RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia General Assembly has passed identical bills to ban the purchase, sale, and transfer of assault rifles.
The legislation is now heading to Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin's desk for a signature.
The House and Senate also passed several other bills designed to prevent gun violence, following the passage of 12 related bills last week. These bills come at a time when gun violence fatalities are on the rise in Virginia, and gun fatalities have become the leading cause of death in people aged 1-17.
SB 2, sponsored by Senator Creigh Deeds, passed the House Friday on a vote of 51-49. The House version, HB 2, sponsored by Delegate Dan Helmer, passed the Senate by a vote of 20-19.
“There have been 61 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, and it’s not even March. The worst of those shootings have all involved assault weapons. We have to do something to prevent this senseless loss of life,” said LaTwyla Mathias, Executive Director of Progress Virginia.
