Proposed bill would limit indoor shooting ranges in Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. (WSET) --A new era in Virginia politics began Wednesday, as Democrats took full control of the state house for the first time in a generation and promised to reshape many of the state's laws.

The 2020 legislative session kicked off shortly after noon with several history-making firsts as women and people of color assumed leadership roles previously held only by white men for the last 400 years.

Northam outlined a broad agenda Wednesday that includes changing the law to allow local governments to remove Confederate statues.

Gun issues figure to be the most high profile area of debate. Democrats want new restrictions that include universal background checks, an assault weapon ban and a red flag law to allow the temporary removal of guns from someone deemed dangerous to themselves or others.

A 40th District delegate introduced a bill that would put restrictions onindoor shooting ranges.

"Government needs to get out of individual lives of people out here, these are businesses that employ people that provide jobs," said 23rd District delegate Wendell Walker.

According to the bill’s language, it prohibits indoor shooting ranges in any building not owned or leased by the Commonwealth or federal government, unless the range has fewer than 50 employees working in the building or at least 90 percent of the users are law-enforcement officers and the shooting range maintains a log of each user's name, phone number, address, and the law-enforcement agency where they are employed.

"There are a whole variety of bills. Most important are the bills the governor puts forward because he is the one who signs the legislation. We will be waiting to see what that package has," said 11th District delegate Sam Rasoul.

A lot of gun owners are upset about this bill.

"If it comes to it, I mean, we'll die for this right, it'll be something that people will go to war over," said one Lynchburg resident. "Taking this establishment here and now making it illegal for these guys here to own and operate seems crazy to me."

Nearly 100 Virginia municipalities are now Second Amendment Sanctuaries.

Marko Galbreath, owner of T4 tactics, says he uses indoor gun ranges for his business all the time.

"The shooting ranges create a safe environment, when they're gone or when they're state run, people are going to shy away and start shooting on their properties or places where they shouldn't be shooting," he said. "It's a safe environment where somebody can learn safe gun handling and to have recreation shooting."

Galbreath, who also teaches self defense and active shooter training, said there is a need for indoor shooting ranges because it's a controlled setting. He said it's a bad idea, but overall, he would to see lawmakers work together on gun laws.

"Common ground, we do need common gun laws, but there is a way where the two gun laws can come together and meet halfway and do it right," he added.

It's not clear where this bill stands, so far it is pending a committee referral.

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The Associated Press contributed to this article.