Virginia Senate Committee Advances Assault Weapons Ban

Monday’s vote by a Virginia Senate committee was partisan. The bill, which prohibits assault weapons sales after July 2011, was approved. This measure is supported by gun safety advocates.

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a measure to create a Class 1 Misdemeanor for anyone who violates the law. “imports, sells, manufactures, purchases, possesses, transports or transfers” An assault firearm. The bill specifies that an “assault firearm” does not include antique firearms, weapons deemed inoperable, firearms manually operated by a bolt, pump, lever or slide action, or any firearm manufactured before July 1, 2023.

In the end, the committee voted to combine Senate Bill 918 from Sen. Joe Morrissey into Senate Bill 1382 by Sen. Creigh Deeds – two similar measures addressing assault weapons.

Given the current political make up of the General Assembly – where Democrats hold a majority in the Senate, and Republicans control the House of Delegates – any gun legislation will need to receive bipartisan support in order to pass. During Monday’s hearing, the bill did not receive support from any Republican lawmakers on the committee – a sign it could face an uphill battle in the House of Delegates.

The bill’s supporters claim it will improve safety in the commonwealth, at a time in which the U.S. is witnessing an increase in mass shootings.

In 2022, the U.S. had 647 mass shootings – defined by the Gun Violence Archive As many as four people are killed or shot. According to the Gun Violence Archive, this year has seen 36 mass shootings in the United States.

“I’m hoping that this constitutional piece of legislation will pass,” Morrissey addressed lawmakers Monday. “I hope that there is an eye towards folks realizing that if we don’t do something, these mass shootings will continue unabated. And that’s the goal – to stop the carnage and the Commonwealth of Virginia.”

Opponents of the measure questioned its constitutionality, particularly in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen over the summer, which found that the Second Amendment protects the right to carry a handgun in public for self-defense. Opponents pointed out that a Maryland ban on assault weapons is being implemented. litigated.

“I’m not an attorney – I don’t presume things are constitutional or unconstitutional before they’re litigated,” DJ Spiker is the director of state- and local government affairs at the National Rifle Association. “I would point out that the Maryland statute regarding an assault weapons ban was at the Supreme Court post-Bruen, it’s been remanded back to Maryland and is currently being litigated by the Maryland Attorney General and certainly that litigation is ongoing.”

The bill was ultimately referred to the Senate Finance Committee for consideration.

This bill was just one of many gun bills the committee took up Monday. A bill was defeated by lawmakers Republican-backed bill This bill would strengthen the capacity of local governments to ban guns from certain public spaces. gun storage laws Establishing penalties It is against the law to sell unsolicited firearms.

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