Friday, September 16, 2011 4:49 PM
Subject: Accomack Ordinance 58-1
Accomack Board of Supervisors
I am contacting you in regards to the Accomack County Ordinance 58-1 requiring fingerprinting for concealed handgun permit applications.
Sec. 58-1. - Issuance of handgun permit; conditions.
As a condition for issuance of a concealed handgun permit, any applicant who is a resident of the county shall submit to fingerprinting by the sheriff's department and provide personal descriptive information to be forwarded with the fingerprints through the Central Criminal Records Exchange to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the purpose of obtaining criminal history record information regarding the applicant.
(Ord. of 8-20-1997,
§ 1
State law reference— Authority for above section, Code of Virginia, § 18.2-308.
Under the Code of Virginia, § 18.2-308 the requirement for fingerprinting is an optional requirement and is for first time applicants only. Fingerprinting cannot be required for renewal applications pursuant to subsection I of § 18.2-308, and in reality is not needed for a background check to be done. This requirement only adds an extra burden on the concealed handgun permit applicant, Sheriff’s Department and the clerks office.
It is also my understanding the Sheriffs office only does fingerprinting 1 day a week, from one o’clock to two o’clock in the afternoon. This places an undue burden on people that have to work during the day as they would have to take off from work to go to the Sheriff’s office to have the fingerprinting done. It is also my understanding that only a few local jurisdictions in Virginia require fingerprinting for first time concealed handgun permit applications.
Please consider repealing Sec. 58-1 in the county ordinances, and I would appreciate you letting me know of your ideas regarding this issue.
Thank You
John Xxxxxx
757-9XX-XXXX