Gov. Ralph Northam today marked the passage of a package of gun control laws in the 2020 Virginia General Assembly session.
The event was held on the one-year anniversary of the special session that Governor Northam called immediately following the tragic 2019 mass shooting in Virginia Beach.
Republicans in the General Assembly voted to adjourn after 90 minutes and referred all legislation to the Crime Commission for further study.
Democrats, riding a wave of support in Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads, used the gun control issue as a key wedge on their way to historic wins in the 2019 state elections.
“Today would not have been possible without many Virginians saying, ‘enough is enough,’” Northam said. “I want to thank all who advocated for commonsense gun safety laws, as well as all of the legislators who listened to them. These laws will save lives.”
The gun control package includes sweeping new measures to require background checks on all gun sales, establish an Extreme Risk Protective Order, reinstate Virginia’s successful one-handgun-a-month policy, mandate reporting of lost and stolen firearms, and prevent children from accessing firearms.
More information about the legislation ceremonially signed today is available here.
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AFP
