Virginia lawmakers approved several gun safety bills on Monday, including Senate Bill 749, which bans assault-style weapons. The bill, authored by Senator Saddam Azlan Salim, passed with a 9-5 vote. It prohibits the import, sale, purchase, and possession of assault firearms and large-capacity magazines starting after July 1, 2026. Existing firearms legally owned will not be criminalized. Exemptions apply for antique guns, law enforcement, military, and certain family transfers. Senator Salim said, "Currently, there are so many assault weapons in circulation. This approach will gradually take the weapons off the street without retroactively making it a crime to own a weapon that was legally purchased." Republicans and gun rights activists opposed the bill strongly. Some MAGA supporters attacked Salim personally, citing his foreign birth and questioning lawmakers' rights to shape US gun laws. Senator Mark Peake called the bill unconstitutional, saying, "That’s the purpose of the Second Amendment. That’s why we have firearms to fight against a tyrannical government. And this bill is a direct infringement on the Second Amendment to fight against a tyrannical government." Gun rights activists had gathered at Capitol Square a week earlier to warn of aggressive gun control measures following Democratic control of the governor’s office.