SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 45

(By Senator Sypolt)

Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to study the impact of laws and regulations pertaining to the possession and use of firearms as they relate to the rights of the citizens of West Virginia to keep and bear arms under the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of West Virginia.

    Whereas, The Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of West Virginia grant citizens the right to keep and bear arms and this right has been confirmed by the Supreme Court of the United States and the Supreme Court of Appeals of this state; and

    Whereas, There exists a dispute regarding the regulation of the right to keep and bear arms by state and local governments that frequently leads laws and ordinances to become an infringement of this right upon the law-abiding citizens of this state; and

    Whereas, The dangers of increased infringement of this constitutionally guaranteed right need to be recognized and addressed relating to reasonable measures of regulation and gun safety that may be adopted covering this subject and it is thus a sound topic of study; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby requested to study the impact of laws and regulations pertaining to the possession and use of firearms as they relate to the rights of the citizens of West Virginia to keep and bear arms under the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of West Virginia; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2012, on its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.