One of the major issues coming from the 2026 General Assembly legislative session was the number of high-profile, highly controversial bills passed by Democrats and signed by Governor Abigail Spanberger that were destined to be challenged in court. In recent days, General Assembly Republicans have seen many of our predictions come true as new laws come under legal scrutiny.
For example, HB 1525 was approved by General Assembly Democrats and Governor Spanberger at the reconvened legislative session in April. Among other things, it limits where one can carry any firearm with a magazine capacity in excess of 15 rounds. It also ordered the Virginia State Police to enforce a law that mandates background checks on all private firearm sales. What the governor’s team failed to recognize – or flat out ignored – was a court order in Lynchburg that found the law unconstitutional. Former Attorney General Jason Miyares declined to appeal the ruling, which makes the ruling binding on the governor, state police, and anyone else who would enforce it. Virginia State Police noticed the conflict between the law and the court ruling and sent a memo to firearm dealers stating that the law was unenforceable. That did not sit well with the Spanberger administration, so the next day, Virginia State Police issued a note walking back the memo stating that it was released in error.
Also under legal scrutiny was the Democrat attempt to gerrymander Virginia’s congressional map from the current – and fair – 6-5 Democrat to Republican map to one that favors Democrats 10-1. Once again, Republicans sounded the alarm time and again that not only was this an obvious power grab, but also an attempt that would certainly be challenged in the court system. And again, this court challenge has cost Virginia taxpayers millions of dollars.
As of this writing, Governor Spanberger has yet to sign HB 217, the ban on so-called “assault firearms” that includes numerous popular models of rifles and pistols. This is another bill that will undoubtedly be challenged in the court system by interest groups and private citizens on the basis of infringement of the Second Amendment. You guessed it – if signed – millions of taxpayer dollars will go toward defending this potentially unconstitutional bill once again.
What these constant legal challenges will do is cost the Commonwealth millions of dollars defending itself from lawsuits that it never had to face in the first place. Republicans spoke routinely in committee rooms and on the floor of the House of Delegates to the potential constitutional conflicts of these bills, but General Assembly Democrats pushed forward anyway. The conflict is emblematic of what Democrats did for the entire session: pass laws and worry about the constitution later.
As the Delegate representing the 42nd House District in the Virginia General Assembly, your concerns are my greatest priority. If ever I may be of assistance to you and your family, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at DelJBallard@House.Virginia.Gov. You can also follow me on Twitter @JasonBallardVA or like my Facebook page, Jason Ballard for Delegate, to keep up to date with what I am doing in Richmond and in our community on your behalf.
