RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) " Virginia is one step closer to enacting an assault weapons ban. The Senate is sending a bill to Gov. Abigail Spanberger's (D) desk on Monday that would make it illegal to sell, purchase, import, manufacture or transfer assault weapons in Virginia starting on July 1, 2026, with some exceptions. "The overall goal of this bill is to ensure that we have less weapons of war on the streets," Democratic Senator Saddam Salim (D-Fairfax), who helped write the bill, told 8News. "It's really one of the more extreme bills that is gonna pass this year," Senator Mark Obenshain (R-Rockingham) said.