By Rich Jamieson —

Second Amendment Under Assault: Warren County's Second Amendment Sanctuary Status is No Longer Symbolic

The threat is no longer theoretical. On February 5, 2026, Virginia's Democrat-controlled House of Delegates passed an aggressive assault on Second Amendment rights in Virginia. For Warren County-a community where 65% of voters consistently support Republican candidates and conservative values-these bills represent a direct attack on our American constitutional rights by a political party that does not represent us.

The Democrats pushing this agenda do not reflect the predominantly rural values and character of Warren County. They represent urban and suburban areas where hostility toward firearms is greatest, and they are using their control of Richmond to impose their ideology on rural Virginia.

What Democrats Just Passed: An Unconstitutional Power Grab

The House passed these measures with overwhelming Democratic support, though some Democrats from rural districts broke ranks on certain bills. Here are the three most egregious examples:

HB 217: The "Assault Weapons" and Magazine Ban

Delegate Dan Helmer's bill prohibits the sale, manufacture and transfer of so-called "assault firearms" and magazines over 10 rounds. Violations carry a Class 1 misdemeanor with a three-year firearm prohibition.

This isn't about safety-it's about banning firearms in common use by millions of law-abiding citizens. The bill passed 58-34. As Republican Delegate Tom Garrett stated: "The government did not give me the right to defend myself, to defend my family, or to defend my freedom. They cannot take it away, try though they may."

HB 21: Death by a Thousand Lawsuits

This legislation creates sweeping "responsible conduct" standards for firearms manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. The goal, as Republican Delegate Jay Leftwich described it, is to unleash "a tsunami of litigation" designed to bankrupt the firearms industry and drive gun businesses out of Virginia. Democrats are using lawfare to accomplish what legislation cannot.

HB 871: Making Self-Defense Impossible

Delegate Mark Downey's mandatory storage bill requires firearms locked in homes where minors or prohibited persons are present. As Republican Delegate Eric Zehr noted, this "embodiment of good intentions colliding with reality" fails to account for emergencies and could criminalize gun owners even when firearms save lives. Law-abiding citizens will be unable to access firearms quickly enough to defend their families.

These three bills represent just the tip of the spear. Democrats also passed:

  • HB 40: Criminalizing the centuries-old practice of individuals building firearms for personal use ("ghost guns")
  • HB 110: Further restricting the ability to keep firearms in vehicles for self-defense
  • HB 229: Prohibiting weapons in hospitals providing mental health services
  • HB 626: Narrowing exemptions for carrying firearms in state buildings and on college campuses
  • HB 93: Tightening rules around firearm transfers for individuals subject to protective orders

Each represents another infringement. Each pushes the boundary further. Each demonstrates Democrats' ultimate goal: complete civilian disarmament.

From Symbolic Gestures to Real Decisions

In December 2019, Warren County joined over 90 other Virginia localities in declaring itself a Second Amendment Sanctuary. The Board of Supervisors unanimously reaffirmed this commitment on December 9, 2025, resolving as follows:

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Warren County Board of Supervisors that the County of Warren, Virginia is hereby declared to be a Second Amendment Sanctuary in order to preserve for the People of, on, and in Warren County, their rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Warren County Board of Supervisors hereby expresses its intent that public local funds of the County shall not be used to unconstitutionally restrict the Second Amendment rights of the citizens of Warren County, or to aid federal or state agencies in the unconstitutional restriction of said rights; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Warren County Board of Supervisors hereby declares its intent to oppose any infringement on the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms using such legal means as may be expedient and further affirms the United States Bill of Rights.

When passed in 2019, legal experts and even Virginia's Attorney General dismissed these resolutions as "purely symbolic" with "no legal force."

With these bills moving through the Senate toward Governor Spanberger's desk, our 2nd amendment sanctuary status may soon be tested. If these laws are enacted, our Sheriff-like sheriffs across Virginia-will be placed in a difficult position: forced to choose between enforcing unconstitutional state laws that strip Warren County citizens of their rights or standing with her community to protect constitutional freedoms.

Virginia sheriffs are constitutional officers with broad enforcement discretion and a duty to uphold the Constitution. Unlike 2019's theoretical debate, sheriffs now face the prospect of concrete enforcement decisions. Warren County citizens must be prepared to rally support for our sheriff to stand in defense of our constitutional rights. When state authority conflicts with constitutional liberties, our local law enforcement needs to know the community stands behind their loyalty to the United States Constitution.

Our Delegate Stands With Us-Now Contact the Senate

Our delegate, Delores Oates (R-District 31), fought vociferously against this legislation, but was outnumbered by Democrats. These bills now advance to the Senate-our last opportunity to stop this assault.

Warren County citizens must act immediately:

Contact Senator Timmy French NOW

Senator Timmy French (R-District 1)

Pro 2nd Amendment message:

  • Oppose HB 217, HB 21, HB 871, and all gun control bills
  • Respect Warren County's Second Amendment Sanctuary status
  • Issue a public statement affirming your support for our sanctuary status

Time is critical. Once these bills clear the Senate, Governor Spanberger has promised to sign them.

The Coming Confrontation: Rural Virginia vs. Urban Democrats

If these bills become law, our Sheriff-like sheriffs across rural Virginia-will soon be placed in a difficult position, forced to choose between unconstitutional state mandates and Warren County's strong support for 2nd Amendment rights. This is the confrontation the Second Amendment was designed for-structural resistance by the citizenry against tyrannical state power.

Our Sheriff needs to know Warren County stands with her and the United States Constitution. The Warren County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to become a Second Amendment Sanctuary county twice: First in in 2019 and unanimously reaffirmed it on December 9, 2025. We meant it.

This legislative assault exposes Virginia's fundamental divide. Urban Democrats, representing areas hostile to firearms, are imposing their values on rural communities where the Second Amendment is essential to liberty and self-reliance. Warren County's 65% Republican voting pattern reflects our core values: constitutional rights, limited government, personal responsibility, and the right to self-defense.

The question is simple: will rural Virginia comply, or will we stand our ground?

Democrats believe urban sensibilities should dictate policy for rural Virginia. They believe their temporary advantage gives them license to trample constitutional rights. They believe we will simply comply. They are wrong.

The Second Amendment ensures that free citizens retain the power to resist tyranny. Democrats in Richmond are proving exactly why the Framers included it in our Bill of Rights.

Contact Senator French today. Make your voice heard. Stand with your Sheriff when she faces the choice between Richmond's demands and Warren County's rights.