Del. Buddy Fowler

Violation of protective order while armed withfirearm or other deadly weapon; mandatory minimum sentence; penalty.Provides for a three-year mandatory minimum sentence to be servedconsecutively with any other sentence upon a conviction for violationof a protective order while knowingly armed with a firearm or otherdeadly weapon. Current law does not specify a mandatory minimum sentence.

Stolen firearms; penalties. Creates orenhances penalties for crimes related to larceny of a firearm or useof a stolen firearm during the commission of a felony. The bill providesthat it is (i) a Class 3 felony with a five-year mandatory minimumsentence to commit larceny of a firearm with the intent to sell ordistribute and (ii) a Class 5 felony with a two-year mandatory minimumsentence to sell or distribute, attempt to sell or distribute, orpossess with the intent to sell or distribute a stolen firearm. Thebill adds a one-year mandatory minimum sentence to the crime of receivinga stolen firearm, which is a Class 6 felony. Finally, the bill increasesthe mandatory minimum sentences for possession of a firearm duringthe commission of a felony, if such firearm was stolen, from threeyears to five years for a first offense and from five years to 10years for a second or subsequent offense.

Violation of protective order; armed with firearmor other deadly weapon; mandatory minimum sentence; penalty. Providesfor a three-year mandatory minimum sentence to be served consecutivelywith any other sentence upon a conviction for violation of a protectiveorder while knowingly armed with a firearm or other deadly weapon.Current law does not specify a mandatory minimum sentence.

Use or display of firearm in committing felony;penalty. Increases from three to five years for a first offenseand from five to 10 years for a second or subsequent offense themandatory minimum sentences for use or display of a firearm duringthe commission of certain felonies.

Brandishing a firearm; law-enforcement officer;penalty. Provides for a six-month mandatory minimum sentence upon conviction of a person for pointing, holding, or brandishing a firearmor air-operated or gas-operated weapon or object similar in appearance at someone who the person knows or has reason to know is a law-enforcement officer in such manner as to reasonably induce fear in the mind ofanother.

Concealment of firearm in committing felony;penalty. Provides that a person is guilty of a separate felonyif he carries about his person any pistol, shotgun, rifle, or otherfirearm that is hidden from common observation while committing orattempting to commit certain other felonies. A first offense is punishableby a mandatory minimum term of confinement of three years and a secondor subsequent offense is punishable by a mandatory minimum term ofconfinement of five years.

Discharging firearm; penalty. Imposes amandatory minimum term of imprisonment of three years for violationsof (i) maliciously discharging a firearm within or at an occupiedbuilding or dwelling house; (ii) willfully discharging a firearmwithin or at any school building, upon the buildings or grounds ofany school, or upon any public property within 1,000 feet of theproperty line of a school; and (iii) intentionally discharging a firearm while in or on a motor vehicle so as to create risk of deathor injury to another person. The bill also imposes a mandatory minimumterm of imprisonment of one year for violations of (a) unlawfully, but not maliciously, discharging a firearm within or at an occupied building or dwelling house and (b) willfully discharging a firearmin a public place when such discharge results in bodily injury toanother person. The bill imposes a mandatory minimum term of confinementin jail of 90 days for violations of willfully discharging a firearmin a public place when such discharge does not result in bodily injuryto another person.

Professions and occupations; expediting the issuance of credentials to spouses of military service members and veterans. Provides for the expedited issuance of credentials to the spouses of military service members who are ordered to federal active duty under Title 10 of the United States Code or are veterans if the spouse accompanies the service member or veteran to the Commonwealth or an adjoining state or the District of Columbia. Under current law, the expedited review is provided more generally for active duty members of the military who are the subject of a military transfer to the Commonwealth. The bill also authorizes a regulatory board within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation or the Department of Health Professions or any other board in Title 54.1 (Professions and Occupations) to waive any requirement relating to experience if the board determines that the documentation provided by the applicant supports such waiver. This bill was incorporated into HB 967.

Commending the Washington Nationals.

Commending the Virginia 4-H shotgun developmentteam.