Virginians who have a concealed-carry permit need to be aware that driving through Pennsylvania while carrying a firearm will no longer be an option. The law will take effect within a month.
In a re-evaluation of the state’s reciprocity laws, the Keystone State added Alabama and Idaho to the list of states whose permits it will recognize, but it dropped Virginia, citing the fact that the Old Dominion doesn’t require all the background check elements that Pennsylvania does. NRA-ILA is working with officials to undo the change.
Pennsylvania now recognizes permits from 29 other states.
Pennsylvania’s move becomes yet another reason why the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 should be passed in the U.S. Congress. The House late last year approved the bill, but has not been taken up in the Senate. This bill recognizes that the right to defend oneself should not end at the state line.
