Virginia Gov. Northam’s Assault Weapon Ban Fails After Several Dems Vote Against Proposal

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam (D) experienced a setback in his efforts to pass new gun control laws when several members of his party rejected his latest effort to ban assault weapons.

The Associated Press reports four Democratic state senators joined Republicans on Monday to vote against a bill that would prohibit the sale of certain semiautomatic firearms, and would also ban the possession of magazines that hold more than 12 rounds. The proposal’s rejection was cheered by gun advocates attending the committee vote, and means the bill will be shelved for the time being.

From the report:

The bill was a top priority for Northam, a Democrat who has campaigned heavily for a broad package of gun-control measures. The legislation also engendered the biggest pushback from gun owners and gun-rights advocates, who accused the governor and others of wanting to confiscate commonly owned guns and accessories from law-abiding gun owners. Northam has said repeatedly he does not want to confiscate guns but argued that banning new sales of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines would help prevent mass murders.

Virginia became a hotbed of Second Amendment debates in recent weeks due to several bills Northam has proposed to enact new gun control measures. The state legislature recently rejected Northam’s pursuit of a bill that would make it a felony to “recklessly leave a loaded, unsecured firearm” in a way that endangers a minor, and there have been other proposals, like one to limit a person’s number of handgun purchases, and another “red flag bill” that would give the government authority to confiscate guns from people deemed a potential public threat.