Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc., P.O. Box 513, Newington, VA 22122
804-639-0600 • 703-372-3285 • 757-271-3705 • 540-446-5783
VCDL 2026 Legislation Tracking Tool
VCDL 2026 Legislation Tracking Tool
|
Bills We Strongly Support
|
|||
| Bill Summary | Bill Status | ||
Firearms-related offenses; mandatory minimum sentences; penalty. Increases from five to 10 years for a second or subsequent offense the mandatory minimum sentence for use or display of a firearm during the commission of certain felonies. VCDL Comments This bill raises the mandatory minimum sentence for a repeat violent predator who uses a firearm in commission of a violent crime from 5 years to 10 years. Locking repeat violent offenders away from the public for extended periods of time will lower violent crime rates. | HistoryDate 1/6/2026 Senate Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/6/2026 2:15 pm) 12/26/2025 Senate Referred to Committee for S-Courts of Justice 12/26/2025 Senate Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100465D | ||
| | |||
Carrying a firearm or explosive material into a building owned or leased by the Commonwealth; exception for rest areas. Provides that the prohibition on carrying a firearm or explosive material in any building owned or leased by the Commonwealth does not apply to any rest area. VCDL Comments This bill exempts highway rest areas from the state agency gun ban. Rest areas are not even remotely considered a 'sensitive government building.' Rest areas are open to the public 24/7 and have no assigned security guards. Only three other states, Illinois, Maryland, and New York have a ban in rest areas. Since this gun ban on rest areas has been in place, 4 people were shot in a rest area on I-81: https://www.foxnews.com/us/virginia-rest-stop-shooting-hospital-suspect-found-dead-police. People have been stabbed at rest stops: https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/crime/sheriff-17-year-old-stabbed-at-virginia-rest-stop/291-504255229 and https://patch.com/virginia/manassas/suicide-linked-manassas-rest-area-stabbing-state-police. According to the website used by the Virginia State Police for criminal statistics, https://va.beyond2020.com/, there were 66 rest area crimes in 2020, 57 in 2021, 82 in 2022, 69 in 2023, and 60 in 2024. Those crimes include aggravated assault, negligent manslaughter, kidnapping/abduction, forceable rape, forceable sodomy, and forceable fondling. | HistoryDate 12/26/2025 Senate Referred to Committee for S-Courts of Justice 12/26/2025 Senate Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100462D | ||
| | |||
Applications for concealed handgun permits. Allows for alternate methods of submission of applications for concealed handgun permits by removing the requirement that such applications be submitted in writing.
VCDL Comments This bill eliminates the requirement that a concealed handgun permit be requested in writing, allowing for other methods of applying for a permit. This moves the law into the 21st century, where all kinds of legal document can be submitted online. | HistoryDate 1/2/2026 House Referred to Committee on H-Public Safety 1/2/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101130D | ||
| | |||
Concealed handgun permit fees. Lowers the maximum from $35 to $10 the fee that a local law-enforcement agency conducting a background investigation for the purpose of processing an application for a concealed handgun permit may charge to cover the cost of conducting such an investigation and lowers from $50 to $25 the maximum total amount for processing such an application. VCDL Comments This bill lowers the maximum concealed handgun permit fee from $50 to $25, by lowering the maximum local law-enforcement can charge for the background check from $35 to $10. Originally the maximum permit fee was set at $50, which included approximately $25 to go to the FBI for fingerprinting applicants. In 2012 the General Assembly repealed the fingerprinting requirement but never got around to reducing the maximum permit fee accordingly. Clearly this change is long overdue. Background checks are now quick and easy for most applicants, causing many sheriffs in Virginia to do the background checks for free. $10 should more than cover the costs of the background check. | HistoryDate 1/2/2026 House Referred to Committee on H-Public Safety 1/2/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103208D | ||
| | |||
Carrying firearms in restricted locations; exception. Provides that the prohibition on carrying a firearm in certain restricted locations does not apply to any woman who is a current victim of family abuse and has an active protective order against a family or household member. VCDL Comments This bill exempts a woman who is a current victim of family abuse and has a protective order against a family or household member from some carry-prohibited areas, including local government buildings, parks and permitted events; Capitol Square and other state government buildings; non-secure areas of airport terminals; and polling places. Such a person is not required to have a concealed carry permit to carry concealed. Women who are protected by this bill are often in extreme danger, with family or household members knowing where they work and their habits. If the woman doesn't already have a concealed handgun permit, going through all the steps and delays with getting one could be fatal. | HistoryDate 1/13/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/13/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102669D | ||
| | |||
Forfeiture of certain weapons; petition for return by Commonwealth. Permits the attorney for the Commonwealth to petition a court for the return of a weapon to its lawful owner where such weapon was used by any person in the commission of a criminal offense and forfeited to the Commonwealth by order of the court. VCDL Comments This bill allows Commonwealth Attorneys, or anyone who notifies the Commonwealth Attorney, to petition a court for the return of confiscated weapons. | HistoryDate 1/13/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/13/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103531D | ||
| | |||
Control of firearms by localities. Removes the option for a locality to adopt an ordinance that prohibits the possession, carrying, or transportation of any firearms, ammunition, or components or combination thereof in any (i) public park owned or operated by the locality, or by any authority or local government entity created or controlled by the locality, or (ii) public street, road, alley, or sidewalk or public right of way or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public and is being used by or is adjacent to a permitted event or an event that would otherwise require a permit. VCDL Comments This bill repeals language that allows localities to prohibit firearms in parks and at permitted, or should have been permitted, events. A court has ruled that such gun bans are unconstitutional in a lawsuit against the City of Winchester. | HistoryDate 1/13/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/13/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103555D | ||
| | |||
Concealed handgun permit fees. Lowers the maximum from $35 to $10 the fee that a local law-enforcement agency conducting a background investigation for the purpose of processing an application for a concealed handgun permit may charge to cover the cost of conducting such an investigation and lowers from $50 to $25 the maximum total amount for processing such an application.
