On the campaign trail, candidates talked often about crime and preventing gun violence. Now, they'll be considering legislation to fulfill campaign promises.
The last time Democrats were in control of the General Assembly, advocates for preventing gun violence were hopeful they could ban assault-style weapons. But, in the end, that did not happen.
"The Democrats backed away from it. They refused to give it a vote," says former Delegate Mark Levine of Alexandria. Back in 2020, he had a bill that would have banned assault-style weapons that passed the House. But, when it arrived in the Senate, his bill was tabled.
"There are many, many, many, many politicians who think if they cannot have to cast a difficult vote, they should work hard to avoid ever having to cast a difficult vote," Levine says. "And that way they don't harm either side. They can tell both sides, 'Well, you know, I'm sympathetic to your position.' And I think that's what happened in the Senate."
As the bill was being considered, gun enthusiasts flooded the streets of Richmond, openly carrying firearms and demanding that lawmakers protect their rights. Phillip Van Cleve of the Virginia Citizens Defense League says that really made an impression on lawmakers.
"Basically, the Democrats looked at that and said, 'Woah. This is a hot potato. We need to get rid of this.' So, that's what they did in 2020," says Van Cleve. "They couldn't get rid of it fast enough."
Legislation to ban assault-style weapons has already been filed in the House and in the Senate. But, even if Democrats are successful this time, they'll still be sending it to Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin, who is widely expected to veto it.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
