Virginia Democrats have drawn up an amendment to their bill to ban “assault weapons” and standard capacity magazines, and it is designed to come down even harder on innocent gun owners.
Virgnia's SB 749 has been amended to, in part, remove the grandfather clause for current magazine owners. Keeping any mag that can hold more than ten rounds would be Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in prison.
— Cam Edwards (@CamEdwards) January 26, 2026
The amendment to the bill removes the clause to grandfather in preexisting magazines with a capacity greater than 10 rounds. Violators of the law can be prosecuted as a Class 1 misdemeanor and a convicted individual could be subject to a penalty of $2,500 and up to 12 months in prison. The original bill already moved to classify any "semi-automatic centerfire rifle or pistol" as an "assault weapon" to be banned.
Virginia’s new Democrat Governor Abigail Spanberger had previously expressed a weakly worded defense of the Second Amendment to the state’s legislature.
This bill would turn millions of law abiding Virginia gun owners into felons with the stroke of a pen.
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 26, 2026
We're about to find out if @SpanbergerForVA means it when she told the General Assembly "I respect the Second Amendment and don't let anyone tell you otherwise." https://t.co/cRazHvQbXE pic.twitter.com/dp5RKCapDF
“My dad went to work with a gun on his hip every single day,” Spanberger said. “We had guns in the house. My uncle was an avid hunter. As a federal agent myself, I carried a firearm every day as part of my job. I respect the Second Amendment, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
Numerous conservative commentators have expressed outrage over the decision to turn Virginia’s law-abiding gun owners into criminals overnight.
This is absolutely insane https://t.co/614J9jJegy
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) January 26, 2026
Virginia Democrats just moved to make ANY possession of 10+ round gun magazines a misdemeanor in Virginia. No grandfather clause.
— NOVA Campaigns (@NoVA_Campaigns) January 26, 2026
Millions of Virginians own standard 30rd magazines. https://t.co/S0qt4YYZyi
As Democrats are claiming the Trump administration is tyrannical and suddenly praising the Second Amendment, they are also planning a mass confiscation of common magazines in Virginia, in addition to a number of other draconian gun control laws.
— Kostas Moros (@MorosKostas) January 26, 2026
The Supreme Court needs to… https://t.co/bYQ1Fc1iLu
“Spanberger is a moderate!” - 2025 campaign
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) January 26, 2026
Reality- 2026: https://t.co/vLcQIfPVKd
With Democrats having complete control of the state following the 2025 election, the measure to disarm Virginia gun owners is likely to pass.