WVCDL’s 2023 Legislative Tracker.
Who we are:
The West Virginia Citizens Defense League (WVCDL), West Virginia’s largest pro-gun lobbying group, is a non-partisan, non-profit, all-volunteer, grassroots organization of concerned West Virginians who support our individual right to keep and bear arms for defense of self, family, home and state, and for lawful hunting and recreational use, as guaranteed by Article III, §22 of the West Virginia Constitution and the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States.
WVCDL is proud of it’s accomplishments and remains the largest and most effective West Virginia-based gun rights organization. The WVCDL seeks to promote legislation in the West Virginia Legislature to eliminate unfair restrictions on law-abiding citizens’ right to keep and bear arms and promote public awareness of the lawful use of firearms in self-defense, hunting, and recreation.
What we have done:
In 2021, WVCDL helped usher in HB 2694 The West Virginia Second Amendment Preservation and Anti-Federal Commandeering Act. This historic bill will protect WV’ians and WV law enforcement from the enforcement of federal gun controls laws that are not in accord with our own state laws. In 2016, the WVCDL authored, and was instrumental in the passage of historic legislation. HB4145 (known as “Constitutional Carry”) corrected an abhorrent condition, in which the government took our right to self defense, and sold it back to us under the guise of a “license.”
Previously, the 2015 legislative session was an outstanding one for West Virginia gun owners. The WVCDL was instrumental in authoring and/or securing passage of multiple pro-gun bills. In 2015, the legislature secured:
- CHL Privacy (exempting private CHL information from FOIA requests)
- Clean up of open carry issues in the woods and in vehicles
- Allowing people with CHLs to store their firearms in their vehicles on the State Capitol Complex
- Mandatory CLEO signoffs for NFA items
The WVCDL was also instrumental authoring and securing the passage of SB347 (Constitutional Carry), but the bill was vetoed by Governor Earl Ray Tomblin. In 2016, the legislature overrode a similar veto thanks to your efforts.