RICHMOND, Va. – Attorney General Mark Herring issued an advisory opinion on Friday, stating that Second Amendment Sanctuary resolutions passed by Virginia counties and cities have, "no legal effect.”
[Complete list of Second Amendment sanctuaries in Virginia and where it’s being discussed]
Second Amendment sanctuaries declare themselves exempt from new gun safety laws that the General Assembly that may be passed next year.
Since November’s election, when Democrats took control of the House, Senate and governorship in Virginia, more than 90 counties and cities have passed such resolutions.
Herring said that localities and local constitutional officers “cannot nullify state laws” and must follow gun violence prevention measures passed by the General Assembly.
“When the General Assembly passes new gun safety laws they will be enforced, and they will be followed. These resolutions have no legal force, and they’re just part of an effort by the gun lobby to stoke fear,” said Attorney General Herring. “What we’re talking about are the kind of commonsense gun safety laws that Virginians voted for just a few weeks ago, like universal background checks to make sure that dangerous people aren’t buying guns. Too many Virginians have lost their lives to guns and it is well past time that we enact these gun safety measures that will save lives and make our communities safer.”