VA House Republicans vote down gun control measures after recent shootings on school campuses

Virginia House Republicans have voted down a range of bills that would have added new restrictions on firearms, including a ban on assault-style weapons, a college campus gun ban and a gun-storage bill that were priorities for Democrats.

The Thursday evening votes underscore that major action on gun laws is unlikely this year, given the divided control of the General Assembly.

On a 6-4 vote, a House Public Safety subcommittee defeated a bill from Democratic Del. Dan Helmer that would have expanded the definition of "assault firearm" and prohibited the import, sale, transfer, manufacture, purchase or transport of such a gun.