The Virginian-Pilot
©
RICHMOND
One day after it was killed, then revived, the so-called “gun show loophole” bill was officially shot down by the state Senate.
The bill would have required private dealers at a gun show to conduct criminal checks on individuals purchasing weapons before completing transactions.
The legislation, SB1257, was defeated today on a 19-21 vote.
Under current law, licensed gun dealers are required to conduct background checks; private sellers are not.
Advocates for closing the so-called loophole include survivors of the April 16, 2007 shooting massacre at Virginia Tech and the families of those slain that day.
They believe that changing the background check law will prevent criminals and mentally unstable individuals from obtaining firearms.
Gun rights advocates argue that gunman Seung-Hui Cho, who claimed 32 lives before taking his own, did not buy the weapons used during the rampage from a private dealer at a gun show.
The bill was voted down on an 18-22 Tuesday and then resuscitated on a subsequent procedural vote.
After its temporary defeat Tuesday, Sen. Henry Marsh, D-Richmond, said he thought a watered-down version might have a chance to pass.
Prior to today's vote, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said he does not favor passage of a weakened bill that doesn't comprehensively address the background check issue.
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
AG ...APE
Because Virginians value freedom and responsiility. Virginians value the rule of law.
Virginians don't generate a one-time log-in ID to post a response to the online newspaper.
Oh, the last time Virginia seceded from the union, Lincoln sent a butt load of men wearing blue uniforms down here. Why? Because Virginia told Washington D.C. to pound sand.
A solution?
If Virginians really want to permit concealed, unlicensed handguns anywhere, why risk future Federal intervention? Why not secede from the USA and make all your own laws. The rest of us would really appreciate not having to send you our tax money, pay your hospital costs, build your roads, fund your justice system, etc. We could also do without the mindless, paranoid ranting--there are enough real problems in this world we need to turn our efforts to.
SWEET!
Common sense prevails once again.
Virginia Tech Massacre in Perspective
Can anyone guess how many people would have been dead at Virginia Tech if everyone who wanted to carry a gun had been able to? You guessed it! TWO! The first person the gunman shot, and then the gunman.
shoot it down
I am glad that this bill failed! It was another attempt by the peace advocates and the guns kill people crowd to slap another restriction on us gun owners. Our government both federal and state must be watched at this very important time in our history as a nation, They continue to work hard to make us into sheepal, dependent on them for everything including how we are to think and act.
Real ID - more restrictions on firearm purchases
I just received the following email from Va delegate Bob Marshall
Dangerous “Real ID” Challenged
HB 1587, which would prevent Virginia from formally co-operating with the federal government’s Real ID card if it would “compromise the economic privacy or biometric data of any resident of the Commonwealth” will be considered tomorrow, Thursday, Feb 5 by the House Transportation Committee. (HB 1587 at http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?091+ful+HB1587)
The Real ID Act has raised informed citizen opposition because of privacy concerns, significant costs, the issue of a National ID card, firearms purchases, placing domestic violence victims in danger, third-party access to your identity data and/or personal documents, state and federal agency access to your information, illegal immigration, the reliability of yet to be developed data systems, and as yet unstated federal requirements for use of the Real ID card.
You are strongly urged to contact House of Delegates Transportation Committee (see end of email.) their name and contact information.
You may contact me at delegatebobmarshall@hotmail.com, Richmond at 804-698-1013.
A detailed explanati
jameso
If we don't register our guns then how will they ever know who has them? I mean after all how are we ever going to make it safe for the government's agents to go around kicking in doors and such. It wont be too long and they will outnumber the lowly citizen. Oh, sorry i just read this thing called the bill of rights, its a pesky addition to the Constitution of our country and it seems that the doods that wrote this thing up didn't ever want it to be an easy matter. Its a good thing too because from what I am seeing left to their own devices that class doesn't seem to interested what is in anyone's best interests but their own... ;-P
Democrats don't care how high taxes are; They don't pay them anyway...
pilot gets it wrong again
There is no such thing as a "private gun dealer". You are either a licensed dealer or an unlicensed private seller. You'd think after all the articles and editorializing you'd be able to get the facts right.
Private Dealers?
Why does the pilot refer to someone selling a gun as a "private dealer"? That is a bunch of nonsense. If I put my car for sale in your classified section, would I become a "car dealer" all of a sudden? People that are in the business of acquiring and selling firearms for profit are required to hold a Federal Firearms License issued by the BATFE. They are also required to run background checks on buyers. The people this bill targeted are those that are most likely getting rid of one or two guns they do not need, far from being in a for profit business. This bill was just the first step in a registration scheme, pure and simple.