Gun-rights organizations wasted no time filing legal challenges after Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger put her signature on a bill restricting the sale and manufacture of certain semi-automatic firearms, according to The Associated Press.
Under the legislation, purchasing, selling, transferring, importing, or manufacturing an "assault firearm" becomes a misdemeanor on July 1, carrying a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $2,500 fine, according to abc News. Covered weapons include semi-automatic rifles or pistols that hold more than 15 rounds, along with rifles that accept detachable magazines and feature either a second handgrip or a collapsible stock. Magazines with a capacity exceeding 15 rounds fall under the ban as well. People who simply own such weapons face no legal jeopardy under the law.
Lawsuits arrived quickly, with the National Rifle Association and several allied organizations, including the Second Amendment Foundation, taking the state to court on both federal and state fronts following Spanberger's signing, according to abc News. Adam Kraut, who leads the Second Amendment Foundation, argued that the weapons targeted by the law are far from fringe items: "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."
