RICHMOND, Va. -- The beginning of the 2024 Virginia General Assembly session is just two days away.
One measure up for discussion would require gun purchases to come with a locking device and a label that says handguns should be locked and kept away from children.
The push from delegate-elect Mike Jones, who represents parts of Richmond and Chesterfield, comes one year after police say a six-year-old student at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News intentionally shot his teacher with his mother's handgun.
"We want Richmonders and Virginians to be safe to avoid what happened in Virginia Beach," explained Jones.
The Democrat has proposed House Bill 12, which would make it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any licensed gun manufacturer to sell a handgun to an individual unless they provide a locking device and a label detailing it must be kept away from children.
"When I give someone my car, I give them the keys, they have the insurance, they have the title, they have all those things in order to work on the roads," noted Jones. "Why not do the same thing for our guns?"
But not everyone is on board.
"You're already required as a dealer to have a lock with every gun you sell," said Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League. "That's already required.
Van Cleave says he belives the lock and label bill is unnecessary and costly.
"If you're not watching your children anyhow, what makes you think, did you read that message, you'll suddenly become responsible?," he asked. "It requires a sticker to be put on every gun, and that's going to be a cost and so forth to the gun dealer."
A similar gun storage bill proposed last year passed the Senate but was left in the House Public Safety Committee.
Meanwhile, HB 12 is just one of several bills related to guns this session.
Some Democrats are trying once again to pass a proposal to ban future sales of assault-style weapons.
And some Republicans want to make it legal to once again for conceal-carry permit holders to bring their firearms on state property.
"The bill let's, people with permits carry on State grounds and so forth," said Van Cleave. "We've been able to do that forever, and again, there was no problem. They took it away, so this would restore it."
"Capitol Police should be the only men and women that are carrying arms, so we can be safe," explained Jones.
With Democrats controlling both the House and the Senate and a Republican in the Governor's mansion, it’s going to take compromise for any firearm bill to make it’s way into Virginia law.
On Monday, January 15, you can expect people from both sides of the gun debate to be at the State Capitol for Lobby Day.
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