Elections Have Consequences: Virginia’s Gun Safety Laws Go Into Effect Following Historic Election and Legislative Session

Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund was the Largest Outside Spender in Virginia’s 2019 Elections, Spending $2.5 Million to Flip Virginia’s General Assembly

Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and Victory Fund Will Invest $60 Million in the 2020 Elections, Including at least $8 Million in Texas, $5 Million in Arizona, and $5 Million in North Carolina, and Investments in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Iowa

Lawmakers in Texas, Arizona, and North Carolina Have Failed to Pass Common-Sense Gun Safety Legislation

RICHMOND, Va. — In a preview of what could come in battleground gun safety states across the country, seven new gun safety laws took effect in Virginia today following last year’s election of a gun sense majority to both houses of the state’s legislature. Among other things, the new laws include background checks on all gun sales and extreme risk legislation.  

In an effort to support gun safety voters hoping to replicate Virginia’s results, Everytown for Gun Safety has launched three statewide initiatives this year – in Texas, Arizona, and North Carolina – which will marry multimillion-dollar investments with the grassroots energy of hundreds of thousands Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers in efforts to elect gun sense candidates up and down the ballot. In each of these states, as in Virginia, voters support stronger gun laws by a more than 5:1 margin. Similar to Virginia, each state is growing and diversifying, with key target seats in suburban districts where support for gun safety measures tends to be strongest. 

“We’re seeing the future of gun safety today in Virginia — and in the run-up to November, we’re going to help voters in Texas, Arizona, North Carolina, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Iowa, and other states create similar futures for their communities,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “Americans across the political spectrum want the same common-sense gun laws that will now keep Virginians safe, and they will take those demands to the voting booth on Election Day.”

“Our electoral and legislative successes in Virginia are proof-positive that gun safety is a winning issue in red, blue and purple states,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action. “In 2019, when Virginia lawmakers failed to act to keep families and communities safe, we made sure they lost their jobs. And now in November, we’ll do the same thing in North Carolina, Texas, Arizona, and other states where lawmakers have refused to listen to constituents and pass common-sense gun safety laws.” 

“When our lawmakers gaveled out after the mass shooting in Virginia Beach without doing anything to combat gun violence, that was the last straw – we knew we’d work day-in, day-out to elect a gun sense majority in the General Assembly,” said Mike Hammond, a volunteer with the Virginia chapter of Moms Demand Action. “I know that my fellow volunteers around the country are ready to do the same and elect gun sense champions up and down the ballot.”  

In March, Governor Northam joined a press call with Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn; John Feinblatt, President of Everytown for Gun Safety; Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action; and Jennifer Herrera, a volunteer with the Virginia chapter of Moms Demand Action to announce that he had signed the slate of gun safety legislation.