Spanberger Amends Virginia Gun Ban Bill After DOJ Threatens Lawsuit

Summary

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger amended House Bill 217, a controversial gun ban bill identical to Senate Bill 749, after Assistant U.S. Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon threatened a Department of Justice lawsuit, citing constitutional violations regarding the right to bear arms. The amendments removed pistol grips and thumbhole stocks from defining features of "assault firearms" and adjusted magazine capacity limits, but critics argue the core ban on certain semi-automatic firearms and magazines over 15 rounds remains, potentially making any semi-auto firearm capable of holding over 15 rounds an 'assault firearm' if language is stripped.