Virginia House GOP Stopped More Than Two Dozen Gun Safety Reform Bills from Getting to Floor

House GOP Stopped More Than Two Dozen Gun Safety Reform Bills from Getting to Floor

RICHMOND, Va.  – Virginia House Democrats introduced more than two dozen gun safety bills in the 2018 legislative session, but House Republicans did not allow a single one get to the floor.

Among the thwarted Democratic bills introduced this session were initiatives to:

• Ban Bumpstocks. House Republicans voted down this effort in spite of testimony of a Henrico County survivor of the Las Vegas shooting.
• Institute universal background checks. Eighty-four percent of Virginia voters support this initiative, according to a recent poll by Christopher Newport University’s Wason Center for Public Policy.
• Limit handgun purchases to one per month.
• Keep guns out of the hands of people who present a threat to themselves or others. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio has expressed support for such a policy initiative.
• Ban high-capacity magazines.
• Require that guns be locked up in day-care centers.
• Require minors to get parental permission to keeps guns in a home.
• Increase the penalty for those who put the lives of children at risk by the reckless placement of firearms that are both loaded and unsecured
• Require that those obtaining concealed handgun permits demonstrate competence in-person and not through an online or video course.
• Allow localities to forbid the carrying of firearms at major public events, such as protests and demonstrations.
• Forbid the carrying of a semi-automatic weapon with more than 10 rounds in a public place.
• Remove the sales tax on biometric or combination gun safes. This bill, sponsored by Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn, had the support of both gun safety advocates and the gun lobby.
• Keep guns out of the hands of those who have committed certain sex crimes against their family or household members.
• Keep guns out of the hands of people who have been involuntarily committed

The sole Democratic gun safety initiative to make it to the floor was a proposed rule change by Delegate Kathleen Murphy that would have prohibited the public from carrying guns into the gallery of the House chamber from one hour before session to one hour after session each day. House Republicans killed this initiative on a party-line vote. (Proposed changes to House rules do not follow the normal committee process).

House Republicans killed their own bill to allow guns in churches after they realized they did not have unanimous support within their own caucus. Republicans would have needed the votes of all 51 of their members to have passed the bill.

In an interview last week with WRIC, Delegate John McGuire succinctly summed up Republican strategy on the gun violence crisis by saying that it was too early to take legislative action.

“It seems like we’re playing whack-a-mole. Every time there’s a problem in society, we want to have a quick reaction,” Delegate McGuire said. “That’s why I say we need to stand back and see what’s going on.”

In a floor speech on the House of Delegates last week, Delegate Cheryl Turpinof Virginia Beach argued that instead we must take action.

“Our hearts cannot grow callous from the prevalence of tragedies,” said Delegate Turpin. “Our call to action is not a political one, but a plea for mercy. A plea to put politics aside and address this crisis head-on.”

Delegate Turpin also called on House Republicans, who have attempted to re-brand themselves as presenting “practical solutions to everyday issues,” to offer solutions to the gun violence crisis, which has tragically become an everyday issue.

Delegate Turpin’s remarks, which can be viewed on her Facebook page HERE, were covered by the Virginian-Pilot.

The Washington Post and Associated Press have both run stories that noted the difference between the Democratic and Republican approaches to the gun crisis.