If the officer receives information that your CHP is valid from the state, I disagree that they have the authority to invoke Terry and seek to disarm the subject. From the Terry ruling:
https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/392/1/case.html
We merely hold today that, where a police officer observes unusual conduct which leads him reasonably to conclude in light of his experience that criminal activity may be afoot and that the persons with whom he is dealing may be armed and presently dangerous, where, in the course of investigating this behavior, he identifies himself as a policeman and makes reasonable inquiries, and where nothing in the initial stages of the encounter serves to dispel his reasonable fear for his own or others' safety, he is entitled for the protection of himself and others in the area to conduct a carefully limited search of the outer clothing of such persons in an attempt to discover weapons which might be used to assault him.
What is the entire purpose for the state requiring a person to obtain a CHP to carry a concealed handgun according to legislative intent? It would seem to me that the officer knowing the subject has a valid CHP would be cause to dispel a reasonable fear and thus remove the officer's authority to conduct any non-consensual search and seizure of the firearm.
Thank you for bringing up "legislative intent" - which BTW does not exist in Virginia except as the plain reading of the law indicates. In other words, if the law says "A, B, D, C" then unless a plain reading of the law shows otherwise, it was the legislative intent to say "A, B, D, C".
Carrying concealed in Virginia is a crime. A person who carries concealed is thus a criminal. A CHP does not remove the crimiality of the act. It merely provides an affirmative defense against conviction for having committing the crime.
(emphasis added)§ 18.2-308. Carrying concealed weapons; exceptions; penalty.
A. If any person carries about his person, hidden from common observation, (i) any pistol, revolver, or other weapon designed or intended to propel a missile of any kind by action of an explosion of any combustible material; (ii) any dirk, bowie knife, switchblade knife, ballistic knife, machete, razor, slingshot, spring stick, metal knucks, or blackjack; (iii) any flailing instrument consisting of two or more rigid parts connected in such a manner as to allow them to swing freely, which may be known as a nun chahka, nun chuck, nunchaku, shuriken, or fighting chain; (iv) any disc, of whatever configuration, having at least two points or pointed blades which is designed to be thrown or propelled and which may be known as a throwing star or oriental dart; or (v) any weapon of like kind as those enumerated in this subsection, he is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. A second violation of this section or a conviction under this section subsequent to any conviction under any substantially similar ordinance of any county, city, or town shall be punishable as a Class 6 felony, and a third or subsequent such violation shall be punishable as a Class 5 felony. For the purpose of this section, a weapon shall be deemed to be hidden from common observation when it is observable but is of such deceptive appearance as to disguise the weapon's true nature. It shall be an affirmative defense to a violation of clause (i) regarding a handgun, that a person had been issued, at the time of the offense, a valid concealed handgun permit.
The knowledge that you have a valid CHP is RAS/PC that you may be committing the crime of
carrying about [your] person, hidden from common observation, (i) any pistol, revolver, or other weapon designed or intended to propel a missile of any kind by action of an explosion of any combustible material" in violation of 18.2-308. At trial you get to say that you had an affirmative defense. You, me, most cops, and most judges know that hauling you in for a violation of 18.2-308 when you are going to claim an affirmative defense is just wasting time and money. Unless, of course, it becomes necessary to teach you the necessity of respecting the "a-thor-i-tay" of the cop.
stay safe.