Virginia Legislature Passes AR-15, Ammo Mag Sales Ban

Residents of the Outdated Dominion will quickly doubtless be barred from making, shopping for, or promoting AR-15s, AK-47s, and plenty of different widespread semi-automatic firearms.

On Monday, the Virginia Senate handed SB 749 in a party-line vote after the state Home of Delegates despatched it over. The invoice would bar Virginians from buying new “assault firearms” or ammunition magazines that maintain greater than 15 rounds after June, although they’ll preserve those they already personal. SB 749 will now head to Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger (D.) alongside a number of different new gun restrictions.

Governor Spanberger didn’t reply to a Reload request for touch upon whether or not she deliberate to signal the invoice, however her workplace advised WRIC she is “grateful for the efforts of legislators and advocates to handle gun violence in Virginia communities, and she or he appears ahead to reviewing all laws that involves her desk.” Throughout final yr’s election, she additionally advised the Richmond Occasions-Dispatch she is “completely on the file” supporting an AR-15 gross sales ban–together with co-sponsoring one throughout her time in Congress.

If signed, the invoice would make Virginia considered one of simply 11 states to ban the sale of many widespread firearms–together with the most well-liked rifle within the nation: the AR-15. It’s half of a bigger package deal of gun restrictions Democrats are advancing alongside occasion traces because the legislative session winds down. The package deal represents the fruits of a decade-long effort by gun-control advocates to elect candidates prepared to tighten Virginia’s gun legal guidelines, an effort that noticed them dominate gun-rights advocates in spending throughout final yr’s election.

The Virginia Public Entry Undertaking (VPAP) pegs Everytown for Gun Security’s spending within the contest at simply over $1,565,461–with practically 1,000,000 going to Spanberger. It put the Nationwide Rifle Affiliation (NRA) at simply over $25,000. VPAP reveals the Virginia Residents Protection League spent $30,000.

The election sweep by Democrats, the place Spanberger gained by double digits and her occasion gained 13 seats in what had been a intently divided Home of Delegates, made it clear a package deal of latest gun restrictions was coming. Many Virginians reacted to that truth by heading to their native gun shops. FBI knowledge signifies gun gross sales within the state have surged for the reason that finish of the election, with the state repeatedly breaking into the highest 5 of gun gross sales since.

The invoice’s passage additionally prompted a number of threats of litigation from gun rights and gun trade teams. The Nationwide Capturing Sports activities Basis (NSSF), the trade’s commerce group, stated it’s getting ready a problem.

“When Gov Spanberger indicators this invoice NSSF might be ready on the courthouse steps to problem this unconstitutional legislation,” Larry Keane, the group’s high lawyer, stated in a social media submit.

Philip Van Cleave of the Virginia Residents Protection League stated his group “might be able to sue, too” in a follow-up submit.

SB 749 is much like lots of the “assault weapons” bans handed in the course of the Nineties. It might make it a category one misdemeanor for anybody to make, import, promote, or completely switch, with exceptions for rapid household, an “assault firearm” starting on July 1st, 2026.

The invoice defines “assault firearm” as a “semi-automatic center-fire” rifle, shotgun, or handgun that “has the power to just accept a removable journal” and contains considered one of a handful of beauty or ergonomic options. As an example, for rifles, these options embody a “folding, telescoping,” “collapsible inventory,” “thumbhole inventory,” “pistol grip,” “second handgrip,” or “threaded barrel.”

Moreover, the definition contains any gun that may “settle for a belt ammunition feeding gadget” in addition to any shotgun with “a revolving cylinder.” Nevertheless, the invoice clarifies that an “assault firearm” doesn’t embody vintage firearms or any weapons “operated by hand by bolt, pump, lever, or slide motion.”

Governor Spanberger can both signal the invoice, veto it, or permit it to turn into legislation by taking no motion. She criticized former Governor Glenn Youngkin (R.) for vetoing an analogous package deal of gun payments, which included an AR-15 ban, throughout final yr’s election.

“I’ll signal laws into legislation to make progress on these points to maintain Virginia households secure,” she advised the Occasions-Dispatch on the time. “I can’t veto commonsense proposals like our present governor has finished.”