Fresh off their closer-than-expected victory at the polls on Tuesday that allows them to gerrymander the state’s congressional districts and give them a 10-1 advantage, Virginia Democrats (and the Republican minority) return to the state capitol today to address bills vetoed or amended by Gov. Abigail Spanberger this session.
That includes a number of gun control bills; most notably the ban on so-called “assault firearms” and “large capacity” magazines that Spanberger amended in such a way that simply carrying a pistol with a 17- or 20-round magazine will turn that lawful gun a firearm that’s illegal to possess in most public spaces.
There was some speculation about whether the governor was aware of the consequences of that change, but there’s no doubt Spanberger knew exactly what she was doing.
The bill as it passed the legislature describes a prohibition of the purchase, sale and transportation of semi-automatic shotguns that meet certain criteria, including “a fixed magazine capacity in excess of 15 rounds.” Spanberger’s proposed substitute removes the word “fixed.” According to a spokesperson for her administration, that makes clear detachable magazines capable of holding more than 15 rounds are included in the legislation.
While the “assault firearm” ban itself doesn’t contain a prohibition on possession, a separate bill that was also amended by Spanberger makes it a criminal offense to carry an “assault firearm” in most public places, including roads and sidewalks. If Spanberger’s fellow Democrats approve the change it will have an impact on a large number of concealed carry licensees across the state, and there doesn’t appear to be any opposition mounting ahead of today’s vote.
Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim, D-Fairfax, carried what he characterized as an assault weapon ban in the Senate. He said he would vote to adopt the amendments when the General Assembly reconvenes.
“It captures a broad range of assault weapons that would fall under that same definition now,” Salim said.
Salim noted carve-outs for law enforcement and for family members receiving those kinds of firearms from parents and grandparents. Getting those firearms serviced would also still be allowed under the legislation. And the ban does not apply to current firearms categorized as assault weapons, so current owners would be allowed to keep their firearms.
“Nowhere in the commonwealth do we allow law enforcement or anyone else to go door-to-door and check to see if you obtain your firearms legally or not,” he said. “Even with the amendments, they’re consistent with the goals that I have in the bill, which is to end the sales of these weapons without criminalizing people who own them today or without infringing on their Second Amendment rights.”
Salim is either an idiot who doesn’t understand Spanberger’s changes or (far more likely) is a slimeball who doesn’t mind lying to the people of Virginia. The governor’s proposed changes does indeed criminalize existing owners, at least if they continue to carry their pistols with standard capacity magazines of 17 or 20 rounds. Doing so would be Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine.
Second Amendment groups have vowed to file suit over the ban in both state and federal court. With the Fourth Circuit already giving its stamp of approval to bans on commonly-owned arms like AR-15s and magazines that can hold more than ten rounds, a state-level challenge might see more success, and the possibility still remains that the Supreme Court will take up a hardware case next term, which could impact Virginia’s law as well as similar gun and magazine bans in nearly a dozen other states.
In the short term, though, Virginia gun owners and gun sellers are about to learn what its like to live in East California or New New York. As a Virginia resident, I’m not looking forward to the changes coming on July 1, but I’m not giving up the fight for my Second Amendment rights.
Editor’s Note: The radical left will stop at nothing to enact their radical gun control agenda and strip us of our Second Amendment rights.
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