Virginia Senate subcommittee advances package of firearms bills, sets 15-round threshold in key measures

A Virginia Senate public-safety subcommittee on Thursday recommended multiple firearms-related bills to the full Senate committee, approving amended language that removes pistols from some assault‑weapon definitions and sets a 15‑round threshold for certain magazines going forward.

Senator Jones presented SB 727, saying the bill "makes it illegal for anyone to carry a loaded firearm, a loaded assault firearm, with certain features or magazine capacities in public places such as streets, parkways, sidewalks, etcetera." The committee accepted an amendment that removed pistols from the assault‑firearm definition and increased an internal magazine limit to 15 rounds; the amended bill was recommended to the full committee by voice vote (the clerk recorded committee tallies as "3 ayes" with recorded opposition noted).

Senator Saleem offered a substitute on a separate assault‑weapons bill that, he said, "tightened some of the language" and removed a possession ban while shifting the effective banned‑rounds threshold from 10 to 15 for future purchases. Saleem told the panel owners could keep weapons and magazines they already possess but would be barred from purchasing or transferring new magazines except to family members or federally licensed dealers. The substitute was recommended to the full committee after a voice vote recorded as three in favor and two opposed.

The panel also advanced related measures that the committee has seen in prior sessions, including legislation expanding prohibitions on unserialized or plastic firearms (often called "ghost guns") and bills applying certain gun bans to public institutions of higher education. A recurring storage bill requiring locked storage in homes where minors or prohibited persons are present — and biometric storage for loaded firearms — was also recommended for reporting with two recorded opposing votes; the chair noted minimal direct state impact and potential minor costs if law‑enforcement agencies purchase biometric devices.

Committee members asked technical and scope questions during discussions, pressing sponsors on sidewalk coverage, interactions with concealed‑carry permit holders, and how the bills align across different proposals. Senator Jones said the package addressed geographic inconsistencies in carry rules that previously allowed lawful carrying in one locality but not in an adjacent one.

What happens next: The measures will be considered by the full Senate committee; sponsors said some drafting tweaks remain and that staff will prepare any needed amendments before floor consideration.