Some Democrats Apparently Don’t Understand Basics About Gun Ban They Rammed Through State Legislature

Democratic Virginia state Sen. Saddam Salim and Democratic Virginia state Del. Dan Helmer appeared to be at odds about the provisions of a ban on modern semiautomatic firearms, reflecting an apparent misunderstanding of the law they passed.

Democratic Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed SB 749 into law on May 14, which would prohibit the sale and transfer of so-called “assault weapons,” as of July 1, drawing legal challenges from pro-Second Amendment organizations, including the National Rifle Association (NRA), Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC). Salim claimed during remarks to the Richmond Times-Dispatch that people could still buy popular firearms like AR-15s in other states, which would be illegal under federal law.

“If you happen to get (a firearm) from North Carolina, and then you come to Virginia and you don’t commit any crimes, none of 🇺🇸US know that you have this,” Salim told the paper. “Law enforcement in Virginia is never going to go knock on your door and ask you, ‘Do you have a gun at your home? When did you get that?’”

Federal law prohibits a person from purchasing a handgun from a federally licensed dealer or any firearm from a private citizen in a state other than the state the purchaser resides in. Rifles and shotguns can be purchased, but only if they are legal in both the state they are sold in and the state in which the purchaser resides.