Chesapeake passes resolution supporting Second Amendment rights at Tuesday night meeting

Posted: Dec 10, 2019 / 08:35 AM MST

Updated: Dec 12, 2019 / 10:30 PM MST

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — Chesapeake City Council unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday night declaring the city a protector of Second Amendment rights.

“We will not just tell you to go to Richmond, we will go to Richmond with you,” Mayor Rick West said moments before the vote.

Chesapeake council member Robert Ike proposed the resolution that sought to make the city a “Second Amendment sanctuary.”

During the meeting, Councilman Stephen Best offered an amendment to the resolution, replacing “sanctuary” city with “constitutional” city instead. The amendment was passed as part of the resolution.

More than 1,000 people showed up at a meeting Tuesday night to encourage Chesapeake to pass a resolution supporting Second Amendment rights.

More than 70 speakers signed up to go in front of City Council to discuss their opinions.

Larger-than-normal crowds were expected, and Chesapeake made accommodations to be able to include as many people as possible.

Gun rights supporters stuck around for hours as the meeting went on.

Despite no gun law-related items on its agenda last week, Virginia Beach also had hundreds of people show up to City Hall to voice their opinion on the issue.

Other localities also have discussed the Second Amendment. Some have declined to pass any resolution, like Virginia Beach and Suffolk, while others have passed resolutions affirming support for that constitutional right.

The movement has spread in Virginia since the Nov. 5 election, when Democrats gained majority control of both the State Senate and House of Delegates. Democratic Governor Ralph Northam has said his party’s leaders will push for gun control measures and more than a dozen bills concerning firearms have already been pre-filed.

Where localities stand on the Second Amendment:

Localities across Virginia are considering the idea of becoming Second Amendment sanctuaries, which are localities that have pledged not to use public resources to enforce any laws they see as unconstitutional. Some have passed resolutions simply in support of citizens’ Second Amendment rights, while others have said discussions on gun laws belong in Richmond.

Here’s the rundown on where area localities stand:

Accomack County: The Board of Supervisors did not make the county a “sanctuary,” but approved a resolution affirming its commitment to citizens’ rights under the Second Amendment Dec. 18.
Chesapeake: City Council did not make the city a “sanctuary,” but approved a resolution affirming its commitment to citizens’ rights under the Second Amendment Dec. 10.
Exmore: Exmore officials have passed a resolution to become a Second Amendment sanctuary city.
Gloucester County: The Board of Supervisors voted to become a Second Amendment sanctuary.
Hampton: City Council has not voted on any Second Amendment-related resolution, but hundreds voiced their support at the council meeting Dec. 11. The NAACP also attended and came out against the idea. Mayor said the issue is “premature.”
James City County: The Board of Supervisors did not make the county a “sanctuary,” but approved a resolution affirming its commitment to citizens’ rights under the Second Amendment Dec. 10.
Isle of Wight: The Board of Supervisors did not make the county a “sanctuary,” but approved a resolution to affirm its commitments to citizens’ rights under the Second Amendment.
Mathews County: The Board of Supervisors voted Dec. 17 to become a Second Amendment sanctuary.
Newport News: City Council has not voted on any Second Amendment-related resolution, but a large crowd attended a Dec. 10 meeting to voice support for gun rights.
Norfolk: City Council has not voted on any Second Amendment-related resolution, but a large crowd of residents voiced their support Dec. 10.
Northampton County: The Board of Supervisors passed a resolution expressing its support for the rights of citizens to bear arms under the Second Amendment Dec. 10, but the resolution did not declare it a “sanctuary.”
Poquoson: Poquoson City Council voted to become a “Constitutional City” and uphold citizens’ rights under the Second Amendment Dec. 9.
Portsmouth: City Council voted 4-3 in favor of passing a resolution declaring Portsmouth a “Second Amendment Constitutional City” Jan. 14.
Southampton County: Southampton officials have passed a resolution to become a Second Amendment sanctuary city.
Suffolk: City Council voted on December 16, 2019 in support of a resolution reaffirming Suffolk’s commitment to the Constitutions of the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia. On Jan. 15, City Council unanimously voted to amend the resolution to add a paragraph expressing the city’s “deep and abiding commitment to protecting all Constitutional rights” of residents, as well as its opposition to any law, regulation or other act that would unconstitutionally infringe on the rights of citizens, even beyond the Second Amendment. It also strikes two lines.
Surry County: County officials did not make the county a “sanctuary,” but approved a resolution affirming its commitment to citizens’ rights under the Second Amendment Dec. 5.
Virginia Beach: City Council voted Jan. 6 to become a “Second Amendment Constitutional City.”
York County: The Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 Dec. 17 to become a “Constitutional City” and uphold citizens’ rights under the Second Amendment.