ROANOKE, Va – A proposed bill that would require a state background check for anyone who wants to rent a gun at a shooting range in Virginia is making its way through the General Assembly
It is not a common occurrence, but after two men took their own lives at the same gun range in Virginia just weeks apart last year, lawmakers are looking to create some preventative measures.
“The research that I’ve seen suggested anything you do to interfere with, anything you do to slow that down, that plan down, gives you a better chance of saving that person’s life,” said Democratic state Senator Creigh Deeds, the chief patron of Senate Bill 1250.
The bill requires a state background check before renting a gun at any shooting range in the commonwealth.
“The concern in this situation is neither of these young men would have been able to buy a weapon because of their mental health backgrounds, and that they were able to rent a weapon and they were able to, end their lives,” explained Deeds.
SafeSide Tactical owner Mitchell Tyler has been following the bill closely.
“Statistically, it’s an imperceivable number of instances, but for those families. It’s all that matters,” said Tyler.
Safeside Tactical trains staff to look for warning signs about potential mental health issues and has even had to turn away customers over those concerns.
“We encourage family members and friends to go to people in their circle and you know if they know they’re in a bad frame of mind, or having a mental health crisis that, you know, friends and family go and work with that person,” Tyler said.
Tyler said while he sympathizes with the families, the bill leaves more questions than answers.
“You can’t test someone’s mental frame of mind in a snapshot, with a background check,” Tyler said.
Ultimately the bill would need to be passed by both the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate before being signed by Gov. Ralph Northam.
Its last action was being referred to the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee.