Guide to Virginia’s Controversial Bills: Gun Control, Abortion, Electoral College

Gun rights activists take part in a rally in Richmond, Virginia, on Jan. 20, 2020. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times

The Democrat-controlled legislature of Virginia has seen a flurry of contentious legislation this season, some of which sparked outrage among Republicans. The bills focus most prominently on curbing the right to possess firearms. Still, many pertain to other areas, such as abortion, voter ID requirements, the Electoral College, and giving felons the right to vote.

There are signs that many of the bills won’t make it through the legislature. One of the reasons is that both the House of Delegates and Senate only have until Feb. 11 to act on their legislation. Still, the Democrat majorities in both chambers have already shown a willingness to pick up and pass some of the bills.

Gun Control

More than 60 bills regarding guns, many focused on limiting the right to bear them, were introduced in Virginia this year. The most prominent one was Senate Bill No. 16. It would have banned the possession of most semi-automatic rifles that accept a detachable magazine or hold more than 10 rounds and also some semi-automatic handguns and shotguns. That would have turned a large share of the state’s estimated 2 million gun owners into criminals, since nearly two-thirds of gun owners own rifles, and the most popular types of rifles are covered by the bill, according to industry estimates.