The fate of Virginia's one-gun-a-month law now rests in the hands of Gov. Bob McDonnell.
The state Senate on Monday passed legislation repealing the 1993 law that was put in place by former governor Doug Wilder in an effort to stop the supply of guns from Virginia being used in crimes up and down the East Coast.
According to the AP:
On a mostly party-line vote, the Senate passed Republican Sen. Bill Carrico's bill 21-19. Democrats John Edwards of Roanoke and Creigh Deeds of Bath County voted with Republicans, and Thomas K. Norment Jr. of James City County was the lone GOP dissenter.
Since the House of Representatives passed its own version of the bill last week, all that remains is the signature of McDonnell. The governor has already said he would sign it if it reached his office.
The decision to repeal the law is seen as victory for conservative lawmakers in the Republican-controlled Senate. More from the AP:
Emboldened by last fall's electoral gains that gave Republicans organizational control of the Senate, conservative lawmakers have offered several pro-gun measures this session. The one-handgun-a-month repeal is perhaps the most significant of those measures still alive after a proposal to allow guns on college campuses was postponed until next year.
"It's something that should have happened a long time ago,'' Philip Van Cleave, president of the pro-gun Virginia Citizens Defense league, said in a telephone interview. "The government is rationing firearms, as if that's going to make a difference to criminals. It never does.''
Gun control advocates believed they had three Republicans on their side, but that was before the Senate took a one-hour recess so the GOP caucus could shore up support for the bill. They were bitterly disappointed by the outcome.
"Virginia has had more than its share of horrific tragedies perpetrated by criminals with easy access to firearms,'' Lori Haas, whose daughter Emily was wounded in the 2007 mass shooting at Virginia Tech, said in a statement. "It is a sad day when our legislators purposely make it easier for gun traffickers to do their dirty business.''
* In other Virginia Senate news, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling broke a 20-20 tie along party lines to pass legislation forcing voters to bring ID with them to vote at state polling locations on Election Day.
Those for the bill said it would help stop voter fraud. Those against it said it would suppress voting by minorities, the elderly, the disabled and students.
Drivers' licenses and utility bills would be acceptable forms of ID, according to bill supporters.