VCDL Comments This bill reduces the maximum fee for a resident concealed handgun permit from $50 to $25. The reduction comes from reducing what the law enforcement agency running the background check can charge from $35 to $10. The $50 maximum was originally intended to cover sending $25 to the FBI for fingerprint processing, which was repealed back in 2012. This bill merely removes the excess funding that is no longer needed for processing a permit. The background checks are now much faster and many localities don't even charge for the background check at all, making their permit fees $15 total. | HistoryDate 1/13/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/13/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103584D | ||
| | |||
Carrying a concealed handgun; permit not required. Allows any person who is otherwise eligible to obtain a concealed handgun permit to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere he may lawfully carry a handgun openly within the Commonwealth. VCDL Comments This bill allows someone without a concealed handgun permit, but who would qualify for one, to carry a concealed handgun anywhere they could lawfully open carry a handgun. Twenty-nine states now have Permitless Carry, none have repealed it, and more states are expected to follow suit. Neighboring Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia are all Permitless Carry states, with North Carolina expected to do so in the near future. | HistoryDate 1/13/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/13/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103559D | ||
| | |||
Carrying a firearm or explosive material into a building owned or leased by the Commonwealth; exceptions for highway rest areas and government stores. Provides that the prohibition on carrying a firearm or explosive material in any building owned or leased by the Commonwealth shall not apply to any highway rest area or government store, as those terms are defined in relevant law. VCDL Comments This bill exempts highway rest areas and ABC stores from the state agency gun ban. Only three other states, Illinois, Maryland, and New York have a ban in rest areas. Rest areas are open to the public 24 hours a day and have no special security, and do not qualify as a 'sensitive government building.' ABC stores are retail stores, just like any other retail store, and again, are not a 'sensitive government building.' Since this gun ban on rest areas has been in place, 4 people were shot in a rest area on I-81: https://www.foxnews.com/us/virginia-rest-stop-shooting-hospital-suspect-found-dead-police. People have been stabbed at rest stops: https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/crime/sheriff-17-year-old-stabbed-at-virginia-rest-stop/291-504255229 and https://patch.com/virginia/manassas/suicide-linked-manassas-rest-area-stabbing-state-police. According to the website used by the Virginia State Police for criminal statistics, https://va.beyond2020.com/, there were 66 rest area crimes in 2020, 57 in 2021, 82 in 2022, 69 in 2023, and 60 in 2024. Those crimes include aggravated assault, negligent manslaughter, kidnapping/abduction, forceable rape, forceable sodomy, and forceable fondling. | HistoryDate 1/13/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/13/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103607D | ||
| | |||
Virginia Firearm Give-Back Program and Fund established. Directs the Department of State Police to establish the Virginia Firearm Give-Back Program and to develop policies for the establishment of uniform standards for the implementation of the Program among local law-enforcement agencies. The bill provides that each regional division headquarters shall serve as a drop-off point for individuals to voluntarily give back firearms, which must be subsequently destroyed by the Department. The bill clarifies that participation in the Program by a local law-enforcement agency is voluntary. The bill also directs the Department to establish the Virginia Firearm Give-Back Fund, a nonreverting fund to be used solely for the purposes of development and implementation of the Program. VCDL Comments This bill creates a 'Virginia Firearm Give-Back Program and Fund.' The sole purpose is for either the State Police, or, optionally, local law enforcement, to collect and destroy any firearms that are voluntarily turned in. Destroying what might be perfectly functional, and possibly quite valuable, firearms is a waste of money. The State could offset any costs by selling the firearms to licensed gun dealers through an auction. The name of the program implies that the Commonwealth gives firearms to citizens and now wants citizens to give them back. That is not the case. This program is a 'turn in' and not a 'give-back' program. | HistoryDate 1/13/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/13/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102339D | ||
| | |||
|
Bills We Support
|
|||
| Bill Summary | Bill Status | ||
|
|
|||
|
Bills We Strongly Oppose
|
|||
| Bill Summary | Bill Status | ||
Purchase, possession, or transportation of firearm; assault and battery of a family or household member or intimate partner; penalties. Adds to the definition of "family or household member," as such definition relates to juvenile and domestic relations district court, a person's intimate partner, defined in the bill as an individual who, within the previous 12 months, was in a romantic, dating, or sexual relationship with the person as determined by the length, nature, frequency, and type of interaction between the individuals involved in the relationship. The bill also adds to the definition of "family or household member," as such definition relates to a person's purchase, possession, or transportation of a firearm following an assault and battery of family or household member, any individual who cohabits or who, within the previous 12 months, cohabitated with the person. Finally, the bill provides that any person who knowingly and intentionally purchases, possesses, or transports any firearm following a misdemeanor conviction for an offense that occurred on or after July 1, 2026, for the offense of assault and battery against an intimate partner or an offense substantially similar under the laws of any other state or of the United States is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. VCDL Comments This bill makes battery in a 'dating relationship' a misdemeanor and takes away the right to purchase, possess, or transport a firearm for three years.'�'�Misdemeanors should never take away a civil right. | HistoryDate 12/29/2025 House Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (12/29/2025 1:37 pm) 12/22/2025 House Referred to Committee on H-Public Safety 12/22/2025 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100661D | ||
| | |||
Firearm industry members; standards of responsible conduct; civil liability. Creates standards of responsible conduct for firearm industry members and requires such members to establish and implement reasonable controls regarding the manufacture, sale, distribution, use, and marketing of the firearm industry member's firearm-related products, as those terms are defined in the bill. Such reasonable controls include reasonable procedures, safeguards, and business practices that are designed to (i) prevent the sale or distribution of a firearm-related product to a straw purchaser, firearm trafficker, person prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law, or person who the firearm industry member has reasonable cause to believe is at substantial risk of using a firearm-related product to harm himself or unlawfully harm another or of unlawfully possessing or using a firearm-related product; (ii) prevent the loss of a firearm-related product or theft of a firearm-related product from a firearm industry member; (iii) ensure that the firearm industry member complies with all provisions of state and federal law and does not otherwise promote the unlawful manufacture, sale, possession, marketing, or use of a firearm-related product; and (iv) ensure that the firearm industry member may not knowingly or recklessly create, maintain, or contribute to a public nuisance, as defined in the bill, through the sale, manufacture, importing, or marketing of a firearm-related product. The bill creates a civil cause of action for the Attorney General or a local county or city attorney to enforce the provisions of the bill or for any person who has been injured as a result of a firearm industry member's violation to seek an injunction and to recover costs and damages. VCDL Comments This bill allows one of the most highly regulated industries, the firearms industry, to be sued civilly for a variety of already illegal actions.'�'�It also holds the manufacturers and sellers of even the most benign of firearm accessories, like a butt stock or a gun case, liable to a civil lawsuit if it doesn't 'properly' protect that item from theft or misuse by a criminal.'�'�How could a firearm accessory seller reasonably know if they were selling a gun sling to a prohibited person?'�'�Should a car parts store be sued if they sold a seat cover for a car used in a bank robbery?'�'�This bill is designed to have a chilling effect on all aspects of the firearms industry. | HistoryDate 12/22/2025 House Referred to Committee on H-Public Safety 12/22/2025 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100319D | ||
