Jason Miyares



Jason Miyares: Gun violence has no place in our communities, and it is time for us to act. As a former Virginia Beach prosecutor, I am no stranger to the hurt and pain felt by survivors of violent crimes. During my time as a prosecutor, I worked tirelessly to protect Virginia Beach families from those who would bring them harm. In the General Assembly, I will pursue enhanced penalties for criminals who use firearms in the commission of their crimes and establish mandatory minimums for perpetrators of gun violence. I am fully aware that putting their attacker in prison is only the first step in healing for victims and their families. Finally, it is clear that we must keep guns out of the hands of the deeply mentally disturbed and criminals. To reduce the risks of these tragedies from happening, I introduced new legislation, creating a Severe Threat Order Protection, enabling law enforcement to act proactively, preventing those who are “clear and convincing” threats to themselves or others, from obtaining a firearm. This legislation balances Due Process Protections guaranteed in our Constitution while serving as a useful tool for our legal system and mental health experts to prevent the violently mentally ill from obtaining firearms. It is an honor to serve and to represent this wonderful community thoughtfully and deliberately in Richmond. My hope is to continue my season of service another two years and respectfully ask for your vote on November 5th.