NRA Files Federal Lawsuit Challenging Virginia’s “Assault Firearm” and Magazine Bans

Today, the National Rifle Association, Firearms Policy Coalition, Second Amendment Foundation, and two NRA members filed a lawsuit challenging Virginia’s newly enacted bans on “assault firearms” and magazines capable of holding more than 15 rounds.

The bans were signed into law earlier today by Governor Spanberger. The “assault firearms” ban criminalizes the purchase, sale, transfer, manufacture, and importation of a wide range of commonly owned semiautomatic handguns, shotguns, and rifles—including the AR-15, the most popular rifle in America. The law also prohibits the purchase, barter, transfer, and importation of “large capacity magazines,” defined as magazines capable of holding over 15 rounds of ammunition.

Our complaint argues that Virginia’s bans are unconstitutional because they prohibit many of the most commonly possessed arms in the nation. As the U.S. Supreme Court held in District of Columbia v. Heller, a ban on arms “in common use” violates the Second Amendment.

"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."

The case, McDonald v. Katz, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Please stay tuned to www.nraila.org for future updates on NRA-ILA’s ongoing efforts to defend your constitutional rights, and please visit www.nraila.org/litigation to keep up to date on NRA-ILA’s ongoing litigation efforts.