Vcdl lobby  day frequently asked questions

The VCDL Lobby Day is always held on MLK Day, the third Monday in January.  We begin lobbying at 8:00 a.m.  and break for our rally, then continue lobbying if necessary.  The rally lasts for one hour and is usually held at the Bell Tower in Capital Square.

Yes, the General Assembly is in sesson on MLK Day.  We pick this day because many of our members have the day off, and it is near the beginning of the session.

The list of bills is not complete yet, but we are reasonably sure that we will see most or all of the gun control bills that were vetoed in the previous two years.  There will also be favorable bills.

VCDL will be compiling a legislative analysis which will be distributed to every Senator and Delegate by our lobby teams.  We will make that available to members as soon as it is completed.

We suggest that you select one or two bills that affect you personally, and speak on those when you visit your representatives.  Personal stories are more engaging.

We encourage you to join a team so you will be with experienced Lobby Day veterans.  You don't have to speak if you don't feel comfortable doing so, but just by being there you are having an impact.

If you do choose to speak on a bill that you care passionately about, speak from experience.  Make it personal.  Showing how something impacts real people carries more weight.  Be polite and respectful, but let your passion shine through.

Tip: It helps to make a list beforehand.  Jot down a few key points you want to make so you don't get off track or forget to say something important.

Please do!  Lobby Day can be an educational opportunity, especially if they are school age.  Older high school and college-age participatns may want to connect with Jill McDaniel of the VCDL Academy.

Business casual or nicer.  We want to make a good impression with the legislators and their staff.  Be neat and polite.  Dressing appropriately not only conveys respect, it commands it!  You are more likely to be taken seriously if you dress the part.

Please note that the rally is outside.  Take the weather forecast into account when you choose your outer garments.  It has been said that there is no bad weather, only bad clothing choices!

Teams will be forming near the corner of 9th and Bank Streets.  Team Leaders will be wearing yellow vests and Guns SAVE Lives stickers.  They will probably be holding orange clipboards as well.  Visit VCDL.org/Lobby Day for useful information and updates, and watch the VA-Alert for important notices.

While many of the Team Leaders will post on social media and the member forum looking for team members who are constituents of their assigned offices, there is no guarantee that your team will have both your Senator and your Delegate.  We advise you to make appointments with your representatives and visit them independently of your teams.  You can find out who represents you on our VA Politics page

We start lobbying at 8:00 a.m. and the rally is at 11:00.  We ask that everyone comes to the rally, as that is where the press jugdes our attendance, and we want to make a good impression!  If you still have offices to visit you can continue after the rally.

We chose the morning because once the floor sessions begin in the afternoon, none of the representatives will be available to speak with.

Yes, we have reserved the space in front of the Bell Tower in Capital Square again this year.  We do not have a list of speakers yet, but watch our website for updates.

The rally will begin at 11:00 a.m. and last for one hour.  Once the full schedule is published you will find it at VCDL.org/LobbyDaySchedule.

Carry will be allowed on 9th Stree except on the sidewalk that borders Capitol Square.  State law still prohibits firearms in Capitol Square and all state government offices and parking garages.  See this map for the boundaries.

We need your help to repeal these dangerous laws.  The first step is showing up for Lobby Day.  If we let the ban keep us from lobbying, the anti-rights faction has won.  We cannot let that happen!

No!  VCDL Member Brandon Howard is offering a gun check service.  Visit VCDL.org/GunCheck for details and to sign up.  There is a nominal fee of $20.00 and there will be armed guards watching over your EDC piece while you fight for your rights.

Most likely, yes.  We have a survey to gauge interest.  Each bus cost us around $4,000, and we only recoup about half of that IF THE BUS IS FULL!  You can find full details at VCDL.org/Lobby DayBus.

Because it is a holiday, you don't have to feed the parking meters if you park on the street.  There are paid parking lots near Capitol Square as well as parking garages.  Be aware that the current law bans firearms in state owned parking garages.  

If the turnout is anything like it was in 2020, parking may be extremely scarce.  We have a carpool page for people to connect with others and share a ride, or you can get a seat on a bus.  You will find a lot of information on the Lobby Day Travel page.

There are a number of places to stay, both within walking distance, and in the outlying areas.  We've linked a search on our Lobby Day Travel page.

We advise you to make your reservations early.  If we have a turnout like we did in 2020, hotel space will be sold out quickly.

Yes!  We will meet at a nearby restaurant on the Sunday night before Lobby Day.  Visit our Lobby Day Dinner page for details and to RSVP.  We ask that you let us know by the Friday before so that we can give the restaurant an idea of how many people to expect.

The date is selected because it is near the begining of the legislative session.  We hold it on MKL day because many people don't have to work that day, yet the legislature is in session.

First, get all of your friends and family to attend. Size matters!  When we show up in large numbers it has an impact.

Second, you can VOLUNTEER. We need bus captains, team leaders, and people to distribute flyers to gun stores, bulletin boards, hunt clubs, etc.

Third, join VCDL and donate if you can.  We have major lawsuits poised to file as soon as any new restrictions become law.  And we're still fighting several suites from the 2020-2021 sessions!   We need your support!

Together we can defeat the freedom haters.  But it will take all of us pitching in.