LEGISLATION WOULD FORCE 2ND GUN ID

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 15, 1992                   TAG: 9201150314
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Landmark News Service
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Medium
LEGISLATION WOULD FORCE 2ND GUN ID
State and federal officials moved Tuesday to close a cannonball-sized hole in Virginia's gun laws that authorities say has allowed out-of-state gunrunners to operate with impunity.
Under state law, Virginia residents may buy as many guns as they please in a single day. The problem, law enforcement officials say, is that gunrunners from places like New York and Washington, D.C., can instantly get identification from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.
DMV officials say they don't require proof of residency for a driver's license because to do so would inconvenience the 230,000 people each year who receive licenses. That includes thousands of teen-agers who live with their parents and would have difficulty proving residency.
Obtaining and maintaining millions of residency records also would add considerably to DMV's paperwork, officials said.
Under DMV policy, whatever address you give will appear on your license, a DMV spokeswoman said.
Attorney General Mary Sue Terry and U.S. Attorney Richard Cullen both called Tuesday for tightening the law. Terry said she will back a proposal in this year's General Assembly to require dealers to ask for a second form of ID. That way, Virginia residents will have to prove they're actually Virginians to have easy access to guns, Terry said.
Cullen said he had pushed for closing the loophole since federal agents told him Virginia, Ohio and Texas are the nation's most popular shopping areas for gun smugglers.
"Virginia's making it too easy right now," he said.
"Criminals will always try to find a way around the law; but at least we're putting a roadblock up. We're not inviting them in. It's not going to be a cure-all, but it's a good first step."

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB