At their October 21 meeting, the Virginia Beach City Council is expected to consider and may vote to include recommendations to the Virginia General Assembly that they pass legislation in 2015 requiring victims of crime to report lost or stolen firearms within 48 hours of discovery of the loss or crime.
This egregious recommendation, offered by Councilman Jim Wood, would further victimize firearm theft victims by threatening them with jail time if they fail to meet this arbitrary time requirement. Such legislation would do nothing to solve an existing crime problem but would instead be an ideological attack on gun ownership. It would impose policies to criminalize victims of crime and could subject anyone who does not follow these arbitrary laws to heavy fines or misdemeanor charges.
The Wood recommendation, Policy Initiative #11 in the Virginia Beach Legislative Agenda Draft, is an affront to law-abiding gun owners and to victims of crime. At the October 21 city council meeting, public comment may be provided by citizens of the community, and it is CRITICAL that you attend and give testimony against this misguided proposal. This meeting will be held in the City Council Chamber Municipal Center, Building 1, Second Floor, and will begin at 6:00 p.m. Please also use the contact information provided below to call and e-mail members of city council and urge them to reject this provision.
Legislation that targets innocent citizens - who are in fact victims of crimes themselves – is irresponsible. Lawmakers and law enforcement should be spending their time and resources on solutions that would help catch and prosecute violent criminals rather than create new ways to criminalize a victim of crime.
To read more coverage of this proposed recommendation, click here and here.
If you cannot attend this city council meeting but would like to watch, click here to stream live video.
Virginia Beach City Council:
Mayor William D. Sessoms, Jr.
Office: (757) 385-4581
wsessoms@VBgov.com
Vice Mayor Louis R. Jones - Bayside
Work: (757) 583-0177
Home: (757) 464-2151
lrjones@VBgov.com
James L. Wood - Lynnhaven
Work: (757) 340-8411
Fax: (757) 498-6324
jlwood@VBgov.com
Bob Dyer - Centerville
Home: (757) 467-3130
bdyer@VBgov.com
Barbara M. Henley - Princess Anne
Home: (757) 426-7501
bhenley@VBgov.com
Shannon DS Kane - Rose Hall
Work: (757) 802-3236
skane@vbgov.com
Brad Martin – At-Large
Home: (757) 460-6278
Work: (757) 689-4840
bmartin@vbgov.com
John D. Moss – At-Large
Home: (757) 363-7745
mossjohn@cox.net
Amelia N. Ross-Hammond - Kempsville
Home: (757) 646-1709
ahammond@VBgov.com
John E. Uhrin - Beach
Work: (757) 200-7005
juhrin@VBgov.com
Rosemary Wilson – At-Large
Home: (757) 422-0733
rcwilson@VBgov.com
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