USVI Governor Signs Firearms Reform
US Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan Jr. has signed the '2026 Second Amendment Rights and Public Safety Act' to overhaul territory firearm licensing and registration. Supporters say it modernises rules and aids law enforcement; opponents and some US lawmakers warn of potential Second Amendment challenges.
The government of the United States Virgin Islands has enacted major firearms reform after Governor Albert Bryan Jr. signed the measure identified by the VI Department of Justice as the "2026 Second Amendment Rights and Public Safety Act." Government House says the law modernises licensing and registration, removes subjective discretion from permitting decisions and aligns local rules with recent U.S.
Governor Bryan described the bill as "a common-sense measure which protects the rights of law-abiding residents to bear arms while placing rational parameters on weapons in our community." He argued the old framework was overly burdensome and vulnerable to successful federal challenges that could have left the territory without effective firearm rules.
The Department of Justice and Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea, who strongly backed the legislation, said the bill establishes clearer standards, defines and prohibits assault rifles, bans suppressors and silencers, requires firearm safety training for licensed rifle and shotgun owners, prohibits large-capacity magazines and tightens safeguards against illegal sales of guns, accessories and ammunition.
The law also reinforces prohibitions on firearms in sensitive places such as schools, hospitals and government buildings. Sponsors and supporters say the reforms were developed collaboratively with the Office of the Governor, the DOJ, the Virgin Islands Police Department and members of the 36th Legislature.
Attorney General Rhea called the law "a thoughtful and balanced approach" that provides law enforcement with tools to combat escalating gun violence while respecting constitutional rights. The governor linked the push for legislative clarity to an ongoing lawsuit by the U.S. Department of Justice against the Virgin Islands Police Department and Police Commissioner Mario Brooks, which challenges local licensing practices and alleged delays.
He stressed the need for a consistent framework so future administrations cannot apply licensing rules inconsistently. Not all stakeholders supported the measure. Local gun-rights advocates called the bill overly restrictive and criticised the legislative process as limiting public input.
Former gun shop owner Ehren Henderson said it "only weakens our ability to defend ourselves and our families." Senator Mike Lee of Utah publicly asked Governor Bryan to consider a veto, citing concerns over Second Amendment scrutiny. The suppressor ban has drawn particular legal attention because of federal litigation (United States v.
Peterson) in which a federal appeals court assumed, without deciding, that suppressors could be "arms" under the Second Amendment. That ruling and its subsequent procedural history have left questions about whether local bans could face constitutional challenge. For residents of the neighbouring British Virgin Islands, the USVI changes highlight how nearby jurisdictions are grappling with gun violence and constitutional limits.
The BVI remains a separate legal jurisdiction with its own firearms laws; anyone travelling between territories should be mindful that regulations and prohibited items can differ significantly. Governor Bryan also signed several other local measures, including appropriations for education evaluations and school athletic facilities, and acknowledged the Legislature's recent actions on other administrative matters.
Primary source: VINO