BREAKING: Gov. Spanberger Signs Assault Weapons Ban Into Law – NRA & DOJ Vow Immediate Court Fight

Added: 2026-05-15

[00:00:02]Hey everyone, we're live with breaking news tonight. Governor Abigail Spamberger has signed in the assault firearms weapons ban. Take that for what that means, for whatever you think that means. Democrats think that assault firearms are uh they classify them as rifles. Of course, any any gun could be an assault firearm, but Governor Abigail Spamberger did it. After years of Democrats pushing to strip away your God-given rights as Americans, Governor Abigail Spanberger signed into law tonight the sweeping firearms ban.

[00:00:45]In this video, we're going to go over exactly what that means and the punishment that you could be facing if you are in violation of this law. And of course, the legal fight that is just getting started as the NRA, the Virginia Citizens Defense League, and others have vowed to fight this tooth and nail. So, we are live here. Come on in. We're going to go over all of this. And of course, if you're watching on the reream after we broadcast, thank you for watching, whether you're here with us live or you are watching the reream here. But I am Uriah Kaiser. This is Virginia Insider where we're bringing you the news and information you need to take back your Commonwealth and to connect with your community. Please like this video, share it, hit that bell notification and subscribe button so you know when we share news. Breaking news tonight about Virginia. All right, so the governor signed the bill into law tonight. WTVR reporting here that Spanberger put a ban on the sale of assault firearms. That's essentially rifles. What those are uh what Democrats consider assault firearms or rifles.

[00:02:02]high-capacity magazines, anything over 15 rounds, while allowing people who already own them to keep them. The law makes it a class one misdemeanor. That's up to 12 months in jail or $2,500 fine or both to sell, manufacture, purchase, or transfer an assault firearm. Anyone convicted of that violation is prohibited from purchasing, possessing or transporting any firearm for 3 years from the date of conviction. Uh the ban does not apply to antique firearms and it also does not apply to members of the general assembly who remove themselves from this overreaching gun ban when during the general session.

[00:02:54]Spanberger had proposed amendments to the legislation, but it was rejected by lawmakers last a this past April in the reconvene sess session. Her options at this point were to veto it or let it become law without her signature or sign it into law. Now, if you were watching our live stream earlier today or if you checked out the video that I cut out of that live stream, I told you I did not expect her to sign this bill. I did expect her to allow it to become law, but she put pen to paper and put her name on this and will be known as the governor who restricted the rights of American citizens who live in Virginia, more than uh stricter than any other governor in Virginia history. She's got the lowest approval rating of any Virginia governor in modern day. And now she adds to this her this this overreach on top of the illegal gerrymander. Now we have this what will surely be challenged in court and will likely be an illegal gun ban in Virginia.

[00:04:03]I'm going to go ahead and play the video here from WTVR. Make sure that we can uh see it. Under the legislation on its way to Governor Abigail Spamber's desk, the state would ban the sale, manufacture, and import of a series of guns classified as assault weapons and magazines that hold more than 15 rounds after July 1st, 2026. If you already bought or owned those before that date, you would still be allowed to keep them.

[00:04:26]>> We are simply saying if you had it, you can keep it, but going forward, you simply cannot purchase them. The bill's sponsor, state senator Saddam Salee, says the bill allows >> Saddam Salem. There is the Tyson's senator from Tyson's Corner. He is the socialist who was the author of this gun ban. He is the socialist that has worked uh authored legislation to make it permanent for ICE to have no role in Virginia law enforcement, keeping ICE out of communities in Virginia, working with state and local law enforcement.

[00:05:06]>> A few ways for owners to transfer those guns and magazines, including selling to licensed dealers or through inheritance from a direct family member. He says it also has exemptions for groups like law enforcement and security at federal facilities >> and the overall goal of this bill is to ensure that we have less weapons of war on the streets.

