Virginia’s new governor, Abigail Spanberger, who billed herself as a moderate on the campaign trail, has shown herself to be anything but since she’s moved into the governor’s mansion. Her latest salvo against the rights of Virginians comes in the form of harsh restrictions on gun ownership that she personally tailored. Markus Schmidt of The Virginia Mercury reports:
Just hours before a midnight deadline, Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Monday submitted a series of amendments to high-profile gun legislation passed by the General Assembly last month, while also signing several related measures into law.
Taken together, the changes mark one of the most significant overhauls of Virginia’s firearms laws in years, touching on how guns are sold, stored and carried across the commonwealth.
Schmidt continues:
Among the most closely watched measures are House Bill 217 and Senate Bill 749, which prohibit the future sale of certain semi-automatic firearms classified as assault weapons, along with magazines capable of holding more than 15 rounds.
The legislation does not apply to firearms or magazines lawfully owned before July 1, 2026.
Pay attention to that last line. Promising to grandfather certain pre-ban firearms and accessories is a tactic that was used in Rhode Island to help move that state’s “assault weapons” ban over the finish line. Now, Rhode Islanders are facing the prospect of having their pre-ban guns confiscated. Luke McCoy explains at USA Carry:
The proposal builds on legislation signed into law in June 2025 by Governor Dan McKee. That law banned the manufacture, purchase, sale, and transfer of certain firearms described by lawmakers as “military-style weapons.” However, it allowed current owners to keep firearms they already possessed under a grandfather clause.
The law is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026.
Under the existing statute, lawful owners can keep those firearms. They are also allowed to sell them to federally licensed firearm dealers or transfer them to individuals outside Rhode Island where possession is legal.
House Bill H 8073 would change that by prohibiting possession altogether. If enacted, owners of these firearms would need to transfer them out of state or sell them through approved channels before the deadline outlined in the bill.
Action Line: Get your gun and your training before it’s too late. Even then, moving to a better America might be the best option, because, as you can see in Rhode Island, even gun owners who follow the rules could have their firearms taken away. Click here to subscribe to my free monthly Survive & Thrive letter.
