Overview
- Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed the bill Thursday, banning the import, sale, manufacture, purchase, or transfer of defined assault firearms and magazines holding more than 15 rounds.
- The law takes effect on July 1, 2026, and violations are a Class 1 misdemeanor that can bring up to a year in jail, a $2,500 fine, and a three-year bar on buying or possessing any gun after conviction.
- The measure defines the banned category by features such as detachable magazines with a second handgrip or collapsible stock, and it exempts antique or permanently inoperable firearms while allowing current owners to keep what they already have.
- The National Rifle Association and allied groups filed lawsuits in Virginia state court and in federal court within hours, arguing the ban violates the right to bear arms, and the U.S. Justice Department has said it will sue to block enforcement.
- In a separate action earlier in the week, Spanberger signed bills limiting who may carry guns on college campuses to law enforcement, ROTC cadets, and U.S. military personnel, as Virginia joins a dozen jurisdictions with similar semi-automatic gun restrictions that courts in the 4th Circuit have previously upheld.