RICHMOND, Va. -- There are nearly 9,000 parents in Virginia who are behind on their child support payments and have a concealed handgun permit. Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe announced Monday he planned to yank those permits from parents who owe child support.
That was just one of several gun-related proposals the governor said he planned to introduce to curb gun violence in Virginia.
"As Governor, there is no greater responsibility than ensuring the health and safety of the citizens I serve," Governor McAuliffe said in a statement. "Our Commonwealth and our nation have seen too many tragedies as a result of dangerous weapons getting into the hands of the wrong people. These common-sense proposals will keep guns out of the hands of criminals, will keep our communities safe, and will help to build a new Virginia economy."
When asked how taking concealed handgun permits from parents who owed child support would make Virginia a safer place, the Governor's Office provided the following response.
“Responsible gun ownership includes obeying the law and meeting your obligations," spokeswoman Rachel Thomas said. "The state has the authority to revoke a number of other licenses, permits and certifications when child support payments are not made, and the governor believes that parents should be fulfilling their primary obligations of paying child support before they are allowed the privilege to carry concealed firearms."
Others gun-related proposals the governor hoped to pass included:
- Preventing people who have protective orders against from possessing guns
- Preventing people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence offenses from possessing guns
- Reinstating Virginia's one handgun a month law
- Closing the so-called gun show loophole which allows private vendors to sell guns at gun shows without conducting a criminal background check
- Giving Virginia State Police the power to process voluntary background check requests
- Prevents gun shows from advertising guns can be sold without a background check
You can read more about the governor's gun proposals here.
