Commonwealth of Virginia
Office of the Attorney General
Jay Jones
Attorney General
202 North 9th Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
804-786-2071
FAX 804-786-1991
Virginia Relay Service
800-828-1120
For media inquiries only, contact:
Rae Pickett
RPickett@oag.state.va.us
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Attorney General Jay Jones Holds Press Conference on Firearm Industry Accountability Legislation
RICHMOND, Va. -- Today, Attorney General Jay Jones held a press conference in the historic Barbara Johns Building to announce the Office of the Attorney General’s next steps in implementing Virginia’s new firearm industry accountability law HB21/SB27. Attorney General Jay Jones was joined by Delegate Dan Helmer, City of Richmond Sheriff Antoinette Irving, Josh Scharff, General Counsel and Senior Director of Program, Brady: Against Gun Violence, and 15-year-old community member Toreign Edmunds.
The new industry accountability law takes effect July 1 and establishes standards of conduct for the firearm industry, requiring them to have reasonable controls to prevent thefts, illegal sales, and gun trafficking. The bill provides a civil cause of action for victims and survivors of gun violence to go after bad actors, prohibitions against illegal marketing practices, and strong enforcement mechanisms for the Office of the Attorney General and localities. As part of the new law, the Attorney General will have new authority to issue Civil Investigative Demands and pursue legal actions against violators.
“Public safety isn’t a privilege reserved for a select few. Every Virginian deserves to feel safe, and this law is going to make our communities safer,” said Attorney General Jay Jones. “Accountability is the bedrock of our legal system, and firearm industry actors who are negligent and cause harm through unlawful or irresponsible practices will be held accountable by this office. Every victim, every loved one left behind, every neighborhood, deserves justice and this office will always be in service to the people of our Commonwealth.”
Senate patron Senator Jennifer Carroll Foy said of the law, “When irresponsible manufacturers allow dangerous actors to bypass the law, or when lives are lost due to firearms getting into the wrong hands, the firearm industry members who distribute those weapons must be held responsible due to their failure to implement reasonable controls that will prevent suicide, mass shootings, and urban gun violence. This legislation is innovative, strategic, and targeted in its approach. The gun industry enjoys exclusive immunity and are shielded from liability from the death and destruction their products cause. Beginning July 1, in the Commonwealth of Virginia, that ends. I’m proud to have carried this groundbreaking bill along with Delegate Dan Helmer, and I’m grateful to collaborate with Attorney General Jones and all of these incredible partners to enforce the law and keep Virginia safe.”
“As a veteran and a father, the safety of Virginias children is always my highest priority. Our law ensures that we are finally bringing the firearm industry in line with the same regulations governing nearly every other American manufacturer and distributer and holding them accountable for their products. I’m grateful for the leadership of Attorney General Jones, the law enforcement community, and the parents and advocates who have fight tirelessly to bring us a safer and fairer Virginia," said House patron Delegate Dan Helmer.
City of Richmond Sheriff Antoinette Irving said, “Local law enforcement has the responsibility to speak honestly about what we see. Preventing violence requires looking upstream, not just responding after tragedy occurs. Industry accountability is not about taking firearms away from law-abiding gun owners. It is about ensuring responsible business practices and preventing firearms from being diverted into illegal markets. Every gun that is prevented from reaching the wrong hands is one less shooting to investigate, one less family to notify, and one less victim entering our criminal justice system.”
“Now is the time to shift the burden of gun violence away from the communities most impacted by it, and upstream to the gun industry businesses that are irresponsibly flooding communities with crime guns,” said Josh Scharff, General Counsel and Senior Director of Program, Brady. “Brady thanks the Office of the Attorney General for its leadership, its choice to prioritize the lives of Virginians, and its commitment to gun violence prevention.”
“As young people, we are tired of being told that violence is just a part of our reality,” said Toreign Edmunds. “We deserve safe neighborhoods. We deserve to walk to school without fear. We deserve parks, community centers, and opportunities where we can focus on our dreams instead of our survival.”
View the full livestream of the event here.
Published on: June 22, 2026
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