| | |||
Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states. Provides that the Superintendent of State Police, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, shall determine whether other states meet the statutory qualifications for Virginia to recognize the concealed handgun permit of a person from such other state. Under current law, any out-of-state permit is recognized in the Commonwealth, provided that (i) the issuing authority provides the means for instantaneous verification of the validity of all such permits or licenses issued within that state, accessible 24 hours a day; (ii) the permit or license holder carries a photo identification issued by a government agency of any state or by the U.S. Department of Defense or U.S. Department of State and displays the permit or license and such identification upon demand by a law-enforcement officer; and (iii) the permit or license holder has not previously had a Virginia concealed handgun permit revoked. The bill prevents a Virginia resident, except for an active duty service member or such service member's spouse, who has not been issued a valid resident concealed handgun permit from using a concealed handgun or concealed weapon permit or license issued by another state to carry a concealed handgun in the Commonwealth. The foregoing provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. The bill requires the Superintendent of State Police, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, to review any agreements for reciprocal recognition that are in place with any other states as of July 1, 2026, to determine whether the requirements and qualifications of those states' laws are adequate to prevent possession of a permit or license by persons who would be denied a permit in the Commonwealth and revoke any reciprocity agreement or recognition of any states that do not meet such requirements or qualifications by December 1, 2026. The bill requires the Attorney General to provide a written explanation for any determination that a state's laws are adequate to prevent possession of such permit or license by persons who would be denied such permit in the Commonwealth. VCDL Comments This bill severely restricts concealed handgun permit recognition with other states. Currently, Virginia honors permits from all other states, which, in turn, allows Virginians to be able to carry in most of those states. Virginia residents may not use a permit from another state to carry in Virginia. They must have a Virginia permit. Permit holders from other states have been peacefully carrying in Virginia for years. This bill is an unjust and demeaning slap in the face to law-abiding Virginia gun owners, as it will reduce the number of states where a Virginia permit holder can carry a handgun for self-defense. This bill makes Virginians who are traveling less safe! It will also discourage gun owners outside of Virginia from visiting the Commonwealth, effecting the state's economy. This bill is a solution in search of a problem. | HistoryDate 12/22/2025 House Referred to Committee on H-Public Safety 12/22/2025 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100344D | ||
| | |||
Firearm industry members; standards of responsible conduct; civil liability. Creates standards of responsible conduct for firearm industry members and requires such members to establish and implement reasonable controls regarding the manufacture, sale, distribution, use, and marketing of the firearm industry member's firearm-related products, as those terms are defined in the bill. Such reasonable controls include reasonable procedures, safeguards, and business practices that are designed to (i) prevent the sale or distribution of a firearm-related product to a straw purchaser, a firearm trafficker, a person prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law, or a person who the firearm industry member has reasonable cause to believe is at substantial risk of using a firearm-related product to harm themselves or unlawfully harm another or of unlawfully possessing or using a firearm-related product; (ii) prevent the loss of a firearm-related product or theft of a firearm-related product from a firearm industry member; (iii) ensure that the firearm industry member complies with all provisions of state and federal law and does not otherwise promote the unlawful manufacture, sale, possession, marketing, or use of a firearm-related product; and (iv) ensure that the firearm industry member does not engage in an act or practice in violation of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The bill also provides that a firearm industry member may not knowingly or recklessly create, maintain, or contribute to a public nuisance, as defined in the bill, through the sale, manufacturing, importing, or marketing of a firearm-related product. The bill creates a civil cause of action for the Attorney General or a local county or city attorney to enforce the provisions of the bill or for any person who has been injured as a result of a firearm industry member's violation to seek an injunction and to recover costs and damages. VCDL Comments This bill allows a highly regulated industry, the firearms industry, to be sued civillyfor a variety of already illegal actions. It also holds the manufacturers and sellers of even the most benignof firearm accessories, like a butt stock or a gun case, liable to a civil lawsuit if it doesn't 'properly'protect that item from theft or misuse by a criminal! How could a firearm accessory seller reasonablyknow if they were selling a gun sling or a holster to a prohibited person? If an automobile parts store sells a seat cover to a driver who subsequently drives drunk and kills a family, it would make no sense to allow the store and the seat cover manufacturer to be sued. This bill is designed to have a chilling effect on all aspects of the firearms industry and nothing else. | HistoryDate 11/17/2025 Senate Referred to Committee for S-Courts of Justice 11/17/2025 Senate Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100568D | ||
| | |||
Firearm transfers to another person from a prohibited person. Provides that a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm because the person is subject to a protective order or has been convicted of an assault and battery of a family or household member may transfer a firearm owned by the prohibited person to any person who is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing such firearm, provided that the person who is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing such firearm is 21 years of age or older and does not reside with the person who is subject to the protective order. Under current law, there is no requirement that a transferee cannot be younger than 21 years of age and cannot reside with the prohibited person. The bill also provides that the prohibited person who transfers, sells, or surrenders a firearm pursuant to the provisions of the bill shall inform the clerk of the court of the name, address, and signature of the transferee, federally licensed firearms dealer, or law-enforcement agency in possession of the firearm and shall provide a copy of the form to the transferee. The bill also provides that a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm because the person is subject to a protective order or has been convicted of an assault and battery of a family or household member shall be advised that a law-enforcement officer may obtain a search warrant to search for any firearms from the person if the law-enforcement officer has reason to believe that the person has not relinquished all firearms in his possession.
