Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam called for a special session of the Virginia General Assembly to consider passing what he called “common sense” gun laws, following a mass shooting in Virginia Beach that killed 12.
These are the laws Northam proposed:
- Universal background checks
- Child access prevention
- One gun a month limits
- Banning assault weapons, including bump stocks
- Requirement to report lost or stolen guns
- Allowing localities to ban guns from municipal buildings
- Red flag laws
“I will be asking for votes and laws, not thoughts and prayers,” Northam said at the conference.
Northam called on Virginia lawmakers to act like first responders and “rush to the scene” and put a stop to gun violence.
The Democrat called for open and transparent debate. He said his proposals would not violate the Second Amendment, would not impair hunters and would not keep people who are not felons from owning weapons.
Northam has proposed gun-control measures before, most recently this January.
The limit on handgun purchases per month and the background checks proposals failed to pass in January 2019.
A January news release from Northam’s office pitching a gun control package includes many of the ideas he proposed in Tuesday’s news conference, such as red flag laws and child access prevention.
“We must do more than give our thoughts and prayers. We must give Virginians the action they deserve,” Northam said Tuesday.
Watch the news conference:
