On January 26, 2009 Democratic Virginia State Senator Creigh Deeds, one eye on the Governor’s mansion, and the other eye on the TV cameras, cast the deciding committee vote to advance a bill to ban private gun sales at gun shows in Virginia. But first Deeds ensured the success of the bill by amending it to exempt both antique firearms and concealed handgun permit holders. See the bill and the amendments.
There is of course, no gun show “loophole” to close, just freedom on the chopping block once again.
All gun dealers at gun shows already run background checks. And Virginia is just like most states where private gun owners may make occasional sales or trades from their personal gun collection anywhere they choose without being considered a “dealer” required to perform background checks and keep intrusive records of the sale (i.e., decentralized registration). Of the 15 states that do impose some restrictions on private gun sales, most exempt long guns, and only 5 states single out gun shows for special restrictions.
There is of course, no gun show “loophole” to close, just freedom on the chopping block once again.
All gun dealers at gun shows already run background checks. And Virginia is just like most states where private gun owners may make occasional sales or trades from their personal gun collection anywhere they choose without being considered a “dealer” required to perform background checks and keep intrusive records of the sale (i.e., decentralized registration). Of the 15 states that do impose some restrictions on private gun sales, most exempt long guns, and only 5 states single out gun shows for special restrictions.