VCDL Comments This bill requires a person with a protective order against them or a person with a domestic violence conviction to surrender, sell, or turn their guns over to someone 21-years-old or older and someone who does not live with them. It requires the person to be advised that if a police officer believes they have not turned over all their guns, that the officer can get a search warrant to look for any such guns. There are multiple problems with the bill as written. If a husband and wife co-own a shotgun for home defense, for example, and the husband gets a protective order issued against him, the wife would no longer have access to that co-owned shotgun. That punishes the wife and needlessly endangers her life. There is also the question of not allowing a person 18 to 20-years-old to retain the guns. A person in that age range can legally possess rifles, shotguns, and handguns. Why can't young adults be used to hold the guns? | HistoryDate 11/19/2025 Senate Referred to Committee for S-Courts of Justice 11/19/2025 Senate Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100710D | ||
| | |||
Manufacture, import, sale, transfer, or possession of plastic firearms and unfinished frames or receivers and unserialized firearms prohibited; penalties. Creates a Class 5 felony for any person who knowingly manufactures or assembles, causes to be manufactured or assembled, imports, purchases, sells, offers for sale, transfers, or possesses any firearm that, after removal of all parts other than a major component, as defined in the bill, is not detectable as a firearm when subjected to inspection by the types of detection devices, including X-ray machines, commonly used at airports, government buildings, schools, correctional facilities, and other locations for security screening. The bill updates language regarding the types of detection devices that are used at such locations for detecting plastic firearms. Under current law, it is unlawful to manufacture, import, sell, transfer, or possess any plastic firearm, and a violation is punishable as a Class 5 felony. The bill also creates a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable as a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense, for any person who knowingly possesses a firearm or any completed or unfinished frame or receiver that is not imprinted with a valid serial number or who knowingly imports, purchases, sells, offers for sale, or transfers ownership of any completed or unfinished frame or receiver, unless the completed or unfinished frame or receiver (i) is deemed to be a firearm pursuant to federal law and (ii) is imprinted with a valid serial number. The bill creates a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable as a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense, for any person who manufactures or assembles, causes to be manufactured or assembled, imports, purchases, sells, offers for sale, or transfers ownership of any firearm that is not imprinted with a valid serial number. The provisions of the bill prohibiting unfinished frames or receivers and unserialized firearms have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027, and the provisions of the bill prohibiting the knowing possession of a firearm or any completed or unfinished frame or receiver that is not imprinted with a valid serial number have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. VCDL Comments This bill makes unfinished firearm frames and receivers and un-serialized commercially made firearms unlawful to possess, purchase, sell, or transfer unless they are serialized. Even a chunk of aluminum, if sold to the public to become a frame or receiver once completed, must be serialized under this bill. The bill doesn't grandfather existing homemade firearms. This bill is unconstitutional, as there was no analog in the history or traditions of firearms with any such limitations at the time the Bill of Rights was adopted. Homemade guns have been legal since before the United States existed. And, of course, government, our servant, exempts itself from all this foolishness. | HistoryDate 1/13/2026 House Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB40) 1/6/2026 House Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/6/2026 2:07 pm) 12/23/2025 House Referred to Committee on H-Public Safety 12/23/2025 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100452D | ||
| | |||
Firearm transfers to another person from a prohibited person. Provides that a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm because the person is subject to a protective order or has been convicted of an assault and battery of a family or household member may transfer a firearm owned by the prohibited person to any person who is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing such firearm, provided that the person who is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing such firearm is 21 years of age or older and does not reside with the person who is subject to the protective order. Under current law, there is no requirement that a transferee cannot be younger than 21 years of age and cannot reside with the prohibited person. The bill also provides that the prohibited person who transfers, sells, or surrenders a firearm pursuant to the provisions of the bill shall inform the clerk of the court of the name, address, and signature of the transferee, federally licensed firearms dealer, or law-enforcement agency in possession of the firearm and shall provide a copy of the form to the transferee. The bill also provides that a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm because the person is subject to a protective order or has been convicted of an assault and battery of a family or household member shall be advised that a law-enforcement officer may obtain a search warrant to search for any firearms from the person if the law-enforcement officer has reason to believe that the person has not relinquished all firearms in his possession.