[00:05:23]>> See says the mass shooting at Virginia Tech happened when he was in high school and many more have happened since >> where instead of trying to do something we just continue to say we're going to you know think about you and we're going to pray for you. Um so we have not seen a lot of that being done. focus on uh criminals in our community and not on weapons owned by law-abiding citizens.

[00:05:45]>> But Republicans like state senator Mark Obenshane say this law will do nothing to prevent mass shootings as the criminals who commit them would ignore the law in the first place. The focus should be on mental health.

[00:05:55]>> Really, it's nothing more than moving around the deck chairs uh on a cruise ship. it is going to do nothing to affect uh violent behavior like the murders that took place down in Shako Bottom a couple of weeks ago.

[00:06:08]>> He adds the bill language also snaps up firearms that he wouldn't consider weapons of war.

[00:06:13]>> They're weapons that have a characteristic like a pistol grip that some shotguns have that are used in hunting uh collapsible or folding stocks. Republicans have added the ban violates the Second Amendment and point to a ruling in DC this month that said a similar magazine ban was unconstitutional. Salem says his bill is based on the 1994 federal ban, but adds if there are legal challenges.

[00:06:37]>> We have an AG who's been great um who has uh said he's going to continue to fight for this alongside me. So, I think we're in a good place.

[00:06:44]>> You have an AG who wants to kill Republican children. Two bullet Jay Jones during the campaign text messages surfaced that he wanted to kill the children of Republicans putting two bullets to the head. Jay Jones are the attorney general who was going to defend this in court hopefully as well as he defended the illegal gerrymander fantasizes about using guns to kill Republican children.

[00:07:19]it comes to that.

[00:07:20]>> As for penalties, if this bill becomes law, anyone who violates it would be guilty of a class one misdemeanor. At the state capital, Cameron Thompson, CBS 6 News.

[00:07:30]>> Again, that misdemeanor is up to 12 months in jail, year imprisonment, and $2,500 fine.

[00:07:39]That's WTVR reporting. That's an older story. Uh that was back when the bill was sitting on Governor Abigail's desk. Uh Governor Queen affordability's desk. Get my get my names correct here.

[00:07:54]Uh this is obviously heading for a legal challenge. We have uh you'll remember Harvey Dylan at the uh Department of Justice tweeted back on April 10th when this was uh getting getting headlines at that point. on notice. Virginia residents are Americans with constitutionally guaranteed rights that this Department of Justice will enforce.

[00:08:20]So, uh, Harmy Dylan saying that Spamberger is on notice. 2A rights shall not be infringed. We are closely watching in the event of unlawful legislation is enacted. We will sue.

[00:08:37]That's Har Dylan there. Department of Justice have re we also have reaction tonight from the NRA.

[00:08:45]Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger has signed legislation banning America's rifle. The NRA is filing two major lawsuits in Virginia to challenge Queen Affordability's anti-second amendment agenda. We're not going to stand idly by and let this new governor ban America's rifle in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

[00:09:07]I'm John Cumberford, executive director of NRA's Institute for Legislative Action. I'm here today to announce the filing of two critical lawsuits in Virginia. One in federal court with our friends at the Second Amendment Foundation and Firearms Policy Coalition, along with two NRA members, and one in state court in Washington County, Virginia, along with our state association, the Virginia Shooting Sports Association and Middletown Firearms and Training, and two NRA members. We're not going to stand idly by and let this new governor ban America's rifle in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Our teams of worldclass appelled attorneys are ready to win in federal and state court and protect your rights across the Commonwealth. Abigail Spanberger isn't going to ban America's rifle on our watch.

[00:09:58]>> All right, so that's NRA reacting there.

[00:10:00]Also have reaction from um it's the NRA. Also have reaction over from Philip Van Cleave at the Virginia Citizens Defense League. Spanberger just signed the assault firearm ban into law.

