On May 14, 2026, Democratic Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed SB749, a signature piece of legislation that bans the purchase and importation of the vast majority of modern rifles and standard-capacity magazines. The bill fulfills a longstanding desire on the part of Virginia Democrats to crack down on gun owners and move the state decisively to the blue-state model of gun control. But today, Virginia Republican leaders exclusively told The American Spectator that they plan to repeal the bill should they regain control of the state legislature.  In a public statement, Del. Terry Kilgore, the GOP Minority Leader in the Virginia House of Delegates, predicted that the bill would be found unconstitutional. The National Rifle Association immediately filed lawsuits against the law in both state and federal court, as did other gun rights groups. The NRA called the law “a blatant violation of Second Amendment rights and an affront to landmark Supreme Court cases.” When asked what would happen if the courts did not invalidate the gun control bill, Kilgore told The American Spectator, “If the courts do not throw this unconstitutional law out, our Republican caucus will vote to repeal it at the first possible opportunity.” Virginia Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle also sharply criticized the legislation, telling The American Spectator, “Once again, the Governor and Democrat-controlled General Assembly have proven they only care about protecting criminals, not law-abiding Virginians. Last legislative session they refused to pass stricter penalties for those who commit crimes with guns, choosing instead to shield the violent offenders terrorizing our communities.” In a statement on why she signed the legislation, Spanberger told CBS 6, “I am signing this bill into law because firearms designed to inflict maximum casualties do not belong on our streets. We are taking this step to protect families and support the law enforcement officers who work every day to keep our communities safe.” Passed on a strictly party-line vote in both chambers of the Virginia legislature, the bill bans the purchase, manufacture, or importation of so-called “assault firearms.” These are classified as firearms that use center-fire ammunition and possess collapsable stocks, pistol grips, threaded barrels, or barrel shrouds. The purchase or importation of detachable magazines holding over 15 rounds is also prohibited. According to Gun Owners of America, “These are not rare or unusual items. They are standard equipment for many of the most common firearms in the United States.” Spanberger sought to have the bill slightly modified after it was passed, but the state legislature rejected her proposed changes. Some of her revisions would have loosened the restrictions around some semi-automatic shotguns. “While the General Assembly chose not to adopt my amendment that specifically carves out certain firearms frequently used for hunting,” Spanberger told CBS 6, “I will work with the patrons to clarify this language.” However, the governor’s revisions would also have classified any gun using a detachable magazine of over 15 rounds as an assault weapon. Combined with another gun control bill signed by the governor that prohibited the carrying of assault weapons in public places, if Spanberger had her way, Virginia would have effectively banned the carry of many common full-sized pistols like the Glock 17. While President Donald Trump is unpopular in Virginia, Gov. Spanberger’s job approval numbers have also fallen, contributing to the near-run referendum to gerrymander the commonwealth’s congressional districts. After the Virginia Supreme Court ruled the results of that referendum invalid, Spanberger has little to show for her time as governor other than the gun ban.  Both chambers of the Virginia legislature are up for reelection in 2027. Democrats won a 64–36 seat majority in the House of Delegates in the state’s 2025 elections, and hold a slimmer 21–19 seat majority in the Virginia Senate, which was most recently up for election in 2023. A source familiar with the Virginia GOP’s strategy told The American Spectator, “Gun owners in Virginia are very passionate about the Second Amendment, and this is going to be a campaign issue in 2027. Spanberger is already the least popular VA governor this century, and her signing this bill is only going to make that worse.” Absent a court ruling blocking the enforcement of the legislation, the bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2026. Because of the grandfather clause, any Virginian who possesses a so-called “assault weapon” prior to that date will be allowed to keep it. READ MORE by Stephan Kapustka: Southern Republicans Are Going Soft on Redistricting Tuesday Night Massacre: Anti-Redistricting Indiana Republicans Go Down Back to Basics on Capital Punishment