Legislation Signed to Prevent Gun Violence

Governor Abigail Spanberger — alongside Virginia law enforcement officers, students, doctors and nurses, and families impacted by gun violence — yesterday signed a package of commonsense legislation to prevent gun violence, save lives, and make the Commonwealth a safer home for all Virginians.

At the signing, Governor Spanberger joined Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi, bill patrons, and Virginians from across the Commonwealth to listen to the stories of families who have lost loved ones to gun violence — and thank them for their years of work to keep kids, law enforcement, and communities safe. Together with these families, the Governor signed legislation to prevent gun violence, including bills to close the “Boyfriend Loophole” and expand “Red Flag” laws.

The Governor also signed bills to support Virginia law enforcement by cracking down on untraceable ghost guns to make sure officers have the ability to track weapons used in crimes. Additionally, Governor Spanberger signed legislation to protect kids, teens, and families by requiring the safe storage of firearms — a commonsense measure that research shows lowers the risk of self‑inflicted firearm injuries by 78 percent and of unintentional firearm injuries among children and teens by 85 percent.

“Thank you to the Virginia parents, students, healthcare professionals, and law enforcement officers who shared their stories today — they told a hard truth about what gun violence can look like up close. Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in America,” said Governor Abigail Spanberger. “I come from a law enforcement family, and I myself was a federal law enforcement officer. Every day as a federal agent, I carried a firearm as part of my job. I know the tremendous responsibility that comes with gun ownership.”

Governor Spanberger continued, “Today, we are signing legislation on straightforward, commonsense issues that will keep our families, communities, and law enforcement safe. Measures supported by the overwhelming majority of Virginians across the political spectrum. Democrats, Republicans, independents, and everyone in-between. But, in the past, when the General Assembly passed commonsense gun safety measures like these — oftentimes with bipartisan support — the answer from the Governor’s office was a veto.”

Governor Spanberger added, “Whether you are a first responder or a survivor seeking justice, a parent who has practiced what to say if your child’s school faces the unthinkable, or an officer who has stood at a crime scene and wondered why this keeps happening — the Commonwealth of Virginia hears your voices and your advocacy. Today, we are answering your call.”

Strong, bipartisan majorities support strengthening legislation to keep kids, law enforcement, and communities safe from gun violence. Surveys consistently show that more than 80 percent of Americans, including Democrats, Republicans, and indepedents, support commonsense gun safety proposals.

Additionally, studies also continue to show that assault weapons and large-capacity magazines are disproportionately used in mass shootings and the killings of law enforcement officers. In the ten years that these weapons were restricted on the federal level, mass-shooting fatalities were 70 percent less likely to occur. According to recent polling from Roanoke College, nearly 60 percent of Virginians support restricting the future sale of assault weapons.

At the signing, Governor Spanberger was joined by Peter Read — the father of Mary Read, who was killed in the 2007 shooting at Virginia Tech — and Shruthy Rajkumar, a University of Virginia student and advocacy leader for Students Demand Action.

“This legislation will save lives, reduce injuries, and prevent other families from joining this club that no one wants to belong to,” said Peter Read. “As the daily toll of gun violence passes mostly unremarked and unremembered, the family and friends of the victims taken must somehow find the strength to go on in the aftermath. Finally, we can see the end of the beginning.”

“Requiring the secure storage of a firearm when a minor or any individual not allowed to possess a firearm is present in a residence is common sense,” said Shruthy Rajkumar. “We’ve made a difference in Virginia, and the impact of our work will ripple across the region.”

The Governor was also joined by January Serda — a violence intervention professional and advocate — who lost her son, Justice, to gun violence when he was just 17 years old. Serda shared her son’s story, her experience navigating the loss, and her ongoing work to prevent violence in her community.

“Today, we are making an important step forward, not the final step, but an important one,” said January Serda. “Every step forward matters when lives are at stake. Virginia has taken action, and today, Virginia has chosen responsibility.”

Additionally, Governor Spanberger was joined by Dr. Jessica “Jesse” Burgess — a trauma surgeon at Sentara Norfolk General — and Sheriff Antionette Irving of the City of Richmond. Dr. Burgess and Sheriff Irving shared their firsthand experience witnessing the impact of gun violence on Virginia communities and highlighted how the new legislation will help save lives.

“When someone is killed by a firearm, a life story is cut short,” said Dr. Jesse Burgess. “Today is about more than just signing bills. It is about preventing empty seats at dinner tables. It is about giving children a chance to grow up. It is about sparing families from the devastating news that changes their lives forever, and it is about recognizing that most meaningful victories in medicine are the tragedies that never happened.”

“I’ve seen what gun violence does to individuals every day, and now it’s time we get an opportunity to do right by individuals that have been impacted by gun violence and the misuse of guns,” said Sheriff Antionette Irving. “It’s our responsibility to make sure that our young people understand how gun violence impacts families and themselves, and these bills will start to educate and plant the seeds for our young people to make sure we understand gun violence impacts us all.”

Governor Spanberger signed the following commonsense legislation to prevent gun violence, save lives, and make the Commonwealth a safer home for all Virginians:

• HB19 (Delegate Adele McClure) — Closing the Boyfriend Loophole to make sure convicted domestic abusers cannot exploit a legal technicality to keep their firearms.
• HB93 (Senator Elizabeth Bennett-Parker), SB38 (Senator Barbara Favola) — Prohibiting the transfer of firearms when a protective order is issued to protect women, families, and all Virginians from violence.
• HB21 (Delegate Dan Helmer) — Holding the firearm industry accountable when negligent business practices contribute to gun violence.
• HB40 (Delegate Marcus Simon) — Cracking down on ghost guns to take untraceable, unregistered firearms off Virginia streets and give law enforcement the ability to track weapons used in crimes.
• HB110 (Delegate Amy Laufer), SB496 (Senator Dave Marsden) — Reducing stolen firearms and keeping law enforcement safe by prohibiting unsecured handguns in unattended motor vehicles.
• HB217 (Delegate Dan Helmer), SB749 (Senator Saddam Salim) — Protecting Virginia families, law enforcement, and communities by prohibiting the future sale of assault-style weapons.
• HB1524 (Delegate Garrett McGuire) — Keeping dangerous firearms out of public spaces by prohibiting the public carry of assault-style weapons.
• HB1523 (Delegate Garrett McGuire) — Creating a certification for Violence Prevention Professionals to build a trained workforce to interrupt violence before it starts.
• HB969 (Delegate Marcia Price) — Establishing the Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center Workgroup to create the infrastructure to make Virginia a national leader in gun violence prevention.
• HB1015 (Delegate Kathy Tran) — Prohibiting firearm possession by individuals convicted of a hate crime.
• HB702 (Delegate Joshua Cole) — Encouraging firearm sell-back programs to give Virginians a safe, simple way to get unwanted guns out of homes and out of circulation.
• HB871 (Delegate Mark Downey), SB348 (Senator Jennifer Boysko) — Requiring safe storage of firearms to protect children and prevent theft.
• HB201 (Delegate Laura Jane Cohen), SB109 (Senator Stella Pekarsky) — Empowering parents and keeping families safe by requiring school boards to notify parents of safe storage requirements.
• HB1525 (Delegate Garrett McGuire) — Restoring universal background checks by closing the Lynchburg Loophole.
• HB901 (Delegate Rip Sullivan), SB495 (Senator Creigh Deeds) — Expanding the list of individuals eligible to petition for an emergency substantial risk order to make sure families and community members have the ability to intervene before a tragedy.