VA Bill Lets Firefighters Carry Concealed Weapons

The Virginia Senate narrowly passed a bill Tuesday that would allow on-duty firefighters and EMTs to carry a concealed weapon. Now, the bill goes to the Virginia House, the Washington Post reports.

Sponsored by Republican Sen. Amanda Chase, the mother of an EMT who is known for carrying a gun on the Senate floor, the bill would let first responders carry a concealed handgun on calls so long as they had a valid concealed-carry permit. They must also get permission from their fire or emergency medical chief, as well as their local governing body.

Chase said the reason behind creating the bill is that emergency personnel might need a weapon to themselves while on calls, according to the Post. That might be important for first responders in rural areas where law enforcement response times could be slower.

The bill was opposed by Senate Democrats who argued that untrained personnel could create hazardous situations. Last year, a similar bill died in the Virginia House, the Post reports.