Northam signs into law: gun control, rolls back abortion restrictions and outlaws sexuality discrimination

By Bailey Duran / Thursday, April 23, 2020

Virginia’s Governor Ralph Northam has recently signed 49 bills into law. Many of these new laws are incredibly progressive for a state like Virginia and anti-Christian in nature.

The first, and probably the most heartbreakingly vile of these new laws has to do with the value of life. On Good Friday, a sacred and special day for Christians, Governor Northam signed The Reproductive Health Protection Act.

The Reproductive Health Protection Act

Senate Bill 733 and House Bill 980, sponsored by Senator Jennifer McClellan and House Majority Leader Charniele Herring, respectively, repeal Virginia’s mandatory ultrasound law and 24-hour waiting period prior to abortion.

Women’s Right to Know Law was put into place so women were given necessary facts about pregnancy and abortion procedures along with alternatives. Without the Women’s Right to Know, a woman can go straight into an abortion clinic and have an abortion without what can oftentimes be a life-saving ultrasound. There have been many, many stories about women who were choosing an abortion, but changed their mind once they saw the baby’s heartbeat.

Eliminating the 24-hour waiting period also greatly increases the risk of a woman making a rash decision before she’s truly ready to make such a huge and life-altering decision. According to The Daily Caller, Northam said, ““No more will legislators in Richmond—most of whom are men—be telling women what they should and should not be doing with their bodies.” By saying this, Northam fails to remember that abortion doesn’t only affect women. Yes, there are men who do encourage their significant other to get an abortion, but because of the heinous tragedy that is abortion, there are millions of men who didn’t have a say in whether or not their child lives or dies.

This new law also allows non-doctors or untrained medical professionals to perform abortions, and even allows a woman to make an abortion decision during labor. This is followed by Northam’s infanticide comments in 2019.

“If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen. The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother,” Northam said.

As Christians, we are taught that all life is precious. In Jeremiah 1:5, God says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” Not only does God know each one of us personally—even before we were conceived—but He made us “fearfully and wonderfully” and has a plan for each one of our lives. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you…”

Gun Legislation

Northam also signed bills multiple bills that further restrict the rights of law-abiding gun owners.

Senate Bill 70 and House Bill 2 require background checks on all firearm sales in Virginia, which will prevent guns from ending up in dangerous hands.

Senate Bill 240 and House Bill 674 establish an Extreme Risk Protective Order, which creates a legal mechanism for law enforcement to temporarily separate a person from their firearms when they represent a danger to themselves or others. Virginia is now among 19 other states and the District of Columbia in enacting this type of law.

Senate Bill 69 and House Bill 812 reinstate Virginia’s one-handgun-a-month rule to help curtail stockpiling of firearms and trafficking.

House Bill 9 requires gun owners to report their lost or stolen firearms to law enforcement within 48 hours or face a civil penalty.

House Bill 1083 prevents children from accessing firearms by increasing the penalty for recklessly leaving firearms in their presence.

This “gun control package” includes allowing only one handgun purchase a month per person, universal background checks and the very terrifying red flag law.

Northam said he hopes these new regulations on gun owners becomes the new “blueprint” for other states to follow as they continue to propose gun regulations.

Red flag laws are, perhaps, the most concerning of all the regulations passed. Red flag laws, aka the “Extreme Risk Protective Order,” allow authorities to take guns away from gun owners who are deemed a threat. The guns can be taken away for as long as the courts and authorities deem necessary, and the person who is “red flagged” is not allowed to purchase a gun until the order is lifted. Red flag laws are too broad and could cause many problems for law-abiding citizens.

Virginia is currently the 20^th state, not including Washington D.C., to enact red flag laws.

Although Northam tried his very best, he was not able to ban AR-15 or “assault style” weapons. Despite failing to get this regulation through, Northam is not deterred. “I will not stop,” he said.

While the Bible doesn’t specifically address gun ownership due to the time frame when the Bible was written, there are instances where self-defense and the defense of others is addressed.

Psalm 82:4 says, “Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them out of the hand of the wicked,” and Proverbs 24:11 says, “Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.”

The Bible doesn’t just say to protect those who are in danger, it holds us accountable for protecting those around us. Ezekiel 33 says, “But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman’s hand.”

Lawful and responsible gun owners are able to protect others from those who intend to do harm. People should be able to have the right to protect themselves and those they love from those with evil intent.

The Founding Fathers were very clear about the Second Amendment as well. They said it “shall not be infringed.” They understood the importance of people being able to bear arms, not only as a means of protection, but as a way to defend themselves from a tyrannical government.

George Washington said, “A free people ought not only be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.”

School Policies for Transgender Students

In addition, Northam signed laws that will change school policies toward transgender students. While the bill does not state whether the transgender students will be allowed to use whichever bathroom they choose, it is definitely a valid concern after reading the vague language in the bill.

Governor Northam signed House Bill 145, sponsored by Delegate Marcus Simon and Senate Bill 161, sponsored by Senator Jennifer Boysko, which will require the Department of Education to develop model policies for elementary and secondary schools on how to address common issues involving transgender students, using evidence-based information and best practices. These model policies will address how schools can ensure they treat transgender students fairly and respectfully. School boards must adopt such policies for the 2021-2022 school year.

“In Virginia, we fully expect our schools to treat all students with the dignity and respect they deserve,” said Governor Northam. “This bill represents an important step towards making Virginia more welcoming and inclusive. I’m grateful to Senator Boysko and Delegate Simon for carrying this legislation, and I’m pleased to sign it.”

Voter ID Law Repealed

With November elections coming up, there has been a lot of talk about voter fraud and keeping the voting process fair. Northam has made this a difficult feat as he has repealed the law that stated a person must have ID to vote opening the door for illegals to vote in national and statewide elections.

“Voting is a fundamental right, and these new laws strengthen our democracy by making it easier to cast a ballot, not harder. No matter who you are or where you live in Virginia, your voice deserves to be heard. I’m proud to sign these bills into law,” Northam said.

Voter ID wasn’t put in place as a means of discrimination; it has been used to help maintain the integrity and validity of elections. Removing Voter ID puts those ideals and our country at risk.

Christians should be very concerned about these laws and what they imply for the future of our country. According to CBN, 40 million fail to vote and 15 million Christians aren’t registered to vote in America.