New gun laws with expanded background checks pass the House; Senate to vote soon

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WSET) — Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are at odds over new gun laws headed to the Senate.

The House approved new bills aimed at restricting how you buy a gun in light of recent mass shootings.

HR8 and the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021 are the names of the two bills.

Here’s what those would change:

• Background checks would be expanded.
• Private sales between unlicensed people would now require one.
• Also, it would prevent sales before a background check is finished.

Currently, under federal law, the FBI has three days to investigate. If they don’t get it done, the gun seller has the right to move forward with the sale, even though it’s not finished.

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Some of the ideas, like generalized background checks, are bipartisan. Others are more divisive.

“We have got to enforce the gun laws that we have now, which are to restrict those that have broken the law from being able to get a firearm,” says Congressman Bob Good. “I support that.”

It’s still up in the air whether these bills will pass through the Senate.

Congressman Good says he hopes the Senate will relax the limitations on gun sales between family members outlined in the House-approved bills.

Sen. Tim Kaine will soon vote on these bills.

“I think these will take meaningful steps on background checks and other steps that will provide greater protection to people from gun violence,” says Sen. Kaine.

Sen. Kaine says his goal once the Senate is back in session is to work towards solutions that end gun violence.

It will be a few weeks before these bills are brought to the Senate floor. Then, the Senate will have the opportunity to amend these bills before voting.

If passed, President Biden can sign them into law.