Virginia Prosecutor Says He Will Not Enforce New Semiautomatic Weapons Bans

Said he would not enforce new bans on modern semiautomatic weapons signed by Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger. Commonwealth’s Attorney G. Ryan Mehaffey wrote a letter Friday to Spotsylvania County Sheriff Roger L. Harris. He cited Supreme Court decisions as the basis of his belief that the law could not be lawfully enforced.

Amendment organizations sued to have the bans struck down as unconstitutional minutes after Spanberger signed the relevant bills into law Thursday evening. Mehaffey wrote that the Assault Weapons Ban (SB 749/HB 217) and the Public Carry Ban (SB 727/HB 1524) are inconsistent with the historical tradition of Virginia as articulated by Miller v.

United States and are thus unconstitutional under Bruen. " — G. Ryan Mehaffey, May 16, 2026 (Daily Caller) Mehaffey’s letter drew praise from the Vice Chair of the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors, who noted the county had declared itself a Second Amendment sanctuary.

The Trump administration also signaled its intent to sue in a Thursday night X post by Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet K. Dhillon. The Department of Justice sued the city of Denver over a similar ban May 5 and filed litigation seeking to throw out Colorado’s magazine ban May 6.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation estimated in a January release that over 32 million modern sporting rifles, which include the AR-15, are in circulation. Spanberger did not immediately respond to a request for comment.