Ron-Bon
Member
By Dave Forster
The Virginian-Pilot
© January 13, 2009
RICHMOND
A proposal to recommend closing the so-called gun show loophole failed to pass a vote today by the Virginia State Crime Commission.
The vote by the commission, an advisory body for the General Assembly, ended in a tie.
The commission quickly turned to discuss a proposal to staff each gun show with a state trooper - who would watch for unlicensed dealers and provide voluntary checks - and to fund the service with a fee on the gun show's promoter.
That recommendation passed 7-5.
Virginia is one of 35 states that do not require criminal and mental-health background checks for gun purchases at shows, though dealers can do it voluntarily. Federally licensed dealers must conduct checks for sales at their stores.
The commission drew a nearly full crowd, about a hundred people, with many on both sides of the debate.
About 20 students from Longwood University in Farmville watched the meeting from the third and fourth rows, dressed in black with streamers around their necks in the colors of Virginia Tech. The group, which included family and friends of some of the victims of the April 16, 2007, shooting, planned to demonstrate in support of mandatory background checks by lying down outside after the meeting.
The Virginia Tech shooter, who killed 32 people before he killed himself, did not buy his firearms from a gun show.
The Virginian-Pilot
© January 13, 2009
RICHMOND
A proposal to recommend closing the so-called gun show loophole failed to pass a vote today by the Virginia State Crime Commission.
The vote by the commission, an advisory body for the General Assembly, ended in a tie.
The commission quickly turned to discuss a proposal to staff each gun show with a state trooper - who would watch for unlicensed dealers and provide voluntary checks - and to fund the service with a fee on the gun show's promoter.
That recommendation passed 7-5.
Virginia is one of 35 states that do not require criminal and mental-health background checks for gun purchases at shows, though dealers can do it voluntarily. Federally licensed dealers must conduct checks for sales at their stores.
The commission drew a nearly full crowd, about a hundred people, with many on both sides of the debate.
About 20 students from Longwood University in Farmville watched the meeting from the third and fourth rows, dressed in black with streamers around their necks in the colors of Virginia Tech. The group, which included family and friends of some of the victims of the April 16, 2007, shooting, planned to demonstrate in support of mandatory background checks by lying down outside after the meeting.
The Virginia Tech shooter, who killed 32 people before he killed himself, did not buy his firearms from a gun show.