VCDL Comments This bill requires a person with a protective order against them or a person with a domestic violence conviction to surrender, sell, or turn their guns over to someone 21-years-old or older and someone who does not live with them. It requires the person to be advised that if a police officer believes they have not turned over all their guns, that the officer can get a search warrant to look for any such guns. There are multiple problems with the bill as written. If a husband and wife co-own a shotgun for home defense, for example, and the husband gets a protective order issued against him, the wife would no longer have access to that co-owned shotgun. That punishes the wife and needlessly endangers her life. There is also the question of not allowing a person 18 to 20-years-old to retain the guns. A person in that age range can legally possess rifles, shotguns, and handguns. Young adults should be able to hold the guns. | HistoryDate 1/2/2026 House Referred to Committee on H-Public Safety 1/2/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100796D | ||
| | |||
Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; civil penalty. Provides that no person shall leave, place, or store a handgun in an unattended motor vehicle, as defined in the bill, when such handgun is visible to any person who is outside such unattended motor vehicle. The bill provides that any person violating such prohibition is subject to a civil penalty of no more than $500 and that such unattended motor vehicle may be subject to removal for safekeeping. VCDL Comments This bill creates a $500 civil penalty and subjects a vehicle to towing if a person leaves a visible handgun in an unattended vehicle. The car owner should not be at fault even if a criminal opens an unlocked car door to steal a firearm. It is the criminal who is solely to blame. This bill would put a handgun in the possession of, and under the control of, a tow truck company! Punish criminals and stop harassing good people. | HistoryDate 1/2/2026 House Referred to Committee on H-Public Safety 1/2/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101482D | ||
| | |||
Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states. Provides that the Superintendent of State Police, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, shall determine whether other states meet the statutory qualifications for Virginia to recognize the concealed handgun permit of a person from such other state. Under current law, any out-of-state permit is recognized in the Commonwealth, provided that (i) the issuing authority provides the means for instantaneous verification of the validity of all such permits or licenses issued within that state accessible 24 hours a day; (ii) the permit or license holder carries a photo identification issued by a government agency of any state or by the U.S. Department of Defense or U.S. Department of State and displays the permit or license and such identification upon demand by a law-enforcement officer; and (iii) the permit or license holder has not previously had a Virginia concealed handgun permit revoked. The bill prevents a Virginia resident, except for an active duty service member or such service member's spouse, who has not been issued a valid resident concealed handgun permit from using a concealed handgun or concealed weapon permit or license issued by another state to carry a concealed handgun in the Commonwealth. The foregoing provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. The bill requires the Superintendent of State Police, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, to review any agreements for reciprocal recognition that are in place with any other states as of July 1, 2026, to determine whether the requirements and qualifications of those states' laws are adequate to prevent possession of a permit or license by persons who would be denied a permit in the Commonwealth and revoke any reciprocity agreement or recognition of any states that do not meet such requirements or qualifications by December 1, 2026. The bill requires the Attorney General to provide a written explanation for any determination that a state's laws are adequate to prevent possession of such permit or license by persons who would be denied such permit in the Commonwealth. VCDL Comments This bill severely restricts concealed handgun permit recognition with other states. Currently, Virginia honors permits from all other states, which, in turn, allows Virginians to be able to carry in most of those states. Virginia residents may not use a permit from another state to carry in Virginia. They must have a Virginia permit. Permit holders from other states have been peacefully carrying in Virginia for years. This bill is an unjust and demeaning slap in the face to law-abiding Virginia gun owners, as it will reduce the number of states where a Virginia permit holder can carry a handgun for self-defense. This bill makes Virginians who are traveling less safe! It will also discourage gun owners outside of Virginia from visiting the Commonwealth, effecting the state's economy. This bill is a solution in search of a problem. | HistoryDate 1/5/2026 Senate Referred to Committee for S-Courts of Justice 1/5/2026 Senate Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100698D | ||
| | |||
Purchase, possession, or transportation of firearm; assault and battery of a family or household member or intimate partner; penalty. Adds to the definition of "family or household member," as such definition relates to juvenile and domestic relations district court, a person's intimate partner, defined in the bill as an individual who, within the previous 12 months, was in a romantic, dating, or sexual relationship with the person as determined by the length, nature, frequency, and type of interaction between the individuals involved in the relationship. The bill also adds to the definition of "family or household member," as such definition relates to a person's purchase, possession, or transportation of a firearm following an assault and battery of a family or household member, any individual who cohabits or who, within the previous 12 months, cohabitated with the person. Finally, the bill provides that any person who knowingly and intentionally purchases, possesses, or transports any firearm following a misdemeanor conviction for an offense that occurred on or after July 1, 2026, for the offense of assault and battery against an intimate partner or an offense substantially similar under the laws of any other state or of the United States is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. VCDL Comments This bill makes battery in a 'dating relationship' a misdemeanor and takes away the right to purchase, possess, or transport a firearm for three years. Misdemeanors should never take away a civil right. | HistoryDate 1/12/2026 Senate Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/12/2026 11:19 am) 1/7/2026 Senate Referred to Committee for S-Courts of Justice 1/7/2026 Senate Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100142D | ||
| | |||
Weapons; possession prohibited in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services; penalty. Makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to knowingly and intentionally possess in the building of any hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services in the Commonwealth, including an emergency department or other facility rendering emergency medical care, a (i) firearm, (ii) knife with a blade over three and one-half inches, or (iii) other dangerous weapon, including explosives and stun weapons. The bill also provides that notice of such prohibitions shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance of any hospital and that no person shall be convicted of the offense if such notice is not posted, unless such person had actual notice of the prohibitions. The bill provides that such firearm, knife, explosive, or weapon shall be subject to seizure by a law-enforcement officer and forfeited to the Commonwealth and specifies exceptions to the prohibition.
