RICHMOND (AP) — Ralph Northam has set a July 9 start date for a special legislative session on gun-related legislation. This comes a week after the Virginia Beach shooting rampage.
Northam said the best way to deal with the shooting at a municipal building is with “votes and laws, not thoughts and prayers.” The Governor wants the Republican-led General Assembly to consider gun-control measures including universal background checks, a ban on large magazines and silencers.
Republican leaders have said they’ll propose tougher penalties for those who use guns to commit crimes but have given little indication that they will adopt the Governor’s gun control initiatives.
David Cowan says
This is an opportunity for Virginia to pass laws that will not impact crime or criminals. Never let a crisis go to waste, and never underestimate the impact of emotional responses on rational thought.
Maryland, Virginia’s neighbor to the north, has many advantages of the kind loved by liberals: among the highest levels of income and education in the nation, lots of social support systems, essentially no concealed carry, no open carry, “assault weapons” and “high-capacity” magazines are banned, no private sales of handguns, and, a license and 7-day waiting period to purchase a handgun.
Yet the homicide rate in Maryland is generally 50% to 80% HIGHER than in Virginia.
Please explain why the Governor wants Virginia to be more like Maryland.
Jack Trump says
Northam doesn’t want Va. to be more like Md. with the gun laws. He couldn’t care less. He just wants power to the democrat party. He wants emotions to stir the pot and muddy the waters so the swamp can keep passing the same gas. When people are angry, upset and/or emotional they do not think and they do not act rationally. Then they sometimes agree with false leaders who are power hungry bottom feeders when it comes to such things.
Northam, his abortion ideas and gun ideas are simply “out there”. Perhaps Delegate Bloxom can get ‘Ol Ralph a seat on the next Wallops Antares rocket. Then the bad press he’s getting the Commonwealth will go away with him.
Jack Trump says
Unprofessional and emotional reaction to this horribly violent situation. There is absolutely no indication that any of Gov. Northam’s proposals could or would have prevented this unbalanced man from doing what he did. Northam then goes off the deep end and NOW wants to further push anti gun legislation. In my opinion, this is part of the hypocrisy of Ralph Northam and his democrat party. They should show this care and concern for the unborn and put proper restrictions on people who end the lives of babies. THAT makes a lot more sense.
KWS says
Just tell me how giving municipalities, etc. the law to restrict guns from its offices would have kept the VB shooter from murdering his colleagues. But wait, I wouldn’t have done it had such a law been in place. Pure BS by our gov.
Ray Otton says
A partial list of the Gov’s proposals:
Criminalization of the private transfer of firearms.
A ban on semi-automatic firearms.
Limits on magazine capacity.
A ban on firearm suppressors.
Firearms rationing of one gun purchase a month.
Confiscate firearms from otherwise law-abiding individuals without due process, known as Red Flag laws.
Mandatory firearm storage requirements.
Mandatory lost or stolen firearm reporting.
Have to get under the hood on some of these proposals.
Like:
If semi-autos are banned when do the house to house searches begin?
And ancillary questions.
How long until they realize there are revolvers out there, some with 8 round capacities?
Will they check with YouTube and find out that a practiced gun enthusiast can fire a bolt action or lever action rifle FASTER than a semi-auto?
How do you enforce proper firearm storage without house to house searches?
Is the 4th going to go down in flames with the 2nd?
In the case of Red Flag laws, will the Kavanaugh effect be extended to gun owners, guilty until proven innocent?
It is incumbent on each and every gun rights supporter to get involved in this. Contact your representative and the leaders of the Virginia House and Senate, by phone, by email and by snail mail to voice your concerns.
And then, if need be, civil disobedience, because it may come down to that.
https://www.virginia.gov/services/whos-my-legislator/