Contact Chairman Willis Now: SB1071 Could Restore Access to Modern Machine Guns, If It Gets a Hearing

February 25, 2026
3:15 pm

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West Virginia's SB1071 is the kind of bold, 2A-forward legislation that could crack open the door to modern machine guns for law-abiding citizens, and it's teetering on the edge of oblivion in committee right now. Introduced by state senators, the bill would establish a state-run Office of Public Defense tasked with procuring fully automatic firearms—think belt-feds and high-capacity suppressors—and selling them directly to qualified West Virginians. The genius here is its exploitation of a potential loophole in the infamous 1986 Hughes Amendment, which banned new machine guns for civilian ownership federally. By positioning the state as the direct procurer from manufacturers (bypassing the post-86 civilian registry cutoff), SB1071 could invoke exemptions for government entities, effectively restoring access to NFA items that haven't been available to the public in nearly four decades. This isn't some pie-in-the-sky dream; it's a calculated legal maneuver that echoes how states like Texas have pushed boundaries with bullpup rifles and other restricted gear. The implications for the 2A community are massive if this gets a hearing—picture everyday defenders stocking up on M4s or Miniguns without the astronomical $20K+ transfer tax prices on pre-86 relics. West Virginia, already a concealed carry haven with constitutional carry, could become the first state to normalize full-auto ownership, setting a precedent that ripples nationwide and challenges ATF overreach head-on. Critics will scream public safety, but let's be real: machine guns have been involved in zero crimes since 1934 per FBI data, thanks to the rigorous NFA process. Stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee, SB1071 needs public pressure now—contact Chairman Glen B. Elliott and demand a hearing. This is pro-2A innovation at its finest, turning state sovereignty into a weapon against federal nanny-state nonsense. If it passes, expect copycat bills from red states hungry to arm their citizens properly; if it dies, it's another reminder that freedom requires vigilance. Don't sit this one out, patriots. Flood Chairman Willis's office (wait, make that Elliott—SB1071's gatekeeper) with calls and emails today. Links to contact info and bill text are in the source below—share this far and wide to light the fire under this game-changer. The Second Amendment isn't a relic; it's time to make machine guns eligible again.

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West Virginia’s SB1071 is the kind of bold, 2A-forward legislation that could crack open the door to modern machine guns for law-abiding citizens, and it’s teetering on the edge of oblivion in committee right now. Introduced by state senators, the bill would establish a state-run Office of Public Defense tasked with procuring fully automatic firearms—think belt-feds and high-capacity suppressors—and selling them directly to qualified West Virginians. The genius here is its exploitation of a potential loophole in the infamous 1986 Hughes Amendment, which banned new machine guns for civilian ownership federally. By positioning the state as the direct procurer from manufacturers (bypassing the post-86 civilian registry cutoff), SB1071 could invoke exemptions for government entities, effectively restoring access to NFA items that haven’t been available to the public in nearly four decades. This isn’t some pie-in-the-sky dream; it’s a calculated legal maneuver that echoes how states like Texas have pushed boundaries with bullpup rifles and other restricted gear.

The implications for the 2A community are massive if this gets a hearing—picture everyday defenders stocking up on M4s or Miniguns without the astronomical $20K+ transfer tax prices on pre-86 relics. West Virginia, already a concealed carry haven with constitutional carry, could become the first state to normalize full-auto ownership, setting a precedent that ripples nationwide and challenges ATF overreach head-on. Critics will scream public safety, but let’s be real: machine guns have been involved in zero crimes since 1934 per FBI data, thanks to the rigorous NFA process. Stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee, SB1071 needs public pressure now—contact Chairman Glen B. Elliott and demand a hearing. This is pro-2A innovation at its finest, turning state sovereignty into a weapon against federal nanny-state nonsense. If it passes, expect copycat bills from red states hungry to arm their citizens properly; if it dies, it’s another reminder that freedom requires vigilance.

Don’t sit this one out, patriots. Flood Chairman Willis’s office (wait, make that Elliott—SB1071’s gatekeeper) with calls and emails today. Links to contact info and bill text are in the source below—share this far and wide to light the fire under this game-changer. The Second Amendment isn’t a relic; it’s time to make machine guns eligible again.

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