As a substitute of signing, vetoing or permitting a controversial gun ban invoice to turn out to be regulation with out her signature on Tuesday, Virginia Democrat Gov. Abigail Spanberger supplied up an amended model of Home Invoice 217, which primarily kicks the political can down the street only a bit, probably forestalling a threatened authorized motion in opposition to Virginia by the Division of Justice.
WVEC Information is reporting Spanberger primarily waited till her legislative deadline was approaching to submit her invoice substitute after Assistant U.S. Lawyer Normal Harmeet Dhillon threatened in an April 10 letter to “start litigation within the occasion the Commonwealth of Virginia enacts sure payments that unconstitutionally restrict law-abiding People’ particular person proper to bear arms.”
The letter particularly referred to Senate Invoice 749, which is equivalent to HB 217. Dhillon famous in her letter that signing the laws “would require Virginia regulation enforcement companies to interact in a apply of unconstitutionally proscribing the making, shopping for, or promoting of AR-15s and lots of different semi-automatic firearms in frequent use.”
🚨@SpanbergerForVA is on discover: 2A rights SHALL NOT BE infringed.
We’re carefully watching—within the occasion any illegal laws is enacted, we’ll sue. @CivilRights will defend the 2A rights of law-abiding residents in Virginia.
2A Part Legal professionals are standing by… 🚨 pic.twitter.com/h2DfXwgaKC
— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) April 10, 2026
Spanberger’s proposed amendments primarily protect “the core” of the laws, which prohibits the sale, manufacture and/or switch of so-called “assault firearms,” and—as described by WVEC, “retains the invoice’s central framework intact.”
So, is that this a stall to delay what seems to be an inevitable federal lawsuit?
Based on WDBJ Information, the amended invoice goes again to the Normal Meeting “for approval or rejection” of the adjustments. If these adjustments are rejected by lawmakers, the Meeting can nonetheless move the unique invoice—it could take a two-thirds vote—after which Spanberger may both signal or veto the measure.
Beneath provisions in Spanberger’s amended invoice, pistol grips and thumbhole shares can be faraway from a listing of beauty options which might classify a firearm as an “assault firearm.” There’s a change additionally within the journal capability restrict, and there are additionally some “technical changes” within the invoice’s wording, in line with WVEC.
However within the ultimate evaluation, are these changes actually regarding to Spanberger, or is she simply shopping for time?
Based on a press launch from the governor’s workplace, “These payments prohibit the longer term sale of assault firearms and the possession of {a magazine} which has a capability of greater than 15 rounds. The payments don’t apply to firearms purchased or owned earlier than July 1, 2026. The Governor’s amendments present further readability to regulation enforcement because it pertains to the firearms included underneath this laws, in addition to defend using sure semi-automatic shotguns used for searching.”
Nonetheless, buried within the governor’s amended model is that this language:
“Assault firearm” means any: 1. A semi-automatic center-fire rifle or pistol which expels single or a number of projectiles by motion of an explosion of a flamable materials and is provided on the time of the offense with {a magazine} which is able to maintain greater than 20 rounds of ammunition or designed by the producer to accommodate a silencer or geared up with a folding inventory with {a magazine} capability in extra of 15 rounds.”
Critics argue that Spanberger’s substitute, by stripping this language from the invoice, primarily makes any semi-auto firearm able to holding greater than 15 rounds mechanically turns into an “assault firearm.” The priority is that this makes the carrying of any such firearm unlawful, even when an individual legally owns the magazines and is licensed to hold.
This whole episode does open up some attention-grabbing prospects, as a result of it marks the primary time the Justice Division has threatened authorized motion in opposition to a state for passing a restrictive gun management regulation.
Across the nation, Second Modification activists in different states have to be questioning why Dhillon didn’t ship the identical message to governors in Washington, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Oregon, Colorado or different states the place Democrat majorities are pushing—or have handed—restrictive gun management legal guidelines.
Or, will Dhillon now merely flip the Second Modification Part of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division free on these states which have already adopted restrictions? Gun house owners are ready to see what occurs subsequent.
They could get a touch from what Dhillon and the DOJ do in response to Spanberger’s maneuver. She already signed some gun management measures, so there’s each cause to consider she’s going to signal HB 217, whether or not her amendments are accredited by additional Meeting motion, or if lawmakers reject her adjustments and easily ship again the invoice as initially handed.
In abstract, HB 217 as handed, “Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any one who imports, sells, manufactures, purchases, or transfers an assault firearm, as that time period is outlined within the invoice with some exceptions, and prohibits an individual who has been convicted of such violation from buying, possessing, or transporting a firearm for a interval of three years from the date of conviction. The invoice offers that an assault firearm doesn’t embody any firearm that’s an vintage firearm, has been rendered completely inoperable, or is operated by hand by bolt, pump, lever, or slide motion. The invoice additionally prohibits the sale of a big capability ammunition feeding gadget, as that time period is outlined within the invoice. The invoice offers that any one who willfully and deliberately (i) sells an assault firearm to a different individual or (ii) purchases an assault firearm from one other individual is responsible of a Class 1 misdemeanor and that any one who imports, sells, barters, transfers, or purchases a big capability ammunition feeding gadget is responsible of a Class 1 misdemeanor. This invoice is equivalent to SB 749.”
DOJ Warns Virginia It Will Sue Over AR-15 Ban, Gun Management Payments
About Dave Workman
Dave Workman is a senior editor at TheGunMag.com and Liberty Park Press, writer of a number of books on the Proper to Maintain & Bear Arms, and previously an NRA-certified firearms teacher.
