SB 30 and its companion bill, HB 4106, are advancing quickly, and now is the moment for every supporter of constitutional rights to make their voice heard. These bills close a long-standing gap in state law by extending constitutional carry protections to adults between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one.

Under current law, these young adults may legally possess a handgun, yet they are required to obtain a provisional permit to carry concealed. SB 30 and HB 4106 correct this inconsistency by allowing law-abiding adults eighteen and older to carry without a permit, provided they are not prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law. This ensures that young adults who are already recognized as legal adults for military service, voting, and civic responsibility are treated the same as all other adults under West Virginia law.

At eighteen, our young citizens are entrusted with the full weight of adulthood. They can vote in our elections, enter binding contracts, live independently, and even face the full penalties of the criminal justice system, including imprisonment. They are held to the highest standards of responsibility under the law.

Yet, a young woman working late hours to support herself or her family is denied the same ability to protect herself that older adults possess. Those who would harm her do not concern themselves with legal distinctions, but the law currently restricts her ability to defend her own life.

SB 30 and HB 4106 correct this imbalance by ensuring that responsible young adults are not left defenseless, simply because they have not yet reached the age of twenty-one.

I want to speak plainly from the heart. As a West Virginian and as a Veteran of the United States Army who served in combat after signing up at eighteen, I know the character of our people. West Virginians have always answered the call when this nation needed them. Per capita, our young men and women are the first to step forward at eighteen to serve in the United States Armed Forces.

They risk life and limb to defend the people of this country, the Constitution, and the freedoms that define our nation. They do not serve as second class citizens. They serve with honor, courage, and an unwavering belief in the rights they are sworn to protect .It is only just and reasonable that the very rights they defend abroad are fully respected here at home.

I am asking you to take action.

Use the widget at the top of this page to email your State Delegate and Senator, and urge them to support SB 30 and HB 4106.