VA Dems advance bill to ban sale of assault weapons, possession of magazines that can hold 10+ rounds

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia Democrats are moving forward with several bills they say will reduce gun violence in Virginia.

On Monday, the Senate Courts of Justice Committee approved several gun control-related measures. 

Along party lines, the committee approved a bill that would make it a crime to sell, manufacture or purchase an assault weapon, as defined in the bill, in Virginia. Plus, per the bill, it would also become illegal to possess a magazine that could hold more than ten rounds of ammunition. 

“This approach will gradually take the weapons off the street without retroactively making it a crime to own a weapon that was legally purchased,” the bill’s author, Senator Saddam Salim (D-Fairfax), told the committee.

However, Republicans argued the bill violates Virginians’ Second Amendment rights.  

“Every handgun that is not a pistol has the capacity to have a magazine greater than ten. This is a grab to obtain all firearms or prevent Virginians for having them,” said Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle (R-Hanover).

Meanwhile, the committee also passed a measure to require anyone with a child in the home to store their guns in a locked container that can only be opened via biometrics, like a person’s fingerprint.

“In 2024, a three-year-old in Newport News shot himself with another gun, and again in ‘25 another three-year-old in Chesterfield County after his security guard father left his gun on the kitchen counter,” said Senator Jennfier Boysko (D-Fairfax), the bill’s author.

“These safes can be expensive, and secondly, the burden of keeping your firearms safe and stored properly lies on the gun owner, not the state,” said Liam Reed, who testified against the bill. 

In addition, the Senate Courts of Justice Committee approved a bill that would make it illegal to sell or possess untraceable so-called “ghost guns” without a serial number in Virginia. 

Any of the bills passed in committee still need to pass the full Senate and the House of Delegates before they can be considered by Democratic Governor Abigail Spanberger.