Debate Magazine

Closing the Gun Show Loophole in Virginia

Posted on the 10 January 2013 by Mikeb302000
Local news reports
It’s a loophole in the law that should have been closed years ago. Virginia lawmakers will get another chance to make the state safer by closing the loophole and requiring the background check for buyers from private sellers. State Sen. Janet D. Howell, D-Fairfax, has said she will introduce such a bill in the Assembly session that begins today.
Why is closing the loophole even important? Because the gun shows provide access to weapons for convicted felons and those with a history of mental illness. Further, the gun show loophole makes a mockery of the background check law that prohibits the sale of guns by licensed dealers to people who should not be buying guns.
The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, a national legal nonprofit that compiles information on gun laws and advocates for “smart gun laws,” has given Virginia regulations a “D.”
While everybody is focused on Feinstein's Assault Weapons Ban, many states are enacting sensible gun laws like this one.
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