RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Some Virginia lawmakers have submitted a bill to create stiffer penalties against irresponsible gun owners.
The bill was submitted by chief patrons Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-16) and Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39) earlier this week.
According to the bill, a gun owner who allows a minor to possess or transport a firearm in violation of the law — such as shooting recklessly, shooting with intentional or gross negligence in causing bodily injury or bringing the weapon to a school or other gun-free zones — would be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor.
The bill would also elevate the penalty to a Class 5 felony if the gun owner knows or reasonably should know that the minor has previously been charged with a violent juvenile felony or is classified by a school-initiated threat assessment as moderate risk or higher.
“Safe storage works; it prevents intentional or accidental gun deaths and it focuses on people who act irresponsibly,” VanValkenburg said in a statement on Wednesday. “We are seeing tragedy after tragedy in our communities and we can do something about it.”
The bill will now be reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
