The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Wednesday to remove a national background check from its concealed weapons ordinance.
The board elected to repeal a 1997 county law that required a national record check for those applying for a concealed weapons permit.
The decision to amend the law came at the behest of Albemarle County Sheriff Edgar Robb, who told the Board the system was ineffective, Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Sally Thomas said.
"It doesn't sound like a dramatic change," said former sheriff Terry Hawkins, who served during the introduction of the second background check. "It's just the elimination of duplicate paperwork."
Central to the board's decision was that there already was another background check mandated by the state, Board of Supervisors member Dennis Rooker said.
"There is an ongoing central records check for anyone that applies," Rooker said. "This was a second check."
Despite the fact that the two record checks said essentially the same thing, the sheriff had to pay for both, he said. This cost came out of a $50 application fee, only $35 of which went to local law enforcement. The national check cost $24.
"They were finding out that [the sheriff's office] was actually in the hole," Rooker said.
Because it took four to six weeks for the record check, it also ran contrary to state laws that require a permit be issued within 45 days, he said.
This system led to applicants receiving permits before their background checks even were completed, he added.
By requiring fingerprinting, the background check also created an awkward situation for some, Thomas said.
"There are some people who can't give a fingerprint" because of tremors in their hands, she said.
Getting rid of the second background check also met with support from the Circuit Court of Albemarle County, Rooker said.
"Ultimately, it's the judge's responsibility to issue a permit. The question was whether or not he felt good about it," he said.
Thomas said even among handgun opposition groups, few spoke out against the proposed changes to the ordinance. She said she solicited possible opposition views by contacting Virginians Against Handgun Violence, and received six e-mails in support of the changes and only one opposed.
"I was quite prepared to think this was a bad idea," she said. "But nobody came forth and the sheriff did have a good argument about its not being effective"
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