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

DATE: THURSDAY, February 25, 1993                   TAG: 9302250233
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Staff report
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

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SENATE BACKS GUN BAN

The General Assembly moved closer Wednesday to banning the importing, sale or other transfer of two types of guns authorities say are favorites of drug dealers.

A bill passed by the Senate would make it a felony to transfer the Striker 12 shotgun, commonly called a Streetsweeper, and the Intratec Tec-9 semiautomatic pistol - or any replica of the two guns. Possessing the guns would not be illegal.

The House earlier passed a version of the bill dealing only with the Streetsweeper. Attempts to add the Tec-9 are expected there today, and the disagreement could force the bill into a conference committee before Saturday's scheduled adjournment. The committee, composed of three members from each house, would attempt to forge a compromise.

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