Comprehensive package of gun safety measures includes universal background checks, assault weapons ban, and extreme risk protective orders
RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam today announced a comprehensive package of legislation that will prevent gun violence and improve the safety of Virginia’s citizens and communities. The package includes measures to require universal background checks; establish an Extreme Risk Protective Order; reinstate Virginia’s One Handgun a Month law; prohibit individuals subject to final protective orders from possessing firearms; ban assault firearms; prevent children from accessing firearms; and require individuals to report lost or stolen firearms to law enforcement.
“We lose too many Virginians each year to senseless gun violence, and it is time we take meaningful steps to protect the health and safety of our citizens,” said Governor Northam. “I look forward to opening a dialogue with the General Assembly on this legislative package of reasonable gun violence reforms, which appropriately balances Second Amendment Rights with public safety.”
“I want to thank Governor Northam for his commitment to preventing gun violence in the Commonwealth, and for advancing this commonsense legislative package that will undoubtedly enhance public safety and save lives,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran. “I look forward to working with our partners in the General Assembly on both sides of the aisle to find common ground and pass these reasonable measures.”
The Extreme Risk Protective Order, patroned by Delegate Rip Sullivan and Senator George Barker, creates a legal mechanism to temporarily separate a person from their firearms and prevent them from accessing firearms when the court finds that they pose a substantial danger to themselves or others.
“Every death by gun violence is a tragedy, and one of the most heartbreaking facts is that many of these are preventable. This bill, which mirrors legislative steps taken in numerous states from Florida to California, would enable family and friends to stop—with plenty of due process and respect for Second Amendment rights—an individual from committing gun violence before a single shot is fired,” said Delegate Rip Sullivan. “Not only would this bill help stop horrific events like school shootings, it will help address one of the less talked-about crises in Virginia—suicide by firearm. Evidence from other states shows that this type of bill saves lives while remaining consistent with the Second Amendment. It is long past time for us in the Commonwealth to pass this critical bill to curb the emergency that is preventable gun violence.”
The universal background check bill, patroned by Delegate Ken Plum and Senator Louise Lucas, will close a significant loophole in Virginia law, and require background checks on all firearm sales, including private, or online sales.
“Universal background checks are the only way that we can protect Virginians by keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people,” said Senator Louise Lucas. “According to an April 2017 Quinnipiac Poll, 94 percent of Virginians are in support of universal background checks. Gun violence is an epidemic, and I am delighted to sponsor and fight for legislation that will help end this epidemic in Virginia.”
Prior to its repeal in 2012, Virginia’s one handgun a month law had been in effect for almost 20 years. Delegate Jeion Ward and Senator Mamie Locke will sponsor legislation to reinstate this law. Virginia has consistently been identified as a source state for crime guns recovered in other states, and this bill will help to prevent people from stockpiling firearms and transporting them for sale in other states.
The protective order bill, patroned by Delegate Kathleen Murphy and Senator Janet Howell, will prevent any person subject to a final order of protection from purchasing, possessing, or transporting firearms. It will also require these individuals to turn over their firearms within 24 hours, and certify to the courts that the firearms have been transferred.
“Having lost a brother to gun violence, this issue is personal for me,” said Delegate Kathleen Murphy. “As the co-founder of the Gun Violence Prevention Caucus and the co-chair of the Safe Virginia Initiative, I’m dedicated to saving lives in the Commonwealth by preventing gun violence. I’m proud to support Governor Northam in this effort.”
The lost and stolen firearm bill, patroned by Delegate Jeff Bourne and Senator Jennifer McClellan, requires that any person who loses, or has a firearm stolen from their possession, report the loss or theft to law enforcement within 24 hours of discovery.
The child access prevention bill, patroned by Delegate Cliff Hayes and Senator Janet Howell, increases the penalty for leaving a loaded, unsecured firearm around a child and raises the age of a child in existing law from 14 to 18.
“Legislation should be a reflection of our values,” said Delegate Cliff Hayes. “We believe this legislation will protect the lives of many innocent young people. This can be done by securing weapons in a way that will not endanger their lives.”
Delegate Kathy Tran and Senator Adam Ebbin will patron legislation to ban the sale, purchase, possession, and transport of assault firearms in the Commonwealth. The bill also modifies the definition of assault firearm to any firearm that is equipped with a magazine that holds more than 10 rounds of ammunition.
“I am honored to work with Governor Northam to advance commonsense gun safety measures. Assault weapons are intended for the battlefields of war and do not belong in our neighborhoods, schools, and places of worship,” said Delegate Kathy Tran. “It is time for us to pass an assault weapons ban and make Virginia safer for our families and communities.”
“Assault-style weapons have been the common denominator in too many mass shootings. Americans have learned no one is safe from the horrors these guns inflict, even when they are praying in a house of worship, learning in a classroom, or dancing at a concert,” said Senator Adam Ebbin. “Limiting the sale of firearms designed to inflict mass carnage is both a public health necessity and a moral imperative. I am proud to carry Governor Northam’s bill to block access to them in Virginia.”
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Northam showing his true colors….not surprised!
I totally agree Gene!
Do you keep track of news articles pertaining to gun violence? I read nothing that said your gun cabinet is going to be raided. One less weapon in deranged or desperate hands, which is statistically on the rise, is one less tragedy.
1) A Leftist says, ‘If it saves just one innocent life, we should repeal the 2nd amendment and ban guns.’
2) I say, ‘If it stops just one murder, robbery, rape, etc., we should repeal immigration and deport all Illegal Aliens.’
Same group responsible for 30 million baby deaths in the last 40 years, half of whom were baby girls. Talk about a “War on Women”, these folks make “The Deplorables” look like pikers.
The most effective way to prevent gun violence would be to enforce to the hilt current gun laws. No plea-bargaining away gun charges! When I was a defense lawyer in NJ, I NEVER ONCE saw a defendant serve time for a gun charge, they were always bargained away. Criminals must learn that if they break the law using a gun, they will do more time – much more time. We enforce hate crimes strictly – we should do the same with our current gun laws. If that fails, then let’s look at new laws, until we actually use the tools available to us now, we should not try to limit 2nd amendment rights.
An excellent reply, sir!
No such thing as “Gun Violence.”
What part of ‘ Shall not be infringed upon’ do they not understand?
Maybe the “well-regulated militia” bit. It helps to read the whole thing.
It also helps to read what words meant THEN, and and to understand that to the Founders, EVERY man of age was a member of the militia.
But thank you for proving my point about your hatred of America, your desire to NOT understand or respect the Constitution and to see America laid to waste.
Just as it helps to read the actual history that caused that amendment to actually be an amendment.
For example, if one comes north to the site of the Battle of Saratoga, one finds several historical markers in the area dedicated to Col. Morgan of Virginia, whose riflemen helped to win this nation its freedom from the tyranny of an English king.
Talk about a well-regulated militia, they were the epitome of it, as the British at Saratoga were to find out.
I believe that if you were to study that period of American history, you would find out that the American militiamen had to provide their own weapons.
For example, after defeating the Loyalists at Moore’s Creek Bridge in February 1776, North Carolina troops seized 1,500 firearms, 150 swords and dirks, ammunition, two valuable medicine chests, and thirteen wagons to put to use against British troops.
In his 1st draft of the Virginia Constitution in 1776, Virginia’s Tommy Jefferson stated “No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.”
In his Commonplace Book, quoting 18th century criminologist Cesare Beccaria, 1774-1776, Tommy Jefferson wrote as follows concerning gun laws, to wit:
“The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such a nature.”
“They disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes….”
“Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.”
Referencing advice given to the British Parliament by Pennsylvania governor Sir William Keith in The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution, June 14, 1788, Virginia’s George Mason stated: “To disarm the people…[i]s the most effectual way to enslave them.”
