Please oppose HB 961 the so-called “Assault Weapons” ban. Delegate Levine claims that his HB 961 largely tracks the 1994 federal “Assault Weapons” bill. That is false. The 1994 federal law exempted existing semi-automatic rifles possessed before passage of the federal August, 1994 ban, identified 670 guns exempt from the ban and allowed owners to keep their firearms. The federal bill was bad enough, but it did not apply to handguns, did not require registration of guns, did not require gun owners to give their guns to the police, did not require the mandatory sale or destruction of guns, did not make 10+ round magazine illegal, and did not require a federal permit to own a semiautomatic gun in the future. The Northam-supported Levine bill does all those undesirable things and should be opposed. Gun Owners of America will keep me updated as to its status.

Please oppose HB 961 the so-called “Assault Weapons” ban. Delegate Levine claims that his HB 961 largely tracks the 1994 federal “Assault Weapons” bill. That is false. The 1994 federal law exempted existing semi-automatic rifles possessed before passage of the federal August, 1994 ban, identified 670 guns exempt from the ban and allowed owners to keep their firearms. The federal bill was bad enough, but it did not apply to handguns, did not require registration of guns, did not require gun owners to give their guns to the police, did not require the mandatory sale or destruction of guns, did not make 10+ round magazine illegal, and did not require a federal permit to own a semiautomatic gun in the future. The Northam-supported Levine bill does all those undesirable things and should be opposed. Gun Owners of America will keep me updated as to its status.

Gun Owners of America tells me that at a January 25, 2020 town hall, Delegate Levine said gun registration would help in solving crimes. That statement is simply absurd. And Levine’s comment would surely surprise Colin Greenwood, former police superintendent for Great Britain. Mr. Greenwood conducted many interviews with “scores of police officers and his review of hundreds of firearms crime cases did not reveal a single instance in which registration aided the solution or prevention of a crime.” (Kopel, The Samurai, etc. p. 88) The most immediate problem with gun registration is that it pulls police off the streets and makes them push paperwork. The second problem is that it makes criminals out of citizens who never harmed nor would harm anyone! Why should they be forced to register their guns? History validates their concerns about registration leading to confiscation. Making the innocent pay for the crimes of the guilty produces serious mistrust of the police who are required to enforce such imprudent laws, and produces utter contempt for the politicians who pass them. New York City used gun registration lists to confiscate legally-owned and lawfully-purchased firearms such as the WW2 M1 carbine in 1992. NPR reported (1/31/18) that more than 81,000 New York handgun owners had not responded to the state’s request under a 2013 law to register their hand guns under felony penalty into a new database, similar to what Delegate Levine demands of Virginians. And in Connecticut, by the end of 2013, gun owners registered just over 50,000 “assault weapons” and 38,300 10+ round magazine. But Connecticut officials estimated that 2.4 million 10+ round magazines and at least 372,000 so-called assault weapons were sold in Connecticut, so compliance was negligent. And this is after the terrible Sandy Hook School murders. I strongly urge you to not bring this chaotic gun law to Virginia. Please inform me how you intend to vote on HB 961 or any similar assault weapons bill.

Gun Owners of America tells me that at a January 25, 2020 town hall, Delegate Levine said gun registration would help in solving crimes. That statement is simply absurd. And Levine’s comment would surely surprise Colin Greenwood, former police superintendent for Great Britain. Mr. Greenwood conducted many interviews with “scores of police officers and his review of hundreds of firearms crime cases did not reveal a single instance in which registration aided the solution or prevention of a crime.” (Kopel, The Samurai, etc. p. 88) The most immediate problem with gun registration is that it pulls police off the streets and makes them push paperwork. The second problem is that it makes criminals out of citizens who never harmed nor would harm anyone! Why should they be forced to register their guns? History validates their concerns about registration leading to confiscation. Making the innocent pay for the crimes of the guilty produces serious mistrust of the police who are required to enforce such imprudent laws, and produces utter contempt for the politicians who pass them. New York City used gun registration lists to confiscate legally-owned and lawfully-purchased firearms such as the WW2 M1 carbine in 1992. NPR reported (1/31/18) that more than 81,000 New York handgun owners had not responded to the state’s request under a 2013 law to register their hand guns under felony penalty into a new database, similar to what Delegate Levine demands of Virginians. And in Connecticut, by the end of 2013, gun owners registered just over 50,000 “assault weapons” and 38,300 10+ round magazine. But Connecticut officials estimated that 2.4 million 10+ round magazines and at least 372,000 so-called assault weapons were sold in Connecticut, so compliance was negligent. And this is after the terrible Sandy Hook School murders. I strongly urge you to not bring this chaotic gun law to Virginia. Please inform me how you intend to vote on HB 961 or any similar assault weapons bill.

