Collegiate Times

Gun violence prevention groups at both the national and Virginia levels have new reasons to praise Gov. Tim Kaine and the Virginia Tech Review Panel—both have been up-front in regard to addressing the role of federal and state gun laws in the university's tragedy on April 16.

Many of these groups have undertaken the task of working with state policy makers in order to aid with the realization and implementation of the Review Panel's recommendations.

Not only has the Virginia Tech Review Panel pledged to "provide an independent, thorough, and objective incident view of this tragic event," but it has also vowed to "focus on what went right, what went wrong, what practices should be considered best practices, and what practices are in need of improvement." The Panel has recently released its final report on the events of April 16, in which they recommend an improvement in public safety in the state of Virginia.

The report includes provisions meant to improve the background check system for gun purchases as well as restricting the carrying of concealed weapons on college campuses. But the panel has also pointed out that the federal government should offer incentives to ensure every state passes on information regarding prohibited gun purchasers to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Without individual states' cooperation in relaying information about prohibited purchasers and the reasons for their disqualifications, the NCIS database is rendered useless.

"We commend Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine for responding promptly to this tragedy by making sure that mental health records are adequately reported to the Virginia State Police and the NCIS database," said Abby Spangler, founder of ProtestEasyGuns.com-a website dedicated to protesting and reforming the ease with which Americans may purchase handguns. Spangler has also shown her support for the panel's efforts to "break down the barriers between the state and local government" in the sharing of NCIS information.

The panel has also recommended closing one of the crucial loopholes in Virginia gun laws-individuals may purchase firearms in Virginia without a background check through private sale of the weapon. The panel has hence recommended requiring background checks on all firearm sales in the state, even those private sales, such as those that often occur at gun shows.

June Hazlehurst, a member of the Virginia Center for Public Safety (VACPS), said, "We applaud Gov. Kaine and Attorney General McDonnell for coming together to close one dangerous loophole in state law that allowed one clearly mentally troubled individual to purchase firearms. This bipartisan endorsement of tougher background checks is a welcome relief from the often polarizing debate over firearm access."

The panel's report also took care to mention the issue of guns on campus. The panel recommended that, unless mandated by law, guns be banned from campus grounds and university buildings.

"Students on Virginia's campuses should be assured that they are learning in safe, secure environments," said Virginia Million Mom March State President Martina Leinz. The Million Mom March, the nation's largest non-partisan organization, is dedicated to creating an America free from gun violence.

"The VACPS thanks the commission for the dedication to make our Commonwealth safer, and we urge them to ask the tough questions that too many for too long have deemed too politically delicate," Hazlehurst said after addressing the Review Panel. As Kaine has promised to act upon the Panel's recommendations, Virginia gun violence prevention groups are looking ahead to further bipartisan efforts to make the Commonwealth a safer place for everyone.