Yesterday’s horoscope included this advice: “Caffeine is your friend.”
Indeed. For the next several days, our sessions will be L-O-N-G. Today, we will consider SIXTY pages of Senate uncontested bills. Just explaining all of them should take several hours. Yet these are the bills that came out of the Senate without opposition.
Then we’ll get to the contested issues. Septic tank issues (a hugely controversial subject this year). Energy conservation. Guns in bars. All of which mean we should probably plan to eat not only lunch at our desks, but to order in pizza for dinner.
For what it’s worth, “guns in bars” is inaccurate and pejorative.
Guns are already permitted in bars. For commonwealth attorneys, and assistants, who may or may not be concealed handgun permit holders, and for specified others, concealed carry is permissible. For average Joe Citizen, only open carry is permissible. This bill simply asks that they be able to carry like the privileged few of the Commonwealth. Allow me to conceal my handgun rather than revealing it when I walk into a restaurant that serves alcohol for on-premises consumption (not, “a bar”).
I agree with the comment made by Tess.
Concealed permit holders are one of the most law abiding groups of people in the country, in some areas, more so than the police. We already carry into restaurants, but must do so openly.
My wife would definitely appreciate this small restoration of our rights. She would prefer for me to conceal when we’re having a quiet evening at a restaurant without the kids, but I’m unable to do so unless this bill passes. For myself, it’s entirely dependent on the weather (cold = coat and conceal).
The proposed bill includes language to not allow drinking while carrying, so the only difference between now and if this bill passes is choice. The choice to conceal or not OR being forced to carry openly.