VCDL Comments This bill prohibits firearms, or knives with a blade longer than 3.5 inches, in facilities that provide mental health services or developmental services, including hospitals, emergency departments, or emergency medical care facilities, if they offer such services. Disarming visitors and guests, including concealed handgun permit holders, at such facilities violates their right to protect themselves in an emergency. A U.S. District Court in the 2nd Circuit has restrained enforcement of just such a law for being unconstitutional under New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v Bruen Supreme Court ruling. | HistoryDate 1/12/2026 Senate Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/12/2026 11:30 am) 1/8/2026 Senate Referred to Committee for S-Courts of Justice 1/8/2026 Senate Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105103D | ||
| | |||
Retail sales and use tax; firearm suppressor tax. Imposes a firearm suppressor tax equal to $500 per retail sale of any firearm suppressor by a dealer in firearms. The bill provides that the revenue from such tax shall be deposited in the general fund. VCDL Comments This bill creates a $500 tax on suppressors. The last case of a legally owned suppressor being used in a crime in Virginia was back in 2019 in a Virginia Beach 'gun-free zone.' Suppressors don't eliminate a gun's sound. They merely lower the sound to a more hearing-safe level. They reduce a sound-level as loud as a jet plane taking off down to the sound-level of a jackhammer. The reduced sound-level is more neighbor-friendly when target shooting. Suppressors also protect a hunter's hearing. Some suppressors are priced around $300, so this would be a 160% tax! What exactly does such a high tax achieve, other than purposely pricing poor people out of the market, discouraging target shooters from reducing the sound-level heard by neighbors, or making it harder for a hunter to protect his hearing? | HistoryDate 1/7/2026 House Referred to Committee on H-Finance 1/7/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103948D | ||
| | |||
Importation, sale, manufacture, etc., of assault firearms and certain ammunition feeding devices prohibited; penalties. Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person who imports, sells, manufactures, purchases, or transfers an assault firearm, as that term is defined in the bill with some exceptions, and prohibits a person who has been convicted of such violation from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm for a period of three years from the date of conviction. The bill provides that an assault firearm does not include any firearm that is an antique firearm, has been rendered permanently inoperable, is manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action, or was manufactured before July 1, 2026. The bill also prohibits the sale of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, as that term is defined in the bill. The bill provides that any person who willfully and intentionally (i) sells an assault firearm to another person or (ii) purchases an assault firearm from another person is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor and that any person who imports, sells, barters, or transfers a large capacity ammunition feeding device is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill also makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person younger than 21 years of age to import, sell, manufacture, purchase, possess, transport, or transfer an assault firearm regardless of the date of manufacture of such assault firearm with some exceptions. VCDL Comments This bill prohibits the sale, possession, transfer, and transport of an 'assault firearm' made on or after July 1, 2026. It also prohibits sale, possession, transfer, and transport of an 'assault firearm' to anyone under the age of 21. Magazines that hold more than 10 rounds and were made on or after July 1, 2026, are prohibited. The U.S. Supreme Court has said in both DC v Heller, and recently The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v Bruen, that any firearm 'in common use' is protected by the Second Amendment. The guns and magazines targeted by this bill are among the most common guns and magazines in the United States, making this bill unconstitutional. There are conservatively estimated to be over 20 million AR-15s and 700 million magazines that hold more than 10 rounds in civilian hands. | HistoryDate 1/14/2026 House Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB217) 1/8/2026 House Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/8/2026 5:09 pm) 1/7/2026 House Referred to Committee on H-Public Safety 1/7/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100315D | ||
| | |||
Weapons; possession prohibited in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services; penalty. Makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to knowingly and intentionally possess in the building of any hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services in the Commonwealth, including an emergency department or other facility rendering emergency medical care, a (i) firearm, (ii) knife with a blade over three and one-half inches, or (iii) other dangerous weapon, including explosives and stun weapons. The bill also provides that notice of such prohibitions shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance of any hospital and that no person shall be convicted of the offense if such notice is not posted, unless such person had actual notice of the prohibitions. The bill provides that such firearm, knife, explosive, or weapon shall be subject to seizure by a law-enforcement officer and forfeited to the Commonwealth and specifies exceptions to the prohibition. VCDL Comments This bill prohibits firearms, or knives with a blade longer than 3.5 inches, in facilities that provide mental health services or developmental services, including hospitals, emergency departments, or emergency medical care facilities, if they offer such services. Disarming visitors and guests, including concealed handgun permit holders, at such facilities violates their right to protect themselves in an emergency. A U.S. District Court in the 2nd Circuit has restrained enforcement of just such a law for being unconstitutional under New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v Bruen Supreme Court ruling. | HistoryDate 1/8/2026 House Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/8/2026 5:05 pm) 1/8/2026 House Referred to Committee on H-Public Safety 1/8/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104503D | ||
| | |||
Carrying a firearm or explosive material within Capitol Square or building owned or leased by the Commonwealth; exemptions; public institutions of higher education; penalty. Limits the exemption from the prohibition on the carrying of any firearm or explosive material within any building owned or leased by the Commonwealth or agency thereof or any office where employees of the Commonwealth or any agency thereof are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties that currently applies to any property owned or operated by a public institution of higher education to instead apply to any individual within a building owned or operated by a public institution of higher education who possesses a weapon as part of such public institution of higher education's curriculum or activities or as part of any organization authorized by such public institution of higher education to conduct its programs or activities within such building, as such uses are approved through the law-enforcement or public safety unit of such institution. VCDL Comments This bill restricts firearms at public institutions of higher education by requiring such firearms be part of an authorized program or activity inside a building. A solution in search of a problem. Higher education students are adults and have a right to self-defense. | HistoryDate 1/14/2026 Senate Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/14/2026 6:52 pm) 1/12/2026 Senate Referred to Committee for S-Courts of Justice 1/12/2026 Senate Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100667D | ||
| | |||
