only states that WV recognizes are Kentucky and Va and you must have a resident permit from one of those two.

actually, i think they have added a few states since their new reciprocity law passed.

doesn't really matter to us PAers, though, as WV does not honor non-resident permits.

[jkp1187]

Just for the record, I assume that WVa does not issue permits to non-residents?

And is there a specific statute addressing open carry in WVa? Can someone give me a citation?

Thanks.

[LittleRedToyota]

Originally Posted by jkp1187

Just for the record, I assume that WVa does not issue permits to non-residents?

that is correct...unfortunately.

And is there a specific statute addressing open carry in WVa? Can someone give me a citation?

there are rarely statutes saying "you can do this" or "you can do that". however, if there is not a statute saying "you cannot do this", then you can.

here is the ATF summary summary of WV gun laws, though:

http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/st...stvirginia.pdf

check out 61-7-3 for the prohibition against concealed carry without a license. you won't find anything similar for open carry. that's about as close to the statute you are looking for as you will likely find (though there may be some WV case law affirming the right to open carry just like there is in PA...i dunno).


you can also find out info on open carry in WV at the following link:

http://www.opencarry.org/

just click on WV in the map and you'll get the WV page.

ETA:

there is also a forum about open carry in WV on opencarry.org. here is the link:

http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum56/

there are a couple threads that are of particular interest to the topic at hand:

open carry in a vehicle: http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum56/1276.html

reciprocity with PA: http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum56/2983.html

reciprocity with FL, OH, NC, and SD: http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum56/2970.html

legality of open carry in WV in general: http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum56/210.html

[chesire17201]

Originally Posted by 27hand

I just emailed the WV AG yesterday regarding open carry.

I checked Packing.org and open carry.org and both sites say it's legal.

Just wanted verification from the AG before I go there on Sat


The only states that WV recognizes are Kentucky and Va and you must have a resident permit from one of those two. I didn't check to see if either issue non resident permits but think that Va does not.

I have a Utah which recognizes WV but its not reciprocal

27

Virginia does issue Non-resident permits, but regardless it still is not recognized in Wv.
http://www.vsp.state.va.us/Firearms_...Concealed.shtm

[jkp1187]

Originally Posted by LittleRedToyota

there are rarely statutes saying "you can do this" or "you can do that". however, if there is not a statute saying "you cannot do this", then you can.

here is the ATF summary summary of WV gun laws, though:

http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/st...stvirginia.pdf

check out 61-7-3 for the prohibition against concealed carry without a license. you won't find anything similar for open carry. that's about as close to the statute you are looking for as you will likely find (though there may be some WV case law affirming the right to open carry just like there is in PA...i dunno).

Understood -- I asked because you earlier said:

there are a couple of towns in WV that had anti-open carry ordinances that were grandfathered in when WV passed state pre-emption.

...so I thought this meant that there was a specific WVa Statute addressing the issue of open carry. If there's not, there's not, no worries.