Virginia Democrats are taking shots at passing stricter gun regulation in the Commonwealth.
Lawmakers passed several bills in the Senate to enhance gun safety, including bills that would require firearm safety training, proper firearm storage in homes with minors and mandate a five-day waiting period for firearm purchases.
Republican State Senator Mark Peake says he opposes the bills and wants to fight for Second Amendment rights.
“A lot of times a woman may be a victim of assault, may have an estranged husband or boyfriend who is a threat to them. They can’t wait five days to get a firearm.”
The House also passed a bill banning the sale or purchase of assault firearms and large-capacity ammunition.
According to the nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety, Virginia ranks 15th in the country for gun law strength, dropping a spot from last year. Mike Fox is a volunteer and Virginia’s Co-Chapter Lead for Moms Demand Action. He says he decided to get involved after the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting.
“I was living in that part of the state at the time. I was only a couple of years out of college myself. And being a lifelong Virginian, it just hit really close to home,” said Fox.
Fox calls these bills “common sense” and said he hopes lawmakers and the governor will think so too.
“Volunteers like me do the work because we do it for our kids, we do it for our families, we do it for our neighborhoods, and we do it for our state,” said Fox. “Because democracy is not a spectator sport.”
10 News reached out to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s office. A spokesperson for the governor, Christian Martinez, released a statement that reads:
“The Governor will review any legislation that comes to his desk, but as he reiterated during his State of the Commonwealth address, Virginia’s gun laws are already among the toughest in the nation. He’s asking the General Assembly members to hold accountable those criminals that commit crimes with guns by lengthening and making more severe the penalties in order to keep criminals off the streets.”
Office of Gov. Youngkin