[00:10:15]She also signed the hospital gun ban bill into law. So VCDL's analysis that was released over the past couple days is correct as written. I did a video earlier this afternoon from uh VCDL and they went through every bit of this legislation and what it would mean, what you need to be uh wary of as we get closer to July 1st, which is the deadline for you to essentially go out and purchase whatever it is that you need to add to your arsenal, to protect your family, to protect your property, to protect your lives. lives. As we heard today on Capitol Hill, Congress grilling Virginia elected leaders, Steve Dano, the George Sorosback prosecutor in Fairfax County, Fairfax County Sheriff Stacy Concincaid, both of these individuals in Fairfax County running sanctuary city policies that have allowed illegal criminal aliens to come into Virginia, rape and murder, and be re-released time and again back onto the streets. We've seen Disconano drop charges on multiple criminals because he factors in immigration status. If you're in the country illegally, he tends to that factors into whether or not he will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. And if they're in the country legally, he will not.

[00:11:56]So, we watched that hearing today. If you were with us earlier on insider Virginia Insider Live, we were watching that hearing and going over that live coverage. We have that video on the site as well as we were watching in that video and going over the uh the grilling the Republicans gave the woke leaders of Fairfax County. And of course, we had former Attorney General Jason Miarez exposing Disano and Concaid for who they are, the liars that they are, saying that they need a federal warrant to release a criminal illegal alien from their jail into ICE custody, knowing full well that you can't get a federal warrant for a state level crime. and they know that and they went to Capitol Hill and they repeated that lie.

[00:12:51]These are the people that are running Virginia. So, you have until January 1st under the July 1st, excuse me, July 1st under the law to get what you need before these these sweeping gun restrictions go into place. Gun owners of Virginia also reacting to this legislation. No such thing as an assault weapon. Any weapon could be an assault weapon. I mean, more people are killed by knives than AR-15s. I mean, let that sink in. That's according to FBI statistics. So, you know, this legislation is going to do nothing to curb crime. Statistically, they'd be better off banning knives because knives kill more often. They are in that sense more of an assault weapon than AR-15s.

[00:13:39]But the good news, Chris, Gun Owners of America is already looking at challenging this in court. I mean, it's a shame that the US Supreme Court hasn't decided one of these cases involving bans on commonly owned firearms, but when they do, I suspect that all these state gun bans are going to fall like a row of dominoes. There is.

[00:14:00]>> All right. So, that's the gun owners of America. They're reacting to this news tonight. Governor Abigail Spanberger signing the sweeping gun ban into law, giving you till Janu again, sorry, July, it's getting late. July 1st, 2026 to get your affairs in order before these sweeping gun restrictions are enacted.

[00:14:35]sweeping down through here.

[00:14:43]As promised, we are taking Abigail Spamber to court, said the NRA throughout the legislative session. The NRA and our members fought Richmond's radical gun control package tooth and nail. We made it clear that this extreme anti-gun proposal, which bans the new purchase of commonly owned firearms and standard capacity magazines in the Commonwealth, is a blatant violation of Second Amendment rights and an affront to landmark Supreme Court cases. That's spokesperson Justin Davis. Instead of listening to these factual concerns from their constituents, progressive politicians sided with Michael Bloomberg and his gun-grabbing groups. The NRA will not sit idly by while progressive politicians strip the rights of law-abiding citizens. And our worldclass legal team is locked, loaded, and ready to shoot down this outrageous gun control law.

[00:15:39]So, thank you for the uh super sticker there. Appreciate that. What do you guys think? Are you uh are you headed out to the store? If there's if there if there's one thing Democrats can do, it is sell guns. It is create a buying frenzy to make sure that law-abiding gun owners, citizens of this great commonwealth get what they need to protect their life and liberty to protect their property, protect their family. Democrats are the best gun sellers known to man.

[00:16:19]So, are you headed out there? Are you are you going to get what you need? Do you plan to join the NRA? Give them a boost.

[00:16:31]Get active in your community.

[00:16:34]Rail against this. Educate your friends and neighbors. Let them know what's going on.

[00:16:40]You know, the April 21st con the April 21st illegal gerrymander was proof that socialists do not sleep.

