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Virginia Passed an Assault Weapons Ban, Put Abortion Rights on the Ballot, and Banned Police From Working With ICE

Resist Now 3 min read
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11th state to ban assault weapons. Virginia is the only southern state without an abortion ban, and voters will decide in November whether to make that permanent.

What Virginia Did in 2026

Virginia’s Democratic trifecta (Governor Abigail Spanberger, a Democratic Senate, and a Democratic House) produced the most progressive legislative session in the state’s recent history. Spanberger signed 25 bills on May 15 covering gun safety and reproductive rights.

The Biggest Wins

Assault weapons ban

Virginia became the 11th state to ban assault-style firearms. After July 1, the sale, manufacture, transfer, or import of semiautomatic weapons that hold more than 15 rounds is a Class 1 misdemeanor (up to 1 year in jail, $2,500 fine). Existing owners are not required to surrender weapons. The NRA filed suit immediately in federal court.

Spanberger also signed 20 other gun safety bills this session, including a ban on weapons in hospitals and psychiatric facilities.

Abortion rights amendment on the November ballot

Virginia is the only southern state without a total ban or early gestational limit on abortion. On November 3, voters will decide whether to enshrine reproductive freedom in the state constitution. The amendment protects abortion care, contraception, and IVF. The legislature can restrict third-trimester abortions except when the pregnant person’s health is at risk or the fetus is not viable.

Marijuana sentencing reform

More than 1,000 Virginians remain incarcerated for marijuana offenses that have been legal since 2021. The new law creates automatic hearings for eligible individuals convicted before the law changed.

Immigrant worker protections

Employers cannot retaliate against immigrant workers who report wage theft or minimum wage violations.

What Spanberger Vetoed

Spanberger vetoed bills that would have established a retail marijuana market and created a prescription drug affordability board. The session ended without a budget deal after a dispute over data center tax breaks.

Why This Matters Nationally

Virginia is a proof point. A southern state with a Democratic trifecta passed an assault weapons ban and put abortion rights on the ballot, all in one session. Every state considering similar legislation can point to Virginia.

The November abortion amendment is particularly significant. Since Dobbs, voters have protected abortion rights on the ballot in every state where it has been put to a vote. Virginia would be the first southern state to do so.

What you can do

  1. Check your registration at vote.org. Virginia’s general election is November 3.
  2. Know what’s on your ballot. The reproductive rights amendment will appear alongside candidate races.
  3. Share Virginia’s record with organizers in other states. Virginia is the first southern state to pass an assault weapons ban and put abortion rights on the ballot in the same session. Legislators in similar states can use these bills as models. Find your state legislature’s contact info at openstates.org.

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