Comment on Tomblin signs bills; guns in cars now OK at Capitol

By Phil Kabler Eleven days after vetoing a controversial measure that would have eliminated criminal penalties for carrying concealed weapons without a state permit, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin Tuesday signed a bill that weakens a longstanding ban on firearms on the grounds of the state Capitol Complex.Tomblin signed legislation (HB2128) that authorizes persons with valid concealed carry permits to have a firearm in their vehicles parked at the Capitol Complex, so long as the vehicles are locked and the weapon is stored in the trunk or glove compartment, out of view of passersby.The bill had been introduced several times in previous years.