Politics

A major constitutional crisis is brewing across Virginia as top elected prosecutors from at least four counties have formally announced they will refuse to prosecute violations of the state’s upcoming “assault weapons” ban. Citing the supremacy of the Second Amendment and their own inherent prosecutorial discretion, the Commonwealth’s Attorneys for Spotsylvania, Powhatan, Pulaski, and Smyth…

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has struck down New York’s Vampire Rule, which banned carrying firearms on private property without express permission. The ruling restores the default right to carry in businesses unless signage is posted. While a victory for gun rights, the court upheld restrictions in sensitive locations like public…

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger has signed Senate Bill 749 into law, establishing a comprehensive statewide ban on “assault weapons” and “high-capacity” magazines effective July 1, 2026. The legislation was immediately met with a sophisticated, dual-track legal assault: a state-level lawsuit filed by GOA and VCDL utilizing a unique “state-only” constitutional theory, and a lean federal…

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed a $5 million lawsuit against the city of Jacksonville, alleging the local government maintained an illegal registry of firearms brought into city buildings between July 2023 and early 2025. The suit challenges the city’s previous decision to avoid criminal penalties despite a State Attorney’s Office investigation that confirmed…

Pennsylvania’s Second Amendment landscape shifted significantly on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, as the State Senate advanced two high-priority firearms bills. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to move Constitutional Carry (SB 357) to the floor, while the full Senate approved SB 822, a measure designed to penalize local governments that violate the state’s firearms preemption laws.

Delaware State Senator Eric Buckson has introduced Senate Bill 304, also known as the “Safe Schools Sentry Act,” which would allow private schools to authorize trained employees to carry firearms on campus. The bill, assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 6, 2026, aims to provide smaller private institutions with a more affordable security…

The Vermont Senate has moved forward with S. 329, a bill that would establish a statewide ban on firearms in bars and restaurants that serve alcohol. The legislation, which passed on preliminary approval along party lines, aims to replace a long-stalled Burlington charter change with a uniform state law—though it faces a likely veto from…

The ATF’s “New Era of Reform” is an initiative aimed at fostering transparency, accountability, and a collaborative partnership with the firearms industry, gun owners, and the public. To achieve this, the agency has introduced a comprehensive package of proposed and final rules designed to align with statutory changes, clarify regulatory ambiguities, modernize recordkeeping, reduce administrative…