Thursday, December 29, 2005

Picture This

Delegate Cole has introduced a bill that would make it legal for a law enforcement officer carrying a concealed weapon to drink alcohol in a restaurant or club but only if he is actually on duty.

Here's what the amended "guns in bars" law would say if Cole's bill is passed:
J3. No person who carries a concealed handgun onto the premises of any restaurant or club as defined in § 4.1-100 for which a license to sell and serve alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption has been granted by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Board under Title 4.1 of the Code of Virginia may consume an alcoholic beverage while on the premises; however, nothing herein regarding the consumption of alcohol shall apply to a federal, state, or local law-enforcement officer while actually engaged in the performance of his official duties.


I suppose this is somehow meant to make it legal for undercover police officers to drink while working a case without disarming or violating the law. But, it seems weird that we're passing a law to make it legal for police officers to drink on the job while carrying a concealed gun.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Oh, so this is the Donnie Brasco Law! So, does this mean that if I venture to one of our lovely Virginia wineries to do a tasting, and some obnoxious wine snob gets on my nerves, I'll have to draw from my hip holster to shoot them, and not from my shoulder holster...I'm glad that our delegates and senators are pushing high-impact legislation like this to make us safer. When is Crossover again?

-- Conaway