RICHMOND, Va. – Exactly one month after amending bills banning “assault weapons” and “large capacity” magazines, Virginia Governor Spanberger signed the highly contested measures into law, with the ban going into effect on July 1, 2026.
Spanberger signed Senate Bill 749 on Thursday, May 14. The legislature rejected amendments she proposed during its April 22 session (which we previously covered), leaving the governor only two options: to veto or sign the measures.
Although there is theoretically a grandfather clause for firearms and magazines owned before the effective date, the public at large is highly skeptical that the state would honor this exemption, and for good reason. Rhode Island lawmakers rolled back the grandfathered possession exemption on its “assault weapons” ban just one year later. That measure was backed by the same anti-gun groups pushing the Virginia ban.
Within hours of the signing, NRA-ILA Executive Director John Commerford announced two lawsuits challenging the legislation.
McDonald v. Katz was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, joined by Second Amendment Foundation and Firearms Policy Coalition.
Santolla v. Katz was filed in the Washington Circuit Court, joined by Virginia Shooting Sports Association, Middletown Firearms, Middletown Training, Virginia Pride Ltd., and private citizens.
Gun Owners of America also announced a legal challenge, called Crump v. Katz, filed in the Lancaster County Circuit Court.
The Second Amendment community is also closely watching the Justice Department’s response. On April 10, the Civil Rights Division, led by AAG Harmeet Dhillon, put the Virginia governor on notice over the pending legislation, stating that the federal government is prepared to sue the state if it signs bills that “unconstitutionally limit law-abiding Americans’ individual right to bear arms.”
We will continue to monitor and report on any developments.