I write to urge you to oppose Del. Levine’s HB 961, the so-called “Assault Weapons” ban which Del. Levine claimed at a Town Hall (1/25/20) largely tracks the 1994 federal AW bill. But as Gun Owners of America has reported, that information is completely false. The 1994 federal law exempted existing semi-automatic rifles possessed before September 1994 and allowed gun owners to keep existing magazines greater than 10 rounds, and identified 670 rifles that were exempt from the 1994 ban. The federal bill was bad enough, but unlike Del. Levine’s bill it did not apply to hand guns, did not require registration of guns, did require gun owners to give their guns to the police, did not require the mandatory sale or destruction of guns, did not make 10+ round magazine illegal, and did not require a federal permit to own a semiautomatic gun in the future. The only reason Del. Levine gave for gun registration at his Town Hall with Senator Ebbin was that gun registration would help in solving crimes. He cited no evidence or studies! Criminology professor Gary Kleck says gun registration needs all of the following elements to cut crime: the gun must have been used in a crime, must be left behind or lost by the offender, police must recover the gun, the criminal was not arrested at the crime scene, the criminal registered the gun using his real name, or the registered owner could identify and/or would volunteer the location of the offender. Kleck says, “Even when such a crime occurs, the accused could simply claim his gun had been stolen and used by others. At best, registration would only help identify a possible suspect, not provide sufficient evidence for a conviction.” (Kleck, Point Blank, 1991) How many police are you willing to take off the streets away from going after felons? Do you want the police turned into paper pushers to register guns? If you decide to vote to make criminals of citizens who never harmed anyone, you will confirm their well-placed concern that registration sets the groundwork for later confiscation. Making the innocent pay for the crimes of the guilty produces serious mistrust of the police who enforce such ill-advised laws, and creates utter contempt in citizens for the politicians who pass these oppressive laws. Non-registration would likely be widespread. A Rasmussen Poll (September, 2019) found that if a mandatory federal program were passed to confiscate privately held firearms with payment to gun owners, only 35% of adults under 35 think gun owners would be somewhat likely to comply. That percent falls to 10% among seniors. New York City used registration lists to confiscate legally purchased and owned WW 2 type M-1 Carbines in 1992. In 2013, NY City sent 500 owners of registered long guns, letters that they are in violation of a 2010 city ordinance. Just like Del. Levine wants for Virginia, gun owners were told to surrender their rifle or shotgun to the local police. “The firearm may be sold or permanently removed from the City of New York thereafter.” Don’t make Virginia look ridiculous. Tell me how you plan to vote on HB 961 or any similar “assault weapons” ban or registration law.

I write to urge you to oppose Del. Levine’s HB 961, the so-called “Assault Weapons” ban which Del. Levine claimed at a Town Hall (1/25/20) largely tracks the 1994 federal AW bill. But as Gun Owners of America has reported, that information is completely false. The 1994 federal law exempted existing semi-automatic rifles possessed before September 1994 and allowed gun owners to keep existing magazines greater than 10 rounds, and identified 670 rifles that were exempt from the 1994 ban. The federal bill was bad enough, but unlike Del. Levine’s bill it did not apply to hand guns, did not require registration of guns, did require gun owners to give their guns to the police, did not require the mandatory sale or destruction of guns, did not make 10+ round magazine illegal, and did not require a federal permit to own a semiautomatic gun in the future. The only reason Del. Levine gave for gun registration at his Town Hall with Senator Ebbin was that gun registration would help in solving crimes. He cited no evidence or studies! Criminology professor Gary Kleck says gun registration needs all of the following elements to cut crime: the gun must have been used in a crime, must be left behind or lost by the offender, police must recover the gun, the criminal was not arrested at the crime scene, the criminal registered the gun using his real name, or the registered owner could identify and/or would volunteer the location of the offender. Kleck says, “Even when such a crime occurs, the accused could simply claim his gun had been stolen and used by others. At best, registration would only help identify a possible suspect, not provide sufficient evidence for a conviction.” (Kleck, Point Blank, 1991) How many police are you willing to take off the streets away from going after felons? Do you want the police turned into paper pushers to register guns? If you decide to vote to make criminals of citizens who never harmed anyone, you will confirm their well-placed concern that registration sets the groundwork for later confiscation. Making the innocent pay for the crimes of the guilty produces serious mistrust of the police who enforce such ill-advised laws, and creates utter contempt in citizens for the politicians who pass these oppressive laws. Non-registration would likely be widespread. A Rasmussen Poll (September, 2019) found that if a mandatory federal program were passed to confiscate privately held firearms with payment to gun owners, only 35% of adults under 35 think gun owners would be somewhat likely to comply. That percent falls to 10% among seniors. New York City used registration lists to confiscate legally purchased and owned WW 2 type M-1 Carbines in 1992. In 2013, NY City sent 500 owners of registered long guns, letters that they are in violation of a 2010 city ordinance. Just like Del. Levine wants for Virginia, gun owners were told to surrender their rifle or shotgun to the local police. “The firearm may be sold or permanently removed from the City of New York thereafter.” Don’t make Virginia look ridiculous. Tell me how you plan to vote on HB 961 or any similar “assault weapons” ban or registration law.

