Ralph Northam and other state Democratic lawmakers have appeared to slow their efforts to ban assault weapons in the state. Virginia's Democrat-controlled Senate last January rejected Northam's bill to ban assault weapons, including some semiautomatic rifles, and voted to take up the matter again in a year. Northam called the proposed assault weapons ban "a campaign promise" that "a lot" of Democrats ran on. Mark Levine also told WRIC that he and other Virginia Democrats likely will not reintroduce an assault weapons ban in 2021, blaming a shortened legislative season that will be mostly virtual. More than 60% of gun violence is coming from gangs, the outlet reported, citing the Roanoke-based Study Committee to Reduce Gun Violence.

Source: Fox News December 24, 2020 13:41 UTC