Virginia House Passes Assault Weapon and Magazine Ban

Democrats within the Virginia Home of Representatives simply handed a handful of anti-gun payments, together with a proposed ban on so-called “assault weapons” and “high-capacity” magazines, handing Home Republicans and lawful gun homeowners an enormous defeat.

Within the Home flooring vote held on February 5, the vote on Home Invoice 217, the sweeping gun and journal ban, was 58-34. And because the Nationwide Rifle Affiliation’s Institute for Legislative Motion (NRA-ILA) identified, the measures have been rushed via the method.

“As we speak, the Virginia Home of Delegates added half a dozen gun management payments to the ground agenda for votes and promptly handed the payments, giving little discover to the general public,” NRA-ILA wrote in an motion alert. “These excessive gun management measures will now transfer to the Senate, clearing a serious hurdle in reaching the Governor’s desk.” 

In a nutshell, HB 217 bans sure semi-automatic firearms, together with many semi-automatic rifles, pistols and shotguns, arbitrarily limits journal capacities and prohibits possession by authorized adults beneath the age of 21.

“This invoice is an try and redefine and ban firearms which might be in widespread use by law-abiding residents—plain and easy gun confiscation by definition,” NRA-ILA acknowledged.

In line with the measure’s language: “Any one that imports, sells, manufactures, purchases, or transfers an assault firearm is responsible of a Class 1 misdemeanor.” Moreover: “Any individual youthful than 21 years of age who imports, sells, manufactures, purchases, possesses, transports, or transfers an assault firearm is responsible of a Class 1 misdemeanor.”

The invoice additionally prohibits so-called “high-capacity” magazines, that are merely regular capability magazines that come normal with most semi-automatic firearms.

“As used on this part, a ‘giant capability ammunition feeding system’ means {a magazine}, belt, drum, feed strip, or related system manufactured on or after July 1, 2026, that has a capability of, or that may be readily restored or transformed to just accept, greater than 10 rounds of ammunition however doesn’t embody an hooked up tubular system designed to just accept and able to working solely with .22 caliber rimfire ammunition,” the measure states. “Any one that imports, sells, barters, or transfers a big capability ammunition feeding system is responsible of a Class 1 misdemeanor.”

Throughout debate on the Home flooring, Republican Delegate Tom Garrett framed the controversy as a basic wrestle between residents and authorities energy.

“The federal government didn’t give me the proper to defend myself, to defend my household, or to defend my freedom,” Garrett stated, including that the federal government “can’t take it away, attempt although it could.”

Different anti-gun measures handed by the Home on the identical day included HB 21, which creates sweeping new requirements of “accountable conduct” for members of the firearms business; HB 40, which ends the widespread follow of people constructing lawful firearms for private use with out authorities interference; HB 110, which might additional limit the power of law-abiding gun homeowners to maintain a firearm of their car for self-defense; 229,, which might prohibit any weapon in a hospital that gives psychological well being providers; HB 871, which might create a compulsory storage requirement for houses the place minors or prohibited individuals are current.