Carrying a firearm or explosive material within Capitol Square or building owned or leased by the Commonwealth; exemptions; public institutions of higher education; penalty. Limits the exemption from the prohibition on the carrying of any firearm or explosive material within any building owned or leased by the Commonwealth or agency thereof or any office where employees of the Commonwealth or any agency thereof are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties that currently applies to any property owned or operated by a public institution of higher education to instead apply to any individual within a building owned or operated by a public institution of higher education who possesses a weapon as part of such public institution of higher education's curriculum or activities or as part of any organization authorized by such public institution of higher education to conduct its programs or activities within such building, as such uses are approved through the law-enforcement or public safety unit of such institution. VCDL Comments This bill restricts firearms at public institutions of higher education by requiring such firearms be part of an authorized program or activity inside a building. A solution in search of a problem. Higher education students are adults and have a right to self-defense. | HistoryDate 1/13/2026 House Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/13/2026 3:34 pm) 1/13/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/13/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105402D | ||
| | |||
Purchase of firearms; waiting period; penalties. Provides that no person shall sell a firearm unless at least five days have elapsed from the time the prospective purchaser completes the written consent form to have a licensed dealer obtain criminal history record information, with exceptions enumerated in relevant law. The bill provides that any person who willfully and intentionally sells to another person or purchases from another person a firearm in violation of this prohibition is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Additionally, the bill provides that any dealer who willfully and intentionally sells, rents, trades, or transfers a firearm in violation of such prohibition is guilty of a Class 6 felony. VCDL Comments This bill requires that a person must wait five days before a purchased or rented firearm can be transferred to them. Gun sales, both private and commercial, will require a buyer to make two trips to a dealer to get the firearm, and such trips could be lengthy. The bill will also do severe harm to gun shows, as most are only two days long and would therefore require all purchasers to travel to a gun store, possibly across the state, to pick up the firearm. There are many sad cases where someone who urgently needed a firearm for self-defense was murdered while in the waiting period. California has a 10-day waiting period, with plenty of mass murders and a violent crime rate more than double that of Virginia in 2023. Virginia has the 14th lowest crime rate in the U.S. (https://www.statista.com/statistics/200445/reported-violent-crime-rate-in-the-us-states/). So much for the promise to citizens that the system would be an 'instant check' when that law was passed. | HistoryDate 1/13/2026 House Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/13/2026 4:53 pm) 1/13/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/13/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103829D | ||
| | |||
Storage of firearms in a residence where a minor or person prohibited from possessing a firearm is present; penalty. Requires any person who possesses a firearm in a residence where such person knows that a minor or a person who is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm is present to store such firearm and the ammunition for such firearm in a locked container, compartment, or cabinet that is inaccessible to such minor or prohibited person. The bill provides that a violation is a Class 4 misdemeanor. The bill exempts (i) any person in lawful possession of a firearm who carries such firearm on or about his person and (ii) the storage of antique firearms and provides that the lawful authorization of a minor to access a firearm is not a violation of the bill's provisions. The bill also requires firearm dealers to post a notice stating such firearm storage requirements and the penalty for improperly storing such firearms. VCDL Comments This bill requires all firearms in a home, that are not being carried on or about a person, to be unloaded and placed in a locked container if there is a minor in the home or if there is a prohibited person in the home. A gun may only be stored loaded if it is in a biometric safe. Gun dealers must post signage about the law and there is also a provision to educate the public on firearm storage. Biometric safes are more expensive than non-biometric safes. Biometric safes can be unreliable when being used under stress and they also require batteries to work. Why are biometric safes the only option for storing a loaded firearm? There are plenty of other locking mechanisms for safes that are just as secure. | HistoryDate 1/13/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/13/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101397D | ||
| | |||
VCDL Comments This bill expands the Red Flag law by allowing more categories of people to petition for someone to be Red Flagged. The expanded types of petitioners cover various kinds of counselors and medical professionals. It now also includes immediate family or household members and intimate partners. The recent lawful acquisition of a firearm or ammunition is considered possible evidence that someone might need to be Red Flagged! This bill will inhibit someone getting medical or counselling help, as the person will not be able to trust that any information he shares won't be used against him. The expanded list of petitioners will greatly increase abuse of the Red Flag law by someone with a grudge. | |||
| | |||
Security requirements for dealers in firearms; civil penalty. Prohibits dealers in firearms operating from a retail mercantile establishment, as defined in the bill, and holding a valid federal firearms license issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives from conducting business or storing firearms at a location unless certain security requirements specified in the bill are met. The bill creates a civil penalty not exceeding $1,000 for violations of such security requirements. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2028. VCDL Comments This bill requires gun dealers who don't work out of their residence to have security cameras filming inside and outside where firearms are stored; bars or security screens, etc. on all outside doors and windows where guns are stored; a continuously monitored burglar alarm system where guns are stored; 'if practicable', whatever that means, having physical barriers to prevent vehicles from ramming the building where guns are stored; and a requirement on how guns are to be stored after business hours that makes no sense. There are a lot of problems with this bill. 1) Some gun dealers simply cannot comply with all the requirements based on where their gun store is located, such as in a mall. 2) The wording on how guns are to be stored after hours is so poorly written as to be unintelligible. 3) The requirements are going to be too onerous for some gun dealers and will drive up costs for the consumer. | HistoryDate 1/13/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/13/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105240D | ||
| | |||
Elections administration; certain activities or conduct prohibited at polling places applicable to locations for absentee voting in person; prohibited possession of firearm within 100 feet of certain locations. Clarifies that the provisions of law prohibiting certain activities or conduct in and around a polling place shall also apply to locations where absentee voting in person is available. The bill also prohibits any person, with certain exceptions, from (i) knowingly carrying any firearm and (ii) knowingly doing so within 100 feet of the entrance of a polling place, the building used by the local electoral board to meet to ascertain election results, the building used to conduct a recount of an election, and other additional locations used for voting-related and elections-related activities. Under current law, this prohibition applies within 40 feet of such entrances. VCDL Comments This bill expands the prohibition on the carry of firearms from 40 feet to 100 feet outside of a polling place or outside a building where the local electoral board is meeting. Even 40 feet was too much considering that there was never an issue with citizens lawfully carrying a firearm for self-defense at polling places or outside buildings where local electoral boards meet. This bill will increase the chance of innocent gun owners being entrapped if carrying a firearm and unaware of the arbitrary boundary set in this bill. | HistoryDate 1/13/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/13/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105117D | ||
| | |||
Retail sales and use tax; firearm and ammunition tax. Imposes a firearm and ammunition tax equal to 11 percent of the gross receipts from the retail sale of any firearm or ammunition by a dealer in firearms, firearms manufacturer, or ammunition vendor, as such terms are defined in the bill. The bill provides that proceeds from such tax shall be distributed to the Virginia Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund.
