ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, February 3, 1991                   TAG: 9102030139
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

HANDGUN-WAIT BILL ADVANCES TO FLOOR

A sharply divided committee Saturday night sent to the House of Delegates floor a bill allowing the voters to decide whether the state should require a three-day waiting period for handgun purchases.

The Courts of Justice Committee voted 10-9 to report the bill.

Bob Harvey of the Fraternal Order of Police and Richmond police Maj. C.W. Bennett told the committee that a three-day cooling-off period would help prevent crimes of passion.

But gun dealers argued that waiting periods are ineffective in reducing crime and are a nuisance to honest gun buyers.

Representatives of the National Rifle Association also argued that law-abiding citizens should not have to wait to buy a gun.

The House earlier voted 92-1 to pass a bill expanding the state's computerized criminal record check to cover all guns except antiques. Under current law, only military-style assault weapons and handguns with barrels less than 5 inches long are included.

Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 


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