Virginia Cities Continue to Pass Important Local Ordinances to Combat Gun Violence. Here’s What You Need to Know:

With record breaking gun violence rates continuing to devastate cities across the country, it is crucial that local governments act effectively to keep their communities safe. In Virginia, localities have responded by passing important common-sense gun safety measures. Last week, the city of Dumfries, VA, became the 16th municipality in the Commonwealth of Virginia to pass a local gun safety ordinance. The provision, which was passed by the Dumfries Town Council with an overwhelming majority, prohibits the carry of firearms at the town office. With the approval of this ordinance, over 2.8 million Virginians are now protected by local gun laws.

Other recent cities to include:

• Petersburg, VA, whose City Council passed an ordinance in September prohibiting the carry of guns in publicly-owned buildings, public parks, public recreation or community centers, as well as on any public street or sidewalk during a permitted event.
• Richmond, VA, and Charlottesville, VA, whose City Councils took action in 2020 on guns in sensitive public places, prohibiting them at permitted events following a number of armed protests.

Moms Demand Action has been on the front lines of this remarkable trend in local gun safety pushes across the Commonwealth, with over 100 volunteers in Virginia making more than 3,000 calls in support of local gun safety ordinances. In total, Moms Demand Action volunteers have supported successful efforts in 14 jurisdictions in passing ordinances limiting firearms in sensitive places since 2020. This comes after the gun-sense majority in Richmond empowered Virginia’s municipalities to pass ordinances that would prohibit guns in certain sensitive places in July of 2020.

If you would like to speak with a member of Virginia Moms Demand Action, please don’t hesitate to reach out.