Gov. Terry McAuliffe wants to renew the state’s vanquished gun ration law among other measures in a fresh push for gun control in the Old Dominion State.
Virginia is looking to push through several legislative proposals to help ensure the “health and safety” of its citizens by taking aim at those deemed unfit to carry guns.
At a press conference Monday afternoon, Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced his planned legislation, which includes provisions for keeping guns out of the hands of perpetrators of certain misdemeanors, domestic abusers, delinquent payers of child support and others. The governor also seeks to close the so-called gun show loophole, which doesn’t require private vendors at gun shows to conduct background checks the way federally licensed dealers are supposed to.
McAuliffe will also look to reinstate a previously long held law restricting gun purchases to one per month.
Gov. McAuliffe’s proposals come just a day after the two-year anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, where a gunman opened fire and murdered 26 children and adults before killing himself.
“These types of tragedies happen way too often,” said McAuliffe, who will try to get his measures passed through the General Assembly in 2015, the Associated Press reported.
The Virginia governor’s proposals are drawing fire from the gun rights crowd, who feels such provisions could hinder their fundamental rights.
Larry Keane of the National Shooting Sports Foundation told Guns.com he does not support McAuliffe’s proposed legislation, citing a Pew Research poll that showed growing public support for gun rights.
Some criticized the language of the poll, saying it was skewed by pitting “control” against “rights,” the latter of which most Americans would likely agree more important: “What do you think is more important – to protect the right of Americans to own guns, OR to control gun ownership?”
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