Governor Abigail Spanberger of Virginia is calling on the state’s General Assembly to address perceived weaknesses in gun control measures that were forwarded to her following the conclusion of the regular legislative session.
The governor has proposed modifications to clarify legislation that would prohibit certain firearms commonly referred to as “assault weapons” while adding provisions for universal background screenings to another measure increasing the minimum purchase age for handguns and assault weapons from 18 to 21 years old.
Additional proposed changes include clarification that using a gun lock to disable a firearm would satisfy safe storage mandates under the new legislation. Spanberger also seeks to clarify that firearm surrender programs are designed “to provide Virginians who choose to safely return a firearm in their possession with a safe process to do so.”
The General Assembly will reconvene on April 22 to review the governor’s proposed modifications.
Among the legislation receiving particular scrutiny is HB217, which prohibits specific categories of semiautomatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns. This measure has attracted attention from federal
authorities.
Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division as assistant attorney general, issued a warning to Governor Spanberger in correspondence dated April 10, urging reconsideration of the gun control package, particularly the prohibition.
“The Civil Rights Division will commence litigation in the event the Commonwealth of Virginia enacts certain bills that unconstitutionally limit law-abiding Americans’ individual right to bear arms,” Dhillon’s correspondence stated.
The governor’s office indicated that modifications to HB217 aim to “provide additional clarity to law enforcement as it relates to the firearms included under this legislation, as well as protect the use of certain semi-automatic shotguns used for hunting.”
Should the measure become law, importing, selling, manufacturing, purchasing, or transferring assault firearms as outlined in the legislation would become illegal starting July 1.
The legislation characterizes an assault weapon as any semiautomatic rifle, shotgun, or pistol featuring a collapsible, telescoping, or thumbhole stock, a bayonet lug or grenade launcher, a magazine capacity exceeding 15 rounds, a second handgrip, or a threaded barrel designed for flash suppressor, muzzle brake, or compensator
installation, among other specifications.
Firearms lawfully acquired before July 1 would be exempt under a grandfather clause. However, owners would be restricted to
transferring such weapons only to licensed firearms dealers located outside Virginia or to family members through private transactions, gifts, or inheritance.
The Justice Department’s correspondence referenced previous Supreme Court determinations that the AR-15 is “both widely legal and bought by many ordinary consumers.”
HB1525 increases the minimum purchase age for handguns or assault weapons from 18 to 21 years. The measure also reinstates universal background screening requirements in Virginia, with exemptions for ROTC students or individuals in law enforcement training programs.
Proposed modifications direct the Virginia State Police to reinstate background screenings for private transactions and ensure consistency with HB217. The changes also incorporate an emergency provision for immediate implementation upon General Assembly action.
HB702 would authorize local law enforcement agencies to develop protocols for implementing firearm buyback or surrender programs by January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter. The governor’s modification ensures gun owners have a secure method for disposing of firearms if desired.
On April 10, Spanberger approved legislation prohibiting unserialized firearms and components, commonly known as ghost guns, establishing stricter regulations for firearms businesses, and two measures concerning firearm possession by individuals subject to court orders.
These measures represent a portion of over twenty gun control bills approved by the Virginia General Assembly during the regular session. Additional legislation prohibits carrying firearms on Capitol grounds or within 100 feet of polling locations or election board facilities and establishes requirements for firearm storage in residences with children present.
HB969 instructs the secretary of public safety to examine establishing a Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center, modeled after similar offices in other states and the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention created during the Biden administration, which was subsequently closed during President Trump’s second term.
In her statement, Spanberger emphasized her support for constitutional rights while defending the new measures. “I support the Second Amendment. But gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in America, and that should motivate all of us to ask ourselves what we can do to mitigate this harm,” she stated.
Democrats enacted similar gun control packages in recent years, though former Republican Governor Glen Youngkin vetoed those measures. Following the November 2025 elections, Democrats secured control of both the General Assembly and the governor’s office. California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Washington state have implemented comparable prohibitions.