virginia citizens defense league

Defending Your Right to Defend Yourself

va-alert

Published 2/9/2026

There is one bill being heard today and three tomorrow in House committees!

Sorry for the short notice for today’s hearing on expanding the Red Flag law.  If you can speak virtually, you must sign up before noon today. The other three bills you will have until noon tomorrow.

Action Item #1 for today (2/9/26)

The link to testify virtually for TODAY's meeting (or to just leave comments on the bill) is https://hodspeak.house.virginia.gov/submit_testimony?meeting_id=20648

The link to the bill in question is https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB901 and the description is:

VCDL Comments

This bill expands the Red Flag law by allowing more categories of people to petition for someone to be Red Flagged. The expanded types of petitioners cover various kinds of counselors and medical professionals. It now also includes immediate family or household members and intimate partners. The recent lawful acquisition of a firearm or ammunition is considered possible evidence that someone might need to be Red Flagged! This bill will discourage someone from getting medical or counseling help, as the person will not be able to trust that any information he shares won't be used against him. The expanded list of petitioners will greatly increase abuse of the Red Flag law by someone with a grudge.

Action Item #2For Tomorrow (2/10/26)

The link to testify virtually for TOMORROW's meeting (or to just leave comments on the three bills) is https://hodspeak.house.virginia.gov/submit_testimony?meeting_id=20613

It is in the FINANCE subcommittee, so comments may be limited to those affecting the state budget.

The THREE bills in question are the 11% excise tax (HB919 and HB1094) and the $500 suppressor tax HB207.

Link to HB207, suppressor tax https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB207/text/HB207

VCDL Comments

This bill creates a $500 tax on suppressors. The last case of a legally owned suppressor being used in a crime in Virginia was back in 2019 in a Virginia Beach 'gun-free zone.' Suppressors don't eliminate a gun's sound. They merely lower the sound to a more hearing-safe level. They reduce a sound-level as loud as a jet plane taking off down to the sound-level of a jackhammer. The reduced sound-level is more neighbor-friendly when target shooting. Suppressors also protect a hunter's hearing. Some suppressors are priced around $300, so this would be a 160% tax! What exactly does such a high tax achieve, other than purposely pricing poor people out of the market, discouraging target shooters from reducing the sound-level heard by neighbors, or making it harder for a hunter to protect his hearing?

Link to HB919: https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB919/text/HB919

VCDL Comments (both HB919 & HB1094)
This bill creates an 11% excise tax on firearms and ammunition manufacturers for gross sales into the Commonwealth. Is there going to be an excise tax for book publishers, raising the cost for people who want to exercise their First Amendment rights? This is a 'sin tax,' that affects a basic civil right. Owning a gun is not a sin. Guns are used to save hundreds of thousands of lives every year.

Link to HB1094: https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB1094/text/HB1094

HB919 and HB1094 will likely be combined to make one bill.