Virginia Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe used his first official veto to strike down a gun rights bill that he had unsuccessfully tried to weaken through an amendment.
The Virginia-Pilot reports that McAuliffe’s veto, while "more symbolic than substantive," is a clear message to both sides of the gun debate on where he stands:
[McAuliffe] vetoed Del. Ben Cline's HB962, intended to clarify that gun owners without concealed handgun permits can keep the weapons in their vehicles if they're secured in compartments that aren't locked. McAuliffe considers that broadened definition a public safety risk.
An amendment from McAuliffe had required storage of weapons in locked containers but was rejected by the Republican-run House of Delegates earlier this month. Cline, R-Rockbridge County, has said the legislation is necessary to make it clear that a storage container needn't be locked to comply with the law.
McAuliffe's veto is the final action on Cline's bill this year, legislative officials said.