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From: the office of Delegate Joseph D. Morrissey

Contact: Waylin Ross, Legislative Aide/Joe Morrissey

Phone: (804)698-1074

E-mail: DelJMorrissey@House.Virginia.Gov

On December 19, 2012,  Delegate Joseph D. Morrissey, Richmond, announced that he will introduce, in the 2013 General Assembly Session, a bill to ban the sale of both assault style weapons as well as large capacity magazines.

“The Federal Assault Weapons Ban (FAWB), expired on September 13, 2004. Despite multiple attempts to renew such bans, no federal bill to restore the ban has reached the Floor of the United States Senate or House of Representatives,” said Morrissey, “noting the ‘glacier-like’ movement of the United States Congress, Morrissey stated: “Virginia should not wait for Congress to act. Virginia needs to ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines during the 2013 General Assembly session!”

Morrissey stated that currently, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and California all have bans of assault style/semi-automatic weapons.

Referencing the recent tragedies at Columbine, Virginia Tech, Aurora, and now Newtown, Connecticut, Morrissey said “Lets do something today…the time to act is now!”

Morrissey went on to say that “semi-automatic/assault style weapons including the Intratec-DC9, Yugoslavian M-70, AK-47, Colt A R15, and Uzi, all of which carry large capacity ammunition-feeding devices, have no place other than on the battlefield.”

Morrissey continued, “I’m tired of hearing some folk claim that law abiding sportsman need these weapons”. Morrissey asked “How is it ‘sport’ to go out and shoot Bambi using an assault rifle and accompanying 50 cartridge magazine?”

Finally, Morrissey was highly critical of Governor McDonnell’s proposal that “a reasonable discussion needs to be had about allowing school officials to be armed inside public schools.” “That’s ridiculous,” said Morrissey, “the answer is not to arm our administrators and teachers, but rather, ban these hideous weapons.” Morrissey intends to introduce this legislation on the first day of the 2013 General Assembly Session.