Council recommends weapons legislation

The Freedom of Information Advisory Council recommended legislation yesterday that would prevent the public from getting the names of concealed weapons permit holders from the Virginia State Police.

The public could continue to get names from local Circuit Courts.

The General Assembly will consider the legislation during the next six weeks.

The proposed legislation stems from a controversy in 2007 in which The Roanoke Times published on its Web site the names and addresses of 135,000 Virginia residents who have obtained court permission to carry concealed handguns.

In the next year, some legislators sought to ban all public access to the information.

The proposed legislation recommended yesterday is a compromise that protects from disclosure the permit holders listed in the state police's database but allows access at the local Circuit Court level. Social Security numbers would be off-limits.

Only one member of the 12-member panel dissented. Craig T. Fifer of Alexandria said all the information should be made public.

Philip Van Cleave of the Virginia Citizens Defense League said making the information public at the local level could endanger law-enforcement officers and others who hold concealed weapons permits. -- Tyler Whitley