Buoyed by a new blue governor backed by anti-gun groups, lawmakers in the "Old Dominion" state this week launched an ambitious raft of proposed new regulations on 2A rights.
The 2026 session of the Virginia legislature won't start until next week, but almost a dozen new gun control bills are on tap, prefiled by the Democrats in charge of the body.
These include House Bill 271, which bans the importation, sale, and manufacture of "assault firearms" and magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds. Violators face up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.
Another measure, House Bill 207, creates a new $500 tax on the retail sale of firearm suppressors just after their longstanding $200 federal tax has been zeroed out.
Other proposals, as detailed by the National Rifle Association of America, Institute for Legislative Action:
Senate Bill 27 and House Bill 21 create sweeping new standards of “responsible conduct” for members of the firearm industry, including manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. The bills require these businesses to establish and implement vague and subjective “reasonable controls” over the manufacture, sale, distribution, use, and marketing of firearm-related products. Further, they establish a broad civil cause of action, allowing the Attorney General, local government attorneys, or private individuals to sue firearm businesses for injunctions, damages, and costs. These bills are a direct attack on the firearm industry and are designed to regulate the industry out of existence through litigation – despite longstanding federal protections.
Senate Bill 38 and House Bill 93 expand Virginia’s existing prohibited person restrictions to affect individuals who live in the same household as someone who is prohibited. These proposals could result in lawful gun owners losing their rights based solely on the actions or status of another household member.
House Bill 19 expands prohibiting categories for certain misdemeanor crimes.
House Bill 24 jeopardizes concealed handgun recognition and reciprocity agreements. This could impact the ability of Virginia's Concealed Handgun Permit holders to carry their firearms in other states as they travel.
House Bill 40 ends the centuries-old practice of individuals building lawful firearms for personal use without government interference by prohibiting the manufacture of firearms without serial numbers. Transfer and possession of an unserialized or plastic firearm would be prohibited. This legislation would also penalize individuals who lawfully purchased unfinished frames and receivers before the bill’s effective date.
House Bill 110 places further restrictions on the ability for a law-abiding individual to keep a firearm in their vehicle for self-defense.
The Virginia Citizens Defense League's Lobby Day, giving members a chance to talk to their lawmakers, is scheduled for Jan. 19, 2026.
Going further, Gun Owners of America has an online campaign making it easy to email their delegates and state senators on the proposed legislation.
A big part of why Virginia's state government is suddenly so ravenous for gun control is due to big-name groups such as Everytown, which ran a $1 million paid media campaign last year to elect former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D) as Virginia’s next governor. The group reportedly reached out to 250,000 Virginia voters in key battleground counties. Spanberger, a former volunteer for the Bloomberg-backed Moms Demand Action, pledged during her gubernatorial campaign to move toward enacting a statewide ban on the manufacturing, sale, and transfer of "assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines" should she win office.
Along with celebrating their gubernatorial win, the group helped back the campaign of 13 Moms Demand Action volunteers to seats in the state’s General Assembly. Everytown dumped $400,000 into key battleground districts across Virginia to float the candidates to their electoral wins, which now means one out of five of the Democrat majority seats in the House are held by Moms Demand Action volunteers.
