Virginia Moms Demand Action, Everytown Applaud Virginia Senate Committee For Passing Life-Saving Gun Safety Legislation

Last Week, Volunteers with Moms Demand Action Held an Annual Advocacy Day to Meet With Lawmakers on the First Day of Session

Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund was the Largest Outside Investor in Virginia’s 2019 Elections, Spending $2.5 Million

RICHMOND, Va. —The Virginia chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today applauded the Senate Judiciary Committee for passing  several common-sense gun safety bills, including legislation to close dangerous gaps in Viriniga’s background check laws and empower those who recognize dangerous warning signs to seek extreme risk protection orders.

“Today’s vote puts us one step closer to ending gun violence in Virginia,” said Michelle Sandler, a volunteer with Virginia chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “Lawmakers ran and won on gun safety because Virginians want action. We will continue to demand legislators stand up for public safety by passing the strongest possible versions of these live-saving bills.”

More information about some of the legislation passed to today:

• SB 70, which would require a background check on all firearm sales and help close a dangerous loophole that makes it easy for convicted felons, domestic abusers, and other prohibited purchasers to buy guns. Recent polling by the Center for Public Policy shows that a bipartisan majority of Virginians favor gun safety laws, with large majorities supporting background checks and red flag laws. While the committee amended the bill, weakening the language originally introduced by Senator Lucas and supported by Governor Northam, Moms Demand Action volunteers will continue to urge legislators to enact the kind of comprehensive  background check legislation supported by the majority of voters across the Commonwealth. 
• SB 240, which would create a new kind of court order known as an extreme risk protection order which can temporarily restrict a person’s access to firearms if a court finds they pose a serious threat of harming themselves or others. 17 states and D.C. currently have extreme risk laws on the books, and the policy has received support from both sides of the aisle.