Virginia Senate Democrats advanced a broad package of gun safety legislation Monday, reviving proposals that were repeatedly vetoed under former Gov. Glenn Youngkin and testing whether the state’s new Democratic governor, Abigail Spanberger, will usher in a new era on firearm regulation.

Over nearly four hours, the Democratic-controlled Senate Courts of Justice Committee approved more than half a dozen bills tightening restrictions on assault-style firearms, gun storage, ghost guns, weapons in public spaces and concealed carry reciprocity. All votes fell along party lines. The committee rejected the lone Republican proposal, which would have increased mandatory minimum sentences for repeat firearm offenses.

The meeting came one week after hundreds of gun rights activists gathered at Capitol Square for the annual Lobby Day rally, warning Democrats were reviving an aggressive gun control agenda now that they control the governor’s office and both chambers of the General Assembly, according to Virginia Mercury.

Gun rights advocates sharply criticized the committee’s actions. Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defence League, argued Democrats were targeting lawful gun owners rather than violent offenders.

“While Democrats have bills to weaken laws on violent criminals, they like and support every bill that in any way infringes on the ability of law-abiding citizens to protect themselves,” Van Cleave said in an email. (RELATED: Virginia Judge Blocks Democratic Redistricting Push, Casting Doubt on April Referendum)

“For years Democrats said, ‘No one wants to take your guns, we just want reasonable gun control.’ They do want to take our guns away, and the committee reported out bills that do just that with the most popular long guns in America. There is only one reason that a government would want a disarmed population, and that’s to force their will upon that population.”

Among the most contentious measures was SB 749, sponsored by Saddam Azlan Salim, which would ban the manufacture, sale and transfer of assault firearms and large-capacity magazines, while exempting weapons legally owned before July 1, 2026. “Currently, there are so many assault weapons in circulation. This approach will gradually take the weapons off the street without retroactively making it a crime,” Salim said.

Republicans framed the proposal as unconstitutional. “That’s the purpose of the Second Amendment,” said Mark Peake. “And this bill is a direct infringement on the Second Amendment to fight against a tyrannical government.”

The committee also advanced SB 272, sponsored by Creigh Deeds, restricting firearms in public college buildings; SB 348, a safe-storage requirement backed by Jennifer Boysko; SB 312 and SB 323, both sponsored by Adam Ebbin, expanding bans on assault weapons in public spaces and targeting ghost guns; and SB 496, from Dave Marsden, addressing firearms left in unattended vehicles.

Lawmakers also approved SB 115, tightening Virginia’s recognition of out-of-state concealed carry permits. “Basically it says you can’t just go down to Texas and pay a couple bucks and then get a concealed weapon permit all around Virginia,” said Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell.

The committee rejected SB 78, a Republican-backed sentencing bill. “What deters crime is knowing you’re going to get caught,” Surovell said.

Most of the approved measures now head to the Senate Finance Committee for fiscal review. (RELATED: Virginia Dems Move to Gut Mandatory Minimums — Even for Violent Crimes)