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Following the example of the Campbell County Board of Supervisors, Cullen/Red House District Supervisor Crystal Shepherd requested that the Charlotte County Board of Supervisors pass a resolution making the county a Second Amendment sanctuary during its Nov. 13 meeting.

The resolution passed unanimously.

“I feel we needed to do everything within our power to ensure our Second Amendment rights are secured,” Shepherd said, following the vote.

The new Democratic majority in the General Assembly has many gun supporters concerned that their Second Amendment rights could be in jeopardy.

Following the Nov. 5 election, in which Democrats gain the majority, Gov. Ralph Northam discussed plans to pass stricter gun laws, including universal background checks.

“I will introduce those again in January, and I’m convinced, with the majority now in the House and the Senate, they will become law, and because of that, Virginia will be safer,” said Northam.

The Second Amendment sanctuary resolution adopted by the county means they will not expend resources to enforce certain gun control measures perceived as violative of the Second Amendment.

Furthermore, the resolution states, “the Board of Supervisors oppose any efforts to unconstitutionally restrict such right, and to use such legal means at its disposal to protect the rights of the citizens to keep and bear arms, including through legal action, the power of appropriation of public funds and the right to petition for redress of grievances, and the direction to the law enforcement and  judiciary to not enforce any unconstitutional law.

The full resolution is below:

RESOLUTION

DECLARING CHARLOTTE COUNTY AS A SECOND AMENDMENT SANCTUARY

WHEREAS, the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed,” and,

WHEREAS, Article 1, Section 13, of the Constitution of Virginia provides “that a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state, therefore, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power;” and,

WHEREAS, certain legislation introduced in the 2019 session of the Virginia General Assembly, and certain legislation introduced in the current session of the United States Congress could have the effect of infringing on the rights of law abiding citizens to keep and bear arms, as guaranteed by the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution; and,

WHEREAS, the current Governor of Virginia has stated that he intends to endorse and pass into law legislation that is unconstitutional as it pertains to the rights enumerated in the US & Virginia Constitution.

WHEREAS, the Charlotte County Board of Supervisors is concerned about the passage of any bill containing language which could be interpreted as infringing the rights of the citizens of Charlotte County to keep and bear Arms or could begin a slippery slope of restrictions on the Second Amendment rights of the citizens of Charlotte County, and,

WHEREAS, the Charlotte County Board of Supervisors wishes to express its deep commitment to the rights of all citizens of Charlotte County to keep and bear Arms; and,

WHEREAS, the Charlotte County Board of Supervisors wishes to express opposition to any law that would unconstitutionally restrict the rights under the Second Amendment of the citizens of Charlotte County to bear arms; and,

WHEREAS, the Charlotte County Board of Supervisors wish to express its intent to stand as a Sanctuary County for Second Amendment rights and to oppose, within the limits of the Constitution of the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia, any efforts to unconstitutionally restrict such rights, and to use such legal means at its disposal to protect the right of the citizens to keep and bear arms, including through legal action, the power of appropriation of public funds, and the right to petition for redress of grievances, and the direction to the law enforcement and judiciary of Charlotte County to not enforce any unconstitutional law.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF CHARLOTTE COUNTY, VIRGINIA:

SUPERVISORS OF CHARLOTTE COUNTY, VIRGINIA:

That the Board of Supervisors hereby expresses its intent to uphold the Second Amendment rights of the citizens of Charlotte County, Virginia and its intent that public funds of the County not be used to restrict Second Amendment rights or to aid in the unnecessary and unconstitutional restriction of the rights under the Second Amendment of the citizens of Charlotte County, Virginia to bear arms; and

That the Board of Supervisors hereby declares its intent to oppose unconstitutional restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms through such legal means as may be expedient, including without limitation court action; and,

That the Board of Supervisors hereby declares Charlotte County, Virginia, as a “Second Amendment Sanctuary,”

Adopted this 13th day of November 2019.

(Signed) By: Garland H. Hamlett, Chairman

Charlotte County Board of Supervisors

ATTEST: Daniel N. Witt, Clerk