Delegate Levine amazingly claimed at a Town Hall (1/25/20) that his bill, HB 961, largely follows the 1994 federal “Assault Weapons” bill. What nonsense! The 1994 federal law did not apply at all to existing semi-automatic rifles owned before passage of the law in August, 1994. And it expressly exempted 670 semi-automatic rifles by name, and allowed gun owners to keep existing magazines even those greater than ten rounds! HB 961 has not one of those provisions! The federal bill was problematic but unlike Del. Levine’s bill it did not apply to hand guns, did not require registration of any guns, did require gun owners to give their guns to the police, did not require the mandatory sale or destruction of guns, did not make 10+ round magazine illegal, and did not require a federal permit to own a semiautomatic gun in the future. Apparently, Del. Levine hopes you do not know what the 1994 federal “assault weapons” law allowed or banned. Gun Owners of America has noted that Canada tried gun registration and later rejected it. The Canadian gun registry was originally estimated to cost taxpayers $2,000,000 in Canadian dollars but was repealed when costs reached $2 billion CDN. Furthermore, “… no convincing empirical evidence can be found that the firearms program has improved public safety … despite the nearly unlimited annual budgets ... the firearms registry remains notably incomplete and has an error rate that remains embarrassingly high. As a result of … its failure to reduce gang violence or senseless killings like … at Dawson College … the firearms registry has failed to win the trust of either the public or the police.” (Gary Mauser, 2007) If Virginia passes a gun registration law purporting to make the innocent pay for the crimes of the guilty, serious mistrust of the police who enforce such ill-advised laws and complete contempt for politicians who pass such laws will result. Non-compliance with gun registration will likely be widespread! Even after the 2012 Sandy Hook murders of school children when Connecticut passed a law requiring registration by the end of 2013, gun owners registered just over 50,000 “assault weapons” and 38,300 10+ round magazine, a far cry from Connecticut estimated 2.4 million 10+ round magazines and 372,000 so-called “assault weapons.” Please do something about crime control, do not support feel good gun control. Let me know how you plan to vote on HB 961 or any similar bill.

Delegate Levine amazingly claimed at a Town Hall (1/25/20) that his bill, HB 961, largely follows the 1994 federal “Assault Weapons” bill. What nonsense! The 1994 federal law did not apply at all to existing semi-automatic rifles owned before passage of the law in August, 1994. And it expressly exempted 670 semi-automatic rifles by name, and allowed gun owners to keep existing magazines even those greater than ten rounds! HB 961 has not one of those provisions! The federal bill was problematic but unlike Del. Levine’s bill it did not apply to hand guns, did not require registration of any guns, did require gun owners to give their guns to the police, did not require the mandatory sale or destruction of guns, did not make 10+ round magazine illegal, and did not require a federal permit to own a semiautomatic gun in the future. Apparently, Del. Levine hopes you do not know what the 1994 federal “assault weapons” law allowed or banned. Gun Owners of America has noted that Canada tried gun registration and later rejected it. The Canadian gun registry was originally estimated to cost taxpayers $2,000,000 in Canadian dollars but was repealed when costs reached $2 billion CDN. Furthermore, “… no convincing empirical evidence can be found that the firearms program has improved public safety … despite the nearly unlimited annual budgets ... the firearms registry remains notably incomplete and has an error rate that remains embarrassingly high. As a result of … its failure to reduce gang violence or senseless killings like … at Dawson College … the firearms registry has failed to win the trust of either the public or the police.” (Gary Mauser, 2007) If Virginia passes a gun registration law purporting to make the innocent pay for the crimes of the guilty, serious mistrust of the police who enforce such ill-advised laws and complete contempt for politicians who pass such laws will result. Non-compliance with gun registration will likely be widespread! Even after the 2012 Sandy Hook murders of school children when Connecticut passed a law requiring registration by the end of 2013, gun owners registered just over 50,000 “assault weapons” and 38,300 10+ round magazine, a far cry from Connecticut estimated 2.4 million 10+ round magazines and 372,000 so-called “assault weapons.” Please do something about crime control, do not support feel good gun control. Let me know how you plan to vote on HB 961 or any similar bill.