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Virginia Governor calls for tougher gun laws

Posted at 6:42 PM, Dec 03, 2015
and last updated 2015-12-03 18:42:01-05

Congress has not even debated gun control since the aftermath of the Newtown, Connecticut massacre three years ago.

4th District Congressman Randy Forbes declined an interview request, but joined many other republican members of congress in offering prayers for the victims and their families, in the San Bernadino shootings but he offered no new calls for action.

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe on the other hand called for tougher gun laws.

“Right now, our gun show loophole is you can walk in with no background check. A criminal, a felon, a domestic abuser, can buy a firearm and walk out no questions asked. We need to stop that,” says McAuliffe.

In October McAuliffe signed an executive order banning the open carry of guns in some state buildings. McAuliffe also set up a task force to look at more aggressive prosecution of gun crimes. But McAuliffe has failed to get tighter gun control laws approved by the republican-controlled general assembly.

North Carolina is loosening some gun laws. This week a new law took effect in North Carolina that limits the background checks sheriffs can conduct on applications for gun permits to five years of a person`s history.