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Senate Republican Majority Leader Tommy Norment caused a stir in the Virginia Capitol on Monday after he filed a bill that would ban the public from bringing guns into local government buildings, something gun rights groups strongly oppose.

By Tuesday afternoon, Norment, of James City County, announced through an aide that he would strike the bill.

“As currently drafted, the legislation represents neither my views nor my intention. I do not support — nor will I support — any measure that restricts the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens,” Norment said in a statement sent by email shortly after a special session of the General Assembly on gun legislation began.

It remained murky as to why the powerful Republican leader, who has a history of bringing up legislation for votes to make political points, would introduce a bill that he didn’t support. The legislation would amend the state law that prohibits the public from bringing guns into courthouses and make it also apply to local government buildings. Violations would be a felony offense.

Norment told a Hampton Roads TV reporter that he wanted to strike the bill because it could apply to police. However, amending the bill in the Senate Courts of Justice Committee to exempt police would be a quick fix.