Virginia: Gun Control Looms on the Horizon – Make Plans to Attend Lobby Day in January!

Anti-gun legislators in Richmond have already begun filing legislation ahead of the upcoming Virginia General Assembly session. Several of these bills represent serious threats to the rights of law-abiding gun owners, firearms businesses, and Second Amendment freedoms across the Commonwealth.

Your NRA-ILA will be participating at the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) “Lobby Day” on Monday, January 19, 2026, at the Virginia General Assembly, in Richmond. We are honored to announce that NRA-ILA Executive Director, John Commerford, will be speaking at the event! John will address the current legislative landscape in Virginia, outline NRA-ILA’s ongoing efforts to defend the Second Amendment and emphasize the importance of continued grassroots engagement at the state level. 

NRA-ILA encourages you to join us in Richmond on January 19^th! Please click here to RSVP, and for more information on the schedule for the day, please click here.

Below is a summary of key prefiled legislation and additional gun control proposals anti-gun Democrats have stated they intend to introduce:

Senate Bill 27 creates sweeping new standards of “responsible conduct” for members of the firearm industry, including manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. The bill requires these businesses to establish and implement vague and subjective “reasonable controls” over the manufacture, sale, distribution, use, and marketing of firearm-related products. Further, it establishes a broad civil cause of action, allowing the Attorney General, local government attorneys, or private individuals to sue firearm businesses for injunctions, damages, and costs. This bill is a direct attack on the firearm industry and is designed to regulate the industry out of existence through litigation—despite longstanding federal protections.

Senate Bill 38 expands Virginia’s existing prohibited person restrictions to affect individuals who live in the same household as someone who is prohibited. This proposal could result in lawful gun owners losing their rights based solely on the actions or status of another household member.

Semi-Auto Ban and Magazine Restrictions - Anti-gun democrats have plans to introduce a ban on commonly owned semi-automatic firearms, including AR-15s, along with magazine capacity limits. These proposals are about redefining and banning firearms that are in common use by law-abiding citizens—plain and simple gun confiscation by definition.

Red Flag Law Expansion - An expansion of Virginia’s existing red flag laws is expected, likely allowing more individuals to petition courts to temporarily or indefinitely disarm gun owners. These expansions invite abuse of the system and threaten due process protections for lawful firearm owners.

Permit-to-Purchase Firearm Licensing Scheme - One of the most sweeping proposals expected this session is a permit-to-purchase requirement for all firearm buyers. The goal of bills like this is to dramatically reduce gun ownership by imposing cost, delay, and bureaucratic hurdles.

These proposals represent an aggressive push to restrict firearm ownership, punish lawful gun owners, and undermine the Second Amendment in Virginia, and your NRA will be actively engaged in opposing these bills and defending your rights. 

Please stay tuned to www.nraila.org and your inbox for further updates VCDL’s Lobby Day and prefiled bills in Virginia in the weeks leading up to the General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session.