[00:17:02]We have this map. This is the map that they wanted to put on us here in Virginia. This was that 10 Democrat, one Republican map. This is the map that would that was by default struck down when the Supreme Court of Virginia decided that the supermaajority of Democrats in the Virginia legislature did not follow the Constitution when they tried to create enact this map and illegally gerrymander the entire state silencing 45 to 50% of the electorate in Virginia.

[00:17:40]So they could have ultimate say, ultimate power over how we live when that's that is not reflective of the state at all.

[00:17:58]you look at the current districts and this website doesn't really make it exactly easy to see because I think the the founders of this website really wished this is VPAP. Part of me thinks the founders of this website really wish these districts would go through, but since uh it's a good visual website here in Virginia, I I use this one.

[00:18:36]See if I can pull this up here.

[00:18:39]Here is the April 21st results.

[00:18:44]And this map is proof. As I said, socialists don't sleep. They're not going anywhere.

[00:18:52]You have a sea of purple across Virginia, which represents the no vote. The no, I don't want to have my congressional voice stripped away. No, I don't want to be gerrymandered. No, I don't want to be disenfranchised. No, I don't want to be told how to live. No, I don't want my guns, my god-given rights stripped away.

[00:19:15]No, I don't want you to make it easier for criminals and illegals to come in and rape and kill my children, my family, my my neighbors in my community.

[00:19:24]No, I don't want what you are selling in Richmond, Democrats. I don't want it.

[00:19:31]And then you have the enclave of Orange counties that hate the people in the purple counties because they don't think like them.

[00:19:44]And because they don't want criminal illegal aliens in their communities raping and murdering because they don't like the fact that you want to use a weapon to protect what's yours.

[00:20:01]They don't believe that your rights are endowed by God, your creator.

[00:20:10]And because you don't agree with them, they voted to strip you of your representation.

[00:20:21]And they're going to continue to do this. They're going to continue to pass these laws.

[00:20:26]They will continue to be challenged in court. And through the grace of God, because we have conservatives in the Virginia State Supreme Court and on the US Supreme Court, they will be challenged. and struck down. But we until then we are in the fight.

[00:20:48]We're not in a time where we can just not be involved. That doesn't affect me.

[00:20:56]Oh, I don't pay attention to that. I'd rather watch TV or go out and do anything other than be aware.

[00:21:06]We're past that because the Democrats will not leave us alone.

[00:21:13]They have indicated through everything they've done since taking power.

[00:21:21]They have the governor's mansion. They have the state senate.

[00:21:26]They have the house of delegates. They have the supermajority in the halls of power in Richmond. And everything they have done since taking that supermajority is indicating they're not going to leave Virginiaians alone. The Virginiaians that just want to pay their taxes, serve their communities, go to church, raise their families, support small business, and just be left alone.

[00:22:03]Democrats have a different idea.

[00:22:05]Democrats are not going to leave us alone and they keep showing that with these right stripping bills that we keep signing, keep passing, and thank God they're going to be challenged in court.

[00:22:25]So that is the news.

[00:22:28]We'll be watching this.

[00:22:31]We'll keep on this story just as we have kept on the gerrymander, the illegal gerrymander.

[00:22:40]Just as we have kept up on the data centers, the proliferation of data centers is as more Democrats want more data centers to come in and be able to connect to our utilities and use our water without having to pay without having to build infrastructure of their own. passing the cost on to you and me, the rateayer, as we're dutifully known, as we're so lovely, so lovingly called by Dominion.

[00:23:15]We're going to stay on all these stories because they are important. They are shaping Virginia. They are affecting the future of our families, our homes, our state that we call home.

[00:23:30]So if you are not already a subscriber to this channel, please like and subscribe, share the video, tell a fan friend, find us on Facebook, Facebook.com/vergirginiaider.

[00:23:47]Like us on X. Follow us there, Virginia Insider and we will stay informed together.

[00:23:58]There's a lot to come and I'm glad you're here.

[00:24:04]We'll see you on the next one.