Overview
- A Lynchburg circuit judge reaffirmed the October injunction on June 3, preventing the state from enforcing the universal background-check statute while the court resolves the dispute.
- The injunction originally found the 2025 universal-check law unconstitutional as applied to 18-to-20-year-olds and barred enforcement statewide.
- Lawmakers passed HB1525 and Governor Abigail Spanberger signed it April 22 with an emergency clause to make private-sale checks effective immediately, and the Virginia State Police restarted checks after getting advice from the attorney general’s office.
- Gun-rights groups challenged the resumption and argue the emergency clause is invalid because the General Assembly votes (Senate 21–18, House 63–36) fell short of the four-fifths threshold the Virginia Constitution requires for immediate effect.
- The court declined to hold state officials in contempt but litigation will continue and could include further hearings or appeals that decide whether officers risk liability by enforcing the law.