Gun owners, advocates urge Spanberger to oppose signing gun control bills into law

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Dozens of people gathered at the Virginia State Capitol on Saturday to express their objection to Democratic-backed bills that would limit guns, which are currently awaiting Gov. Abigail Spanberger's signature.

Senate Bill 749 would ban assault weapons and put limitations on magazine capacities, as described in the bill. However, both items have exceptions.

General Assembly Democrats have considered the legislation as a safety measure, while others who rallied at the capitol said it's an early sign of tyranny.

"When they say that we're not responsible enough to stand on our own, that we're not responsible enough to handle ourselves and the defense of ourselves, and that we need to leave everything up to the government, that is how we tiptoe into a police state. We do not want that in Virginia," said organizer Micah Goodman of Virginia Beach.

(Photo: Ben Walls/8News)

(Photo: Ben Walls/8News)

(Photo: Ben Walls/8News)

(Photo: Ben Walls/8News)

(Photo: Ben Walls/8News)

If Spanberger signed the bill into law, selling, purchasing, importing, manufacturing or transferring assault weapons would be illegal starting July 1, 2026.

Additionally, it would also be illegal to sell, transfer or purchase a magazine capable of holding more than 15 rounds of ammunition. Organizers say people who already own magazines with a capacity higher than 15 rounds will be able to keep them.

Listed below are the guns defined as assault weapons in the bill: 

• A semi-automatic center-fire rifle or pistol with a fixed magazine capacity in excess of 15 rounds;
• A semi-automatic center-fire rifle that has the ability to accept a detachable magazine, not including an attached tubular device designed to accept and capable of operating only with .22 caliber rimfire ammunition, and that has one or more of the following characteristics: (i) a folding, telescoping or collapsible stock; (ii) a thumbhole stock or pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the rifle; (iii) a second handgrip or a protruding grip that can be held by the non-trigger hand; (iv) a grenade launcher; or (v) a threaded barrel capable of accepting (a) a muzzle brake, (b) a muzzle compensator, (c) a sound suppressor or (d) a flash suppressor;
• A semi-automatic center-fire pistol that has two or more of the following characteristics: (i) a second handgrip or a protruding grip that can be held by the non-trigger hand; (ii) the capacity to accept a magazine that attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip; (iii) a shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel and that permits the shooter to hold the pistol with the non-trigger hand without being burned; (iv) a threaded barrel capable of accepting (a) a sound suppressor, (b) a flash suppressor, (c) a barrel extender or (d) a forward handgrip; or (v) a buffer tube, arm brace, or other part that protrudes horizontally behind the pistol grip and is designed or redesigned to allow or facilitate the firing of a firearm from the shoulder;
• A semi-automatic shotgun that expels single or multiple projectiles by action of an explosion of a combustible material that has one of the following characteristics: (i) a folding, telescoping or collapsible stock; (ii) a thumbhole stock or pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the shotgun; (iii) the ability to accept a detachable magazine; (iv) a fixed magazine capacity in excess of 15 rounds; or (v) any characteristic of like kind as enumerated in clauses (i) through (iv);
• A shotgun with a revolving cylinder;
• A firearm that has the capacity to accept a belt ammunition feeding device; or
• A firearm that has been modified to be operable as an assault firearm as described in subdivisions 1 through 6.

Advocates at the capitol believe that legislation will strip away the constitutional protections under the Second Amendment and are cracking down on law-abiding citizens instead of criminals.

"They're just going to keep making it harder and harder and harder. We cannot let them do that," an activist said at the podium.

Democratic Senator Saddam Salim (D-Fairfax) said the bill will help remove "weapons of war" off the street.

“How do we ensure that my kids and your kids, and whoever kids come after this, that they have a safe place when they go to school, not necessarily a place where they have to do active shooter drills and think about whether it’s real or if it’s not?" Salim said.

8News received the following statement from Spanberger's office:

“As the mother of three daughters in Virginia public schools and a former federal law enforcement officer who carried a gun every day, Governor Spanberger knows how important it is to make sure kids and families are safe. The Governor is grateful for the efforts of legislators and advocates to address gun violence in Virginia communities, and she looks forward to reviewing all legislation that comes to her desk.”

The action deadline for Spanberger is set to 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 13.