In An Examination of the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution on October 10, 1787, Noah Webster stated as follows:
“Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed, as they are in almost every country in Europe.”
“The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops.”
In Federalist No. 46, January 29, 1788, Virginia’s Jemmy Madison stated thusly:
“Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate governments, to which the people are attached, and by which the militia officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of.”
Given that the Democrats are the party of slavery in this country, is it surprising that they need to disarm the American people?
Guns – and the Second Amendment – won’t just disappear
Want to create a gun-free America in 5 easy steps?
Here’s all there is to it:
Step 1: Elect. For a gun-free America, the first thing you’ll need is two-thirds of Congress. So elect a minimum of 67 Senators and 290 Representatives who are on your side.
Step 2: Propose. Then, have them vote to propose an amendment to the Constitution which repeals Second Amendment gun rights for all Americans.
Step 3: Ratify. Then convince the legislators of 38 states to ratify that change.
At this point, the Second Amendment is history, but you’ve done nothing to decrease gun violence. All you’ve done is remove the barrier for Congress to act.
Step 4: Legislate. You need to enact “common sense” reform.
You can try to do what Australia did and…ban all guns? That’s not at all what they did, but whatever, funk it. Go big or go home, right?
It will have to be passed by Congress and signed by the president.
Great! The law is passed and guns are now illegal. The only thing left to do is…
Step 5: Enforce. Guns won’t just disappear because you passed a law. You need to confiscate some 350 million guns scattered among 330 Million Americans.
Sure, you can try a buy-back program like Australia, but like Australia that will still leave behind anywhere from 60 percent to 80 percent of privately owned firearms.
The rest you have to take.
You’ll need the police, the FBI, the ATF or the National Guard—all known for their nuanced approach to potentially dangerous situations—to go door-to-door, through 3.8 million square miles of this country and take guns, by force, from thousands, if not, millions of well-armed individuals. Many of whom would rather start a civil war than acquiesce.
So inevitably gun violence, which is currently at a historic low, will skyrocket.
But that is how you get a gun-free America in five easy steps.
Austin Bragg|Oct. 7, 2015
And you have to destroy every lathe in America, and milling machines like the ones used in Kentucky and Virginia and Pennsylvania used to produce the long rifles that won us our FREEDOM from the tyranny of an English king in the first place, along with steel tubing.
And then, all the makings of gun powder would have to be confiscated and destroyed.
And lead.
Lead would have to be confiscated from every American household lest it be formed into bullets.
You would have to prevent people from having knowledge of what was known as the “Buffalo Sharps” rifle and its .52-caliber 475-grain projectile with 50-grain (3.2 g) cartridge, later converted to .45-70 Government in 1873, which rifles were renowned for long-range accuracy with an effective firing range of 500 yd or 460 m and a maximum firing range of 1,000 yd or 910 m, and rate of fire of 8–10 shots per minute.
And then, there is the famous New York City “zip-gun” made out of a piece of wood with a piece of car antenna for a barrel, and a rubber-band to pull a sharpened door latch forward onto a .22 short round.
So wood and car antennas would have to be banned along with .22 rounds.
Maybe what we need is a new census question that asks “do you like guns,” and everybody who answers yes, would then be rounded up and sent off to re-education camps where their minds can be corrected with some kind of drug invented for that purpose.
Stuart, to answer your question, the Left does not comprehend, nor agree with everything from……….”We the People…………….to………………..the SEVENTEENTH DAY of SEPTEMBER, in the year of our LORD one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven.”
And Every. Single. Word. IN between.
The Left HATES America, and wishes to see it destroyed.
Every dark cloud has a silver lining…
This silly agenda may be sidelined for the rest of Northam’s cycle. And Fairfax’s. And Herring’s. And it probably won’t be an issue if Cox assumes office.