"There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities." -Theodore Roosevelt "In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American." -Theodore Roosevelt "Racism is not dead, but it is on life support -- kept alive by politicians, race hustlers and people who get a sense of superiority by denouncing others as 'racists'" -Thomas Sowell "Activism is a way for useless people to feel important, even if the consequences of their activism are counterproductive for those they claim to be helping and damaging to the fabric of society as a whole." -Thomas Sowell "Character, not circumstances, makes the man." -Booker T. Washington "When you want to help people, you tell them the truth. When you want to help yourself, you tell them what they want to hear." - Thomas Sowell

There must be complete training for K- 12 threat assessment teams that will save lives and it is without a doubt a matter of life or death as witnessed in Crozet last year. Please support HB1071 to insure that threat assessment officers know what to do in a crisis situation.

I am writing in support of HB 1071, which requires training of threat assessment teams in schools on emergency substantial risk orders and substantial risk orders. Training is imperative. Threat assessment officers need to know what the options are when there is a threat. It was known that the six-year-old who shot his teacher had a gun, yet the school did not take action to prevent the shooting. In a parallel situation, the family of the man who killed two shoppers at the Harris Teeter in Crozet tried to get the police remove his guns, but the police were not sufficiently trained to know that this would be possible. My husband and I live in Crozet and frequently shop at that Harris Teeter. We could easily have been his victims. Training can save lives! It is a matter of life and death. Please support HB 1071 to insure that threat assessment officers know what they can do in a threat situation.

Higher ed institutions working closely with students to mitigate mental health issues must know how best to use our state red flag laws. I support this bill both as a survivor and Moms Demand Action volunteer. My nephew died by firearm suicide at a university while receiving counseling for depression. His life could have been saved if staff had been trained and knew how to access these laws.

I support this bill because the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that when an individual has been found by a court to pose a credible threat to the physical safety of another, that individual may be temporarily disarmed consistent with the Second Amendment.

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence supports this bill.

I am a Nelson Co. resident and a volunteer with the Virginia chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and we support HB1071.

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the recently proposed bills on gun control. While I understand the intent behind these bills—to enhance public safety—I firmly believe that they will have unintended consequences that infringe on the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. The Second Amendment guarantees "the right of individuals to keep and bear arms", and it is a fundamental part of what makes this country free. These bills being proposed would place unnecessary and burdensome restrictions on responsible gun owners, making it harder for Virginians to exercise their rights in a lawful and safe manner. Rather than focusing on restricting access to firearms, I urge the General Assembly to consider measures that target criminals and illegal activities, such as enforcing stricter penalties for those who use firearms in the commission of crimes, or improving background checks for gun purchases. It is essential to address the root causes of violence, such as mental health issues and gang-related activity, rather than punishing responsible gun owners who follow the law. Furthermore, these proposed bills could create significant logistical challenges for gun owners, particularly those who rely on their firearms for self-defense, hunting, or recreational activities. The financial burden and potential legal ramifications of complying with these new regulations would be overwhelming for many Virginians. I strongly urge you to reconsider these proposals and to focus on policies that protect both our rights and our communities. I trust that you will make the best decision for all Virginians, and I sincerely hope that you will oppose these bills.