A TTAG tipster sent us a copy of Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe’s Executive Action to Prevent Gun Violence. Click here to read. Citing the thoroughly debunked “private gun sales loophole” 40 percent stat, McAuliffe’s EA 50 establishes a joint task force to prosecute gun crimes with a wide remit (“identify those areas within our regulatory system that significantly hamper law enforcement’s ability to effectively pursue illegal transfers of weapons”) and evokes unspecified legal powers for the Governor (“I reserve the right to initiate any other legal proceedings that may be necessary to protect the citizens of the Commonwealth from illegal firearms sales”). But wait! There’s more . . .
EA 50 creates a reward-based “tip line” to rat out firearms offenders; mandates a trace on all firearms used in a crime, encourages judges and prosecutors to confiscate more guns where the confiscating’s good, and bans open carry in all state government buildings (“prevention requires us to address areas of concern before they are realized”). It also directs the legislature to “propose regulations to ban the carrying of concealed weapons in offices occupied by executive branch agencies.” Effective immediately.
[h/t HW]