GOA and GOF File Lawsuit in Direct Response to Virginia Ban on “Assault Weapons” and Public Carry

Gun Owners of America (GOA) and Gun Owners Foundation (GOF), alongside Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) and 2A journalist John Crump, have filed a lawsuit today in direct response to Virginia’s enactment of SB749 and SB727, the “assault weapons” ban and public carry ban. These two bills represent the most immediate threat to the rights of every law-abiding gun owner in Virginia.

By criminalizing the purchase and transfer of the most popular firearms in America and effectively banning self-defense in public spaces, these laws are a direct assault on the Second Amendment and stand in open defiance of Virginia’s own constitution and necessitate an immediate strike in court.

Article I, Section 13 of the Virginia Constitution guarantees that the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. Therefore, our lawsuit demands a declaratory judgment and an injunction to prevent these unconstitutional laws from taking effect on July 1st.

Erich Pratt, Senior Vice President of Gun Owners of America, issued the following statement:

“Governor Spanberger has declared war on the rights of all Virginians. By banning the most commonly-owned firearms and standard-capacity magazines in America, the state is disarming law-abiding citizens, while doing absolutely nothing to stop violent crime.”

Chris Stone, Director of State Affairs for Gun Owners of America, added:

“Governor Spanberger and the anti-gun Democrats in the General Assembly are proud to openly violate the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Virginians, and their glee is an affront to the motto and ethos of this commonwealth. Gun Owners of America and our friends at Virginia Citizens Defense League look forward to challenging them in court.”

GOA spokesmen are available for interviews. Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit grassroots lobbying organization dedicated to protecting the right to keep and bear arms without compromise. GOA represents over two million members and activists. For more information, visit GOA’s Press Center.

FPC Files Federal Lawsuit Challenging Virginia Gun Ban

Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) filed a new federal lawsuit, McDonald v. Katz, after Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed legislation to ban so-called “assault firearms” and “large capacity” magazines. FPC is seeking a permanent injunction against the enforcement of the Virginia bans as well as other relief.

The plaintiffs challenging the ban include two individual FPC members, the National Rifle Association, and the Second Amendment Foundation. The plaintiffs are represented by David Thompson, Peter Patterson, and William Bergstrom of Cooper & Kirk, PLLC, along with P. Thomas DiStanislao and Michael Brady of Whiteford, Taylor & Preston LLP.

The complaint was filed on May 14, 2026. Likely next steps include an answer from the defendant and a briefing schedule from the District Court.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

The Virginia ban unconstitutionally prohibits the exercise of rights protected under the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, including by prohibiting the acquisition of semi-automatic “assault firearms” and standard-capacity magazines that can hold more than 15 rounds of ammunition.

“FPC just filed a federal lawsuit to put an end to tyrant Governor Abigail Spanberger’s radical assault on the People of Virginia. Spanberger’s insane law criminalizes constitutionally protected conduct and bans arms the Second Amendment protects. We’re going to force Governor Spanberger and other government thugs to follow the Constitution and respect the Second Amendment, full stop. We’ll fight forward to end these laws throughout the United States-whatever it takes,” said FPC President Brandon Combs.

About Firearms Policy Coalition: Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) is a nonprofit membership organization that exists to create a world of maximal individual liberty and eliminate unconstitutional gun control laws. FPC works—and wins—for the People through high-impact strategic litigation, groundbreaking research, legislative and regulatory advocacy, grassroots activism, education, and public engagement. FPC’s legal division, FPC Law, is the nation’s leading initiative dedicated to restoring the right to keep and bear arms across the United States. To learn more about how FPC is working—and winning—for the People, sign up for FPC news alerts at firearmspolicy.org and follow FPC on X, Instagram, and Facebook.

NRA Files Lawsuits Challenging Virginia’s Assault Weapons and Magazine Bans

The National Rifle Association (NRA) today announced the filing of lawsuits in both Virginia state court and federal court challenging the so-called “assault weapons” ban and magazine ban signed into law by Governor Abigail Spanberger.

“As promised, we are taking Abigail Spanberger to court,” said John Commerford, NRA-ILA Executive Director. “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. 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 world-class legal team is locked, loaded, and ready to shoot down this outrageous gun-control law.”

Background

The legislation (SB749/HB217) bans certain semi-automatic firearms, including many semi-automatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns commonly used by law-abiding citizens for self-defense, hunting, and sporting purposes. It also prohibits the sale of magazines that hold more than 15 rounds. This bill represents an attempt to redefine and ban firearms that are in common use by law-abiding citizens and to prohibit the future sale and transfer of virtually all modern firearms.

SAF Files Lawsuit Challenging Newly Passed Assault Weapons Ban in Virginia

Following closely on the heels of Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signing new gun control legislation into law, the Second Amendment Foundation and its partners have filed a lawsuit challenging the commonwealth’s new bans on “assault firearms” and large-capacity magazines.

Gov. Spanberger signed into law a ban on so-called “assault firearms” declaring that “…any person who imports, sells, manufactures, purchases, or transfers an assault firearm is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.” The law further defines an “assault firearm” as a semiautomatic rifle chambered in any caliber besides .22 rimfire or one that contains a litany of common features such as a collapsing stock, pistol grip, threaded barrel or more. The law also bans magazines capable of holding more than 15 rounds of ammunition. The new laws go into effect on July 1.

“It’s wild that lawmakers who each take an oath to uphold the Constitution insist on passing bills purposefully designed to gut it,” said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut. “The firearms and magazines banned in this law aren’t bizarre and unusual outliers, they’re among the most commonly owned guns and magazines in the country. They’re owned in the tens of millions by peaceable Americans who use them overwhelmingly lawfully. Virginia has now joined the minority of radical states to ban these constitutionally protected firearms, and in so doing, joined the club of states we’re suing over it.”

As noted in the complaint, “The firearms that Virginia bans as ‘assault firearms’ are, in all respects, ordinary semiautomatic firearms. To the extent they are different from other semiautomatic firearms, their distinguishing features make them safer and easier to use. Regardless of any new category of arms created by state lawmakers, they cannot be banned because they are not dangerous and unusual.” SAF is joined in McDonald v. Katz by the National Rifle Association, Firearms Policy Coalition and two private citizens.

“Virginia lawmakers lied to their constituents and to themselves when they said these laws weren’t bans,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “A new sales and transfer ban is a ban that’s just one generation removed. On July 1, anyone turning 18 in Virginia will find out that the rights enjoyed by their predecessors don’t apply to them. These bans are an afront to the Constitution and an insult to the intelligence of Virginians who were fed lies and misrepresentations by their elected officials. We’re excited to fast track this case to the Supreme Court.”

For more information visit SAF.org.

The Second Amendment Foundation (saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the fundamental rights of individuals enshrined in the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. SAF engages in aggressive legal action to ensure the principles of armed self-defense, personal liberty, and the ownership of arms are defended, secured, and restored. Through public education initiatives, SAF teaches the importance of the Second Amendment to promote a society that values and exercises the right to keep and bear arms.