As the Virginia Legislature’s starting date rapidly approaches, anti-gunners are already preparing to axe your gun rights by firing off new bills during the bill pre-filing period.

HB 217 is especially damaging, and it aims to do a sweeping number of infringements on your rights if passed. The bill:

• Bans the importation, sale, manufacture, purchase, and transfer of a wide range of commonly owned semi-automatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns by classifying them as “assault firearms” based on features such as pistol grips, threaded barrels, folding or adjustable stocks, muzzle devices, or the ability to accept detachable magazines.
• Targets specifically semi-automatic pistols and shotguns commonly used for lawful purposes, including pistols with threaded barrels and semi-automatic shotguns with detachable magazines or fixed magazine capacities exceeding seven rounds.
• Bans the sale and transfer of magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds if manufactured on or after July 1, 2026, outlawing standard-capacity magazines that are factory-issued with many popular firearms.
• Makes the importation, sale, manufacture, purchase, or transfer of a prohibited firearm a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.
• Imposes a three-year prohibition on possessing, purchasing, or transporting any firearm for anyone convicted under the bill, expanding firearm prohibitions through misdemeanor offenses.
• Criminalizes possession, purchase, or transport of an “assault firearm” by anyone under the age of 21, even when the firearm was lawfully owned and manufactured before the ban date.
• Authorizes seizure and forfeiture of firearms, magazines, and accessories involved in violations, even when the underlying offense is a misdemeanor rather than a felony.
• Expands concealed handgun permit disqualifications by tying permit eligibility to the new “assault firearm” misdemeanor convictions.

In addition, HB207 could obliterate the gains we made on the federal level by convincing Congress to lower the National Firearms Act tax on suppressors from $200 to $0 thanks to your persistence and advocacy. HB207 hopes to:

• Impose a new $500 Virginia tax on suppressors, in addition to the existing federal tax and registration requirements.

To recap, the Virginia Legislature has already also introduced SB 27 which holds manufacturers and dealers liable and susceptible to potentially multimillion dollar lawsuits for things out of their control and SB 38, seeks to grow the already stringent regulations regarding the confiscation or transfer of firearms from a “prohibited person.”

How can we fight back against these egregious policies that threaten our inalienable Second Amendment rights? There are currently two essential and immediate options that we need your help with.

1.  Use the form at the top of this post to contact your state delegate and senator, and tell them that you oppose HB 217, HB 207, SB 27, and SB 38 for the reasons outlined above. We need to flood Richmond politicians with calls and emails to make it clear that Virginians will not tolerate and stand by when our constitutional rights are under attack.

2.  Join us for the The Virginia Citizens Defense League Lobby Day on January 19, 2026. VCDL’s lobby day is an opportunity for our message to be heard and amplified; with a massive attendance of gun owners at the state capitol, we can make a serious impact on how these bills perform. Click here to learn more