Meanwhile, gun sales in the state have soared in the past few months.
HB 961 will need to pass the state House and Senate by the Feb. 11 deadline and also be signed by Virginia’s governor to officially become law.
NRA spokesperson Catherine Mortensen said the proposed gun ban is “will make millions of law-abiding Virginians felons overnight while doing nothing to decrease crime. That’s why a majority of Virginians oppose it.”
Democrats recently won control of the state’s House and Senate chamber—for the first time in over two decades—and have vowed to enact stronger gun control policies, saying it will help reduce shootings and deaths. In addition to the majority in the state legislature, Virginia’s governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general are Democrats as well.
“Perpetrators of mass shootings often use these types of weapons coupled with high-capacity magazines, which increase lethality by giving the shooter more firepower without having to reload,” Lori Haas, the group’s Virginia state director, said. “This legislation is the first step towards getting these weapons of war off the streets of Virginia.”
“Any legislation that requires Virginians to surrender or destroy their lawfully possessed firearms or standard-issue magazines is tantamount to confiscation and a gross violation of our constitutional rights,” Gilbert, a Republican, added.
The legislation also makes clear that any Virginian who legally owns an assault firearm on July 1, 2020, “may retain possession of such assault firearm after January 1, 2021, if such person has obtained a permit from the Department of State Police to possess an assault firearm in accordance with procedures established in the bill.”
Virginia Gun Sales Rise
As gun control bills advance through the state legislature, gun sales have increased exponentially.“Virginians are responding by voting with their wallets,” Mark Oliva, director of public affairs at the NSSF, told The Epoch Times.
“I think as long as firearms restrictions are being talked about and are being debated, you’re going to see more and more Virginians turning out to buy the firearms that they want.”
After Democrats won control of the state legislature in the November elections last year, Oliva said NSSF noted an increase in background checks for purchased guns in both December and January, adding that he believes the trend will continue.
He said self-defense is something that is becoming more important to Americans.
“I think it’s because more and more Americans are taking responsibility for their own safety. This idea that the government will provide for your safety I don’t think is being bought by your average American,” Oliva said.
Oliva said the fastest-growing group of firearms owners today is women.
“Women are overwhelmingly buying small defensive-use handguns,” he added. “That tells you something: More and more women are taking the responsibility of their safety into their own hands.”