"You want people who are mentally adjudicated to be dangerous to have guns or you don't. If you don't want them to, then you ought to close that gun show loophole."
- Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine
The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence (Ed Fund), in partnership with the Virginia Center for Public Safety (VACPS), is conducting an educational campaign to inform the public how criminals are exploiting the Gun Show Loophole to obtain firearms and to encourage Virginia legislators to close it for good.
Under Virginia law, Federal Firearms Licensees are required to perform criminal background checks on individuals purchasing firearms at gun shows. However, this law does not apply to individuals who are not licensed dealers. These "unlicensed sellers" can sell a firearm to anyone at a gun show- no questions asked.
The Ed Fund and VACPS are also calling attention to laws that allow individuals to carry handguns into bars and restaurants that serve alcohol, child day care centers, and public libraries in the Commonwealth.
Finally, in the wake of the terrible tragedy at Virginia Tech, our coalition will advocate for policy solutions to prevent dangerous individuals from gaining easy access to high-powered firearms in the future.
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Each January, VACPS conducts a vigil
at the State Capitol to remember
children lost to gun violence. |
 Receive a regularly updated news feed about the Gun Show Loophole in Virginia from Gun Policy News >
If you are a Virginia resident:
- Join the VACPS campaign to close the Gun Show Loophole.
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Help close the Newspaper Loophole in Virginia
- Organize a "Lie-In" protest against easy access to guns in your community
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A January 2008 poll indicates that an overwhelming majority of Virginians rank toughening gun laws and closing the Gun Show Loophole as their top legislative priorities.
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| "Lie-Ins" protest easy access to guns and have occurred in more than 30 states across America. |
Virginia Tech Review Panel recommendations (pdf) regarding Virginia's gun laws.
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An April 2007 poll indicates that Virginians want tougher gun laws and think that arming college campuses is a bad idea
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Research Paper (pdf) on Virginia gun shows by Virginians for Public Safety
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View More Virginia Links >
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