RICHMOND, Va. ( DC News Now ) — A slew of gun violence prevention bills cruising through the Senate range from banning the carrying of assault-style weapons in public, to implementing a five-day waiting period for gun buyers.
The proposed five-day waiting period outlined in Senate Bill 273 would require gun purchasers to complete written consent forms for a criminal history check before they’re permitted to physically take possession of the firearm.
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The bill’s patron, Sen. Suhas Subramanyam, (D-84), said the waiting period could drastically reduce gun-related deaths.
“A lot of times when people want to do harm to themselves or others, they’ll go get a gun and then they’ll use the gun on themselves or others the same day or week,” Subramanyam said. “When you have this natural cooling off period, it might actually prevent that.”
Another proposal, Senate Bill 522, would require gun buyers to successfully complete firearm safety training at least five years prior to purchasing a gun.