Governor defends Virginia assault weapons ban

RICHMOND — A recent assault weapons ban law signed by Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger is in line with a similar Maryland ban upheld by a federal appeals court, according to a statement released Tuesday.The statement comes after Thursday's joint announcement by Scott County Sherif Jeff Edds Sr. and Commonwealth's Attorney Kyle Kilgore that they see the ban violates the U.S. and Virginia constitutions.Spanberger signed the law on May 14. It makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor to import, sell, manufacture, purchase or transfer an assault firearm."Governor Spanberger believes that firearms designed to inflict maximum casualties do not belong on Virginia streets," according to the statement issued from her office. "This important step to protect families, law enforcement officers, and communities from gun violence was passed by majorities in the General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor.""The people of Virginia must be able to trust that all Commonwealth's Attorneys will uphold the rule of law and keep Virginians safe," the statement added.Edds is now one of at least seven Virginia sheriffs — including those in Russell, Washington, Smyth, Amherst and Henry counties and the city of Bristol — who have opposed the law.Kilgore is one of at least five Commonwealth's Attorneys who have either opposed the law or stated publicly that they will not enforce it."Our position is straightforward: we support the Constitution, we support the rights of law-abiding citizens, and we do not believe this unconstitutional law represents the appropriate balance between public safety and constitutional freedom," according to the statement posted Thursday on the Scott County Sheriff's Office Facebook page. Under state law, the term "assault firearm" means any semi-automatic center-fire rifle or pistol which shoots single or multiple rounds or ammunition.Affected weapons and devices under the ban include:- those equipped with a magazine which will hold more than 20 rounds- weapons designed by the manufacturer to accommodate a silencer or equipped with a folding stock.The law grandfathers residents owning affected weapons before the bill goes into effect July 1. It also exempts the purchase of legally-determined antique firearms and possession by law enforcement agencies, state-licensed private security companies, state or local correctional facilities and agencies authorized to perform law enforcement duties.A Spanberger staffer said Tuesday a suit was filed May 14 in U.S. Eastern District of Virginia Court against the Virginia State Police Superintendent along with Commonwealth's Attorneys and sheriffs in Goochland and Prince William counties.The pending suit — filed by the National Rifle Association, Firearms Policy Council, Second Amendment Foundation and two members of all three organizations — seek to have the law declared in violation of the Second and 14th Amendments.A similar ban passed into Maryland law was upheld by the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in August 2024, the staffer said.