The West Virginia Senate and the House of Delegates have each approved separate versions of legislation that would allow 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds to carry a concealed weapon without obtaining a permit.
House Bill 4106 passed Tuesday in an 87-9 vote.
“It waives safety training and also background checks for 18, 19, 20-year-olds,” Del. Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell, said. “I believe that is highly problematic.”
Under current law, individuals between 18 and 20 must apply for a provisional license to carry a concealed firearm, which requires proof of handgun safety training.
Since 2016, individuals who are not prohibited from possessing a firearm have been allowed to carry concealed weapons in West Virginia without a permit, while open carry remains legal for those 18 and older.
“Since we passed our concealed carry law back in 2016, we have seen suicide rates up 22%,” Hornbuckle said. “We’ve seen homicide rates up 45%.”
Hornbuckle said he believes the proposal conflicts with the Campus Carry Act passed in 2023, which permits students with a license to carry concealed firearms on public college and university campuses.
“We have no safeguards in that legislation to make sure that folks who are not doing right shouldn’t have those firearms or at least have to go through a different process to earn that,” he said.
Senate Bill 30 passed last week in a 33-1 vote, with Sen. Joey Garcia casting the lone vote against it.
“Those individuals, I think having a permit provides for a number of things that will protect their safety,” Garcia said on the Senate floor. “The main thing among them is to have the training course that you have to take for that. There’s a number of things we don’t allow for people just when they turn 18. Alcohol is just one example.”
Supporters of both bills said the measures aim to restore full Second Amendment rights to 18- to 20-year-olds.
“Why should we deny them their full constitutional rights at age 18 if they’re old enough to go to war to defend the United States Constitution for everybody in this body and everybody in this state and country?” Senator Chris Rose said on the Senate floor.