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Virginia’s new ban on the sale and manufacture of assault-style firearms is already facing state and federal court challenges, filed almost immediately after Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed the measure into law.
The legislation, sponsored by state Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim and Del. Dan Helmer, both Fairfax County-area Democrats, also prohibits magazines capable of holding more than 15 rounds. The restrictions take effect July 1, 2026.
Firearms owned before that date are exempt, while new purchases will be prohibited once the law takes effect. Other exemptions cover antique, inoperable and manually operated firearms, as well as weapons used for government duties.
Spanberger said her background as a federal law enforcement officer shaped her decision to approve the ban.
“I am signing this bill into law because firearms designed to inflict maximum casualties do not belong on our streets,” Spanberger said. “We are taking this step to protect families and support the law enforcement officers who work every day to keep our communities safe.”
Lawmakers declined to accept an amendment from Spanberger that would have exempted certain firearms frequently used for hunting. The governor said she plans to work with the bill sponsors to clarify the provision.
The National Rifle Association, whose headquarters is on Waples Mill Road in Fairfax, filed lawsuits in state and federal courts on May 14 alongside the Firearms Policy Coalition, the Second Amendment Foundation and two NRA members.
The challenges argue that the law violates the Constitution by banning commonly owned firearms, including the AR-15 rifle. NRA spokesperson Justin Davis described the measure as “the largest attack on Second Amendment rights Virginia’s ever seen.”
The state case, filed in Washington County in southwestern Virginia, requests a preliminary injunction blocking the law before July 1 and asks the Virginia Supreme Court to invalidate it. Davis said a separate federal lawsuit was filed because of the law’s potential national implications.
“We knew this day would come, and our team of world-class attorneys that were prepared, and that’s why we were able to file easily following her signature before that could even dry,” Davis said. “We’re going to exhaust every option possible to make sure that those rights are protected, and we feel confident that our court cases will do that.”
Salim and Helmer celebrated the signing after years of unsuccessful Democratic efforts to enact similar restrictions.
Salim, whose district includes Tysons, Vienna, Oakton, Fairfax City and Falls Church, credited advocates who had pursued the ban before he joined the General Assembly in 2024.
“When I ran for State Senate against an incumbent who voted against prior versions of an assault weapons ban, the people who believed in this vision stood with me to make the impossible possible,” Salim said. “I am deeply grateful to my colleagues who gave me the opportunity in my third session to lead as chief patron of this bill, building on years of prior efforts to protect our communities from weapons of war.”
Helmer, an Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran whose district includes Centreville and Clifton, had advanced similar legislation in previous sessions, only for it to be vetoed by former Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
“Weapons similar to those that I carried serving in combat zones have no place in our schools, in our churches, and on our streets,” Helmer said. “Virginians have been on the precipice of finally banning these dangerous weapons before – but this time, we have a Governor who has actually served in law enforcement and understands what it means to protect our neighborhoods.”