Page 5 - ARUBA TODAY

A5
U.S. NEWS Tuesday 18 February 2020
Va. lawmakers

reject assault

weapon ban

By ALAN SUDERMAN in rural communities, have
Associated Press pushed back hard. Last
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Vir- month, tens of thousands
ginia Gov. Ralph Northam's of guns-rights activists from
push to ban the sale of as- around the country flooded
sault weapons failed on the Capitol and surround-
Monday after some of his ing area in protest, some
fellow Democrats balked donning tactical gear and
at the proposal. carrying military-style rifles.
Senators voted to shelve And more than 100 coun-
the bill for the year and ask ties, cities and towns have
the state crime commis- declared themselves Sec-
sion to study the issue, an ond Amendment sanctuar- This Monday an. 20, 2020 file photo shows pro gun demonstrators holding signs in front of the Vir-
outcome that drew cheers ies, vowing to oppose any ginia State Capitol in Richmond, Va.
from a committee room new "unconstitutional re- Associated Press
packed with gun advo- strictions" on guns.
cates. The proposed assault debate, while noting that with Republicans to kill a passage in the coming
Four Democrats — most of weapon ban has received there was confusion over bill that would make it a days. Those bills include lim-
them moderates — joined the most opposition. Gun what types of guns would felony to "recklessly leave a iting handgun purchases
Republicans in Monday's owners have accused the constitute an assault weap- loaded, unsecured firearm" to once a month; univer-
committee vote, reject- governor and others of on. "There are obviously a in a way that endangers a sal background checks on
ing legislation that would wanting to confiscate com- lot of questions about defi- minor, and a bill that would gun purchases; allowing
have prohibited the sale of monly owned guns and ac- nitions in this bill. Definitions require gun owners to re- localities to ban guns in
certain semiautomatic fire- cessories from law-abiding do matter," said Democrat- port the loss or theft of a public buildings, parks and
arms, including popular AR- gun owners. Northam and ic Sen. Creigh Deeds. gun to police. other areas; and a red flag
15 style rifles, and banned his allies have said repeat- The Senate has now reject- Lawmakers in both the bill that would allow au-
the possession of maga- edly they do not want to ed three of the governor's House and Senate have thorities to temporarily take
zines that hold more than confiscate guns, but ar- eight gun-control mea- already advanced several guns away from anyone
12 rounds. gued that banning new sures. Moderate Demo- other gun-control mea- deemed to be dangerous
The bill was a top prior- sales of assault weapons crats have already voted sures and should finalize to themselves or others.q
ity for Northam, who has and high-capacity maga-
campaigned heavily for zines would help prevent
a broad package of gun- mass murders.
control measures. The "This bill will save lives,"
governor's spokeswoman, said Democratic Del. Mark
Alena Yarmosky, said he's Levine, who sponsored the
disappointed with the result legislation.
but determined to contin- Earlier proposals to ban
ue to press for the measure. possession of AR-15-style
"We will be back next year," rifles or to require owners to
she said. register them with state po-
David Majure, a gun-rights lice have been scrapped.
supporter who attended The governor had hoped
the committee hearing, a watered-down version
said he's glad about Mon- would win over enough
day's results but not con- Democratic moderates for
vinced the bill is dead for passage.
the year. But moderate Democrats in
"I'm happy about it, but I the state Senate have said
don't trust them," he said. for weeks they are uncom-
Virginia is the current epi- fortable passing legislation
center of the country's that would affect so many
heated debate over guns, current gun owners.
as a new Democratic ma- An estimated 8 million AR-
jority seeks to enact strict style guns have been sold
new limits. since they were introduced
Democrats ran heavily to the public in the 1960s.
on gun control during last The weapons are known as
year's legislative elections easy to use, easy to clean
when they flipped control and easy to modify with a
of the General Assembly for variety of scopes, stocks
the first time in more than and rails.
two decades. Lawmakers voted to table
But gun owners, especially the bill Monday with little