RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Two bills are progressing through Virginia’s General Assembly seeking to prohibit the manufacture, importation and sale of automatic sears on the statewide level.
House Bill 22 and Senate Bill 210 have both passed in their respective chambers with legislative supporters seeking this prohibition. The House bill passed unanimously while the Senate bill passed with a vote of 28-12.
An auto sear — colloquially known as “Glock switch” — is a device made out of metal or plastic that can be attached to a firearm allowing it to automatically fire, allowing for a rapid rate of fire.
These devices are currently illegal under federal law as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) makes it unlawful for any person to transfer or possess a machine gun unless “a transfer to or by, or possession by or under the authority of, the United States or any department or agency thereof or a State, or a department, agency, or political subdivision thereof.” The ATF recognizes automatic sears as machine guns.