From Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi:
Historic Gun Legislation Passed in Virginia
During the 2026 General Assembly session, Democrats delivered on campaign promises to make our communities safer by passing and enacting historic legislation to prevent gun violence and promote safety.
The following bills passed and were signed into law by Governor Spanberger:
- SB348/HB871: Requires firearms to be stored securely in homes in which minors or prohibited persons are present. Tragically, too many young children are killed or injured within their own homes because of improperly stored firearms.
- SB38/HB93: Establishes a process by which firearms are legally transferred and removed from individuals subject to protective orders, ultimately protecting survivors of domestic violence.
- SB160/HB19: Eliminates the so-called “intimate partner loophole” by prohibiting intimate partners convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence crimes from possessing a firearm.
- SB643/HB1525: Makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person younger than 18 years of age to knowingly and intentionally possess or transport a handgun or assault firearm, as well as persons younger than 21 years of age to purchase a handgun or assault firearm anywhere in the Commonwealth.
- SB323/HB40: Prohibits the manufacture, possession, and sale of untraceable, unserialized firearms or firearm components, also known as ‘ghost guns.’
- SB749/HB217: Prohibits the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
Some Commonwealth’s Attorneys across Virginia are refusing to enforce recently signed gun legislation banning assault weapons, a direct violation of their oath to uphold the laws of the Commonwealth. Although these prosecutors cite concerns related to the Second Amendment, 11 states, now including Virginia, have similar laws, and just last year, the Supreme Court of the United States refused to hear a case on Maryland’s prohibition of assault weapons and declined to consider a challenge to Rhode Island’s ban on large-capacity magazines. By not taking up these cases, the conservative-leaning US Supreme Court seemingly agrees with the state-level regulations on the constitutional merits of laws passed by these state assemblies.
Upholding these laws is not only essential to their oath of office, but it is also an obligation to the communities these public officials serve. Each year, nearly 1,226 Virginians die due to firearms. Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children in Virginia. In Virginia, a gun suicide death occurs every 12 hours. Our children, families, and communities are suffering as a result of inaction to address gun violence.
Tragically, Virginia has been the site of too many mass shootings, including the horrific loss of life on the campus of Virginia Tech and within the community of Virginia Beach. In fact, this week’s newsletter comes adjacent to the solemn anniversary of the Virginia Beach Municipal Center shooting on May 31, 2019. We honor the memory of the 12 individuals whose lives were taken, support those who continue to grieve, and reaffirm our commitment to building safer communities for all Virginians.
