In a resounding victory for Second Amendment advocates, Virginia House Bill 207—the insidious proposal to slap a $500 tax on suppressor ownership—has been unanimously tabled by the House, thanks to relentless lobbying from the American Suppressor Association (ASA). This isn’t just a procedural win; it’s a masterclass in grassroots firepower meeting legislative reality. The ASA’s advocacy blitz, including direct outreach to delegates and mobilizing suppressor owners across the Commonwealth, turned what could have been a stealthy revenue grab into a non-starter. Picture this: a room full of lawmakers, typically divided on gun issues, nodding in unison to shelve the bill. That’s the kind of bipartisan smackdown that happens when the facts hit hard—suppressors aren’t silencers from Hollywood fantasies; they’re legitimate hearing protection devices, already federally regulated under the National Firearms Act, and this tax would have only punished law-abiding Virginians while doing zilch for public safety.
Digging deeper, HB 207 exemplifies the creeping authoritarianism disguised as common-sense reform that plagues blue-state bleed-over into purple ones like Virginia. Proponents framed it as a funding mechanism, but let’s call it what it was: a backdoor registration scheme and disincentive to exercise a Constitutionally protected right. Suppressors reduce noise by about 30 decibels—comparable to earplugs—and are used by hunters, sport shooters, and even some law enforcement to prevent irreversible hearing loss. Virginia’s unanimous tabling sends a crystal-clear signal: post-Bruen, courts are dismantling arbitrary restrictions, and states ignoring that at their peril. This mirrors recent wins in states like Oklahoma and Tennessee, where suppressor reforms are flipping the script from taxation to normalization.
For the 2A community, the implications are electric. This defeat bolsters momentum for national reform, like the Hearing Protection Act, which could strip suppressors from NFA oversight entirely. It also spotlights the ASA as the tip of the spear—join them, donate, or get your own can to amplify the chorus. Virginia gun owners just proved that unified, informed action crushes overreach. Stay vigilant; the anti-gun crowd will slink back with HB 208. Who’s ready to keep the table crowded with more victories?
