Hundreds of gun rights advocates held an annual rally at the Virginia State Capitol on Monday, urging the state's Democratic majority in the state to introduce legislation that would further tighten gun regulations from Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. He asked that the move be withdrawn.
Democratic lawmakers have proposed a series of measures they say will promote public safety and reduce gun violence, including banning new assault-style weapons and imposing restrictions on carrying concealed handguns in restaurants and clubs. It also includes bills that would enact strict new restrictions. The measure builds on tougher gun laws enacted in 2020 and 2021, when Virginia Democrats had full control of the state government, and would violate civil liberties, officials said Monday on the Capitol grounds. speakers at the event said.
“The Legislature is bombarding us with proposals that are so blatantly unconstitutional that they're not funny,” John Pierce, a gun control lawyer, said at a Virginia Civil Defense League rally. Ta.
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Democrats, who have vowed to make this issue a top priority in this Congress, are unlikely to be swayed by the latest settlement. They are sponsoring other gun-related measures, from a ban on autoshearing, which turns semi-automatic handguns into automatic weapons, to measures regarding safe gun storage.
Speakers at the rally expressed optimism, albeit some reservations, about how Mr. Youngkin will act on the gun-related measures that arrive on his desk.
Although the governor had positioned himself as a supporter of gun rights during the campaign, it is notable that he did not respond to a candidate questionnaire from the National Rifle Association. On the other hand, the group did not support him. Gun-related legislation was not a top priority for the administration in the past Congress, when the government was markedly divided.
Phillip Van Cleve, president of the Virginia Civil Defense League, said in an interview that he was heartened to see Youngkin address the issue in his speech on the opening day of the session. In his remarks, Youngkin called on lawmakers to consider legislation that would hold criminals who commit crimes with guns accountable, saying Virginia has some of the “strictest” gun laws in the nation.
Virginia State Capitol Building in Richmond, Virginia. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images)
Van Cleve said he was “reasonably confident” the governor would veto the Democratic gun bill his organization opposes if it reaches Yonkin's desk.
“So we don't know for sure,” Van Cleve said, confirming that Yonkin, who did not attend the rally, was invited to speak.
Christian Martinez, a spokesman for Youngkin, said in a written statement that the governor would consider “every bill that is submitted,” echoing the governor's comments in his speech. Martinez did not address more specific questions about the governor's position on specific bills.
In other action Monday, a Senate committee held a lengthy hearing on a bill that would legalize and tax so-called “games of skill.” The machines, which are proliferating at gas stations, bars and convenience stores across the state, look and play like slot machines, but the manufacturer says there is an element of technology involved.
Lawmakers and courts have been wrestling with this machine for years. The ban went back into effect in October following a Virginia Supreme Court ruling in a lawsuit brought by the industry.
The bill, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Aaron Rouse, is supported by a variety of interest groups that seek to profit from the machines, including a coalition representing the companies that host the machines and receive a share of the profits.
Casino officials have opposed the machines, arguing that even under Rouse's measures, regulations are too lax.
The committee took the unusual step of sending the bill to the Assembly Finance Committee, chaired by the bill's co-sponsor, rather than a separate committee called General Laws, which typically scrutinizes gambling-related bills.
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Sen. Adam Ebbin, who heads the General Law Committee, called the move disappointing. “I don't know what the proponents are afraid of. They seem to have friends in the General Assembly,” he said.
The committee also promoted a Democratic-backed bill opposed by various business interests that would raise the minimum wage from the current $12 to $15 by January 1, 2026.
Lawmakers also gave a speech praising the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The MLK holiday, which Youngkin commemorated by participating in restoration efforts at historic African American cemeteries, is informally known as “Lobby Day” at the Virginia State Capitol. Citizen groups often use the holiday to meet with elected officials on a variety of issues.
The Virginia Civil Defense League, a well-organized grassroots organization, is often the most visible.
This year's crowd of gun rights activists was far smaller than the tens of thousands who gathered in 2020 to protest plans by the state's Democratic leadership to pass gun control legislation.
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Civilians are normally prohibited from carrying guns on the grounds of Parliament Square, where the group's rally took place, but on Monday morning several heavily armed men waited on the sidewalk just outside the square. was.