VCDL Comments This bill creates an 11% excise tax on firearms and ammunition manufacturers for gross sales into the Commonwealth. Is there going to be an excise tax for book publishers, raising the cost for people who want to exercise their First Amendment rights? This is a 'sin tax,' that affects a basic civil right. Owning a gun is not a sin. Guns are used to save hundreds of thousands of lives every year. | HistoryDate 1/13/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/13/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102202D | ||
| | |||
Prohibition on outdoor shooting of firearm on property without reasonable care; penalty. Permits localities to adopt an ordinance prohibiting outdoor shooting of a firearm unless the discharge of such firearm is conducted (i) on land of at least five acres and (ii) with reasonable care, described in the bill, to prevent a projectile from crossing the bounds of the land. The bill permits such an ordinance to create a rebuttable presumption that the discharge of firearms across or over the bounds of a property without written permission of that property owner was without reasonable care. The bill requires that a violation of such an ordinance not exceed a Class 1 misdemeanor. VCDL Comments This bill allows localities to ban the discharge of a firearm on property that has less than 5 acres. Any berm or backstop must be at least 10 feet from a property line and reasonable care must be taken to prevent the projectile from leaving the shooter's property. This is a one-size-fits-all situation. If there are no homes close to the shooter's property, one could safely shoot on a much smaller lot with a berm or other backstop. | HistoryDate 1/13/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/13/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102187D | ||
| | |||
Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center established. Creates the Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center within the Department of Health. The bill states that the Center will serve as the primary resource for research, best practices, and strategies for the implementation of firearm violence intervention, community-based intervention, and group violence intervention programs designed to reduce violence in communities. The bill also requires that the Center evaluate state and community-based violence intervention programs and policies that receive funding through the Center, apply for and accept federal grants, and provide technical assistance. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. VCDL Comments This bill creates a state agency named the Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center. The Center would only be targeting violence committed using firearms and ignoring the root causes of crime, as well as all the other ways violence is inflicted on victims '� knives, blunt objects, hands and feet, etc. Half of violent crimes are not committed with a firearm! The term 'Gun Violence' in the name of the agency gives away the true agenda: 'gun violence' is a term coined by the gun-control lobby to blame guns, which are inanimate objects, and not the criminals that misuse guns. If a police officer shoots someone, the officer gets the blame, not his gun. But, if a criminal shoots someone, the gun gets the blame and not the criminal. No one says, 'tire iron violence' or 'hand and feet violence.' Instead, it is just called 'violence.' But there is a disarmament agenda with firearms and 'gun violence' is just an excuse to go after firearms with more useless gun control. | HistoryDate 1/13/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/13/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105127D | ||
| | |||
Possession or transportation of firearms, firearms ammunition, stun weapons, or explosives or carrying of concealed weapons by persons convicted of a misdemeanor hate crime prohibited; penalty. Prohibits any person who has been convicted, on or after July 1, 2026, of assault or assault and battery if it is reflected on the sentencing order for such conviction or appears on the face of the warrant upon such conviction that such person intentionally selected the person against whom the offense was committed because of his race, religious conviction, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, color, or ethnic or national origin from knowingly and intentionally possessing or transporting any firearm or ammunition for a firearm, any stun weapon, or any explosive material or carrying a concealed weapon, a violation of which is a Class 1 misdemeanor. VCDL Comments This bill prohibits a person convicted of a misdemeanor assault and battery hate crime from being able to possess firearms. Misdemeanors should never take away a person's civil rights. The bill is unconstitutional under the U.S. Supreme Court's New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen decision. | HistoryDate 1/14/2026 House Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/14/2026 6:26 pm) 1/14/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/14/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100294D | ||
| | |||
Public elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education; threat assessment teams; training on emergency substantial risk orders and substantial risk orders. Requires threat assessment teams for public elementary and secondary schools and for public institutions of higher education to receive specific education and training, within existing annual training, on the use of emergency substantial risk orders and substantial risk orders, as set forth in relevant law. VCDL Comments This bill requires training on how to use Red Flag laws by public elementary and secondary schools and public institutions of higher education. Red Flag laws do not provide any help for someone suffering from a mental health crisis and they do not provide due process for weeks after someone's firearms are seized. | HistoryDate 1/14/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/14/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102756D | ||
| | |||
Retail sales and use tax; firearm and ammunition tax. Imposes a firearm and ammunition tax equal to 11 percent of the gross receipts from the sale and distribution of any firearm or ammunition by a firearms or ammunition manufacturer, as such terms are defined in the bill. The bill provides that proceeds from such tax shall be distributed to the Virginia Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund.
VCDL Comments This bill creates an 11% excise tax on firearms and ammunition manufacturers for gross sales into the Commonwealth. Is there going to be an excise tax for book publishers, raising the cost for people who want to exercise their First Amendment rights? This is a 'sin tax,' that affects a basic civil right. Owning a gun is not a sin. Guns are used to save hundreds of thousands of lives every year. | HistoryDate 1/14/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/14/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104910D | ||
| | |||
|
|
|||
|
Bills We Oppose
|
|||
| Bill Summary | Bill Status | ||
School board policies; parental notification; safe storage of prescription drugs and firearms in household. Requires each school board to develop and implement a policy to require the annual notification of the parent of each student enrolled in the school division, to be sent by email and, if applicable, SMS text message, of (i) the importance of securely storing any prescription drug, as defined in relevant law, present in the household and (ii) the parent's legal responsibility to safely store any firearm present in the household. The bill also requires each parental notification to include information on (a) relevant state laws and regulations relating to safe firearm storage and child access to firearms and (b) firearm-related accidents, injuries, and deaths, including the role of firearms in suicides, tips and resources for seeking help for a child that may be a danger to himself and others, and current statistics published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on youth firearm fatality rates. Finally, the bill requires each school board to make such parental notification available in multiple languages on its website. VCDL Comments This bill requires schools to notify parents by text and on the school's website, within 30-days of the start of school, that the parents are responsible for making sure they have secured their firearms from their children, as required under 18.2-56.2. This bill leaves it up to school boards to come up with their own wording, and that leaves the warnings subject to anti-gun mischief '� such as discouraging gun ownership by the parents. | HistoryDate 1/15/2026 Senate Assigned S-Education sub: Public Education 1/2/2026 Senate Referred to Committee on S-Education and Health 1/2/2026 Senate Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100638D | ||
| | |||
|
|
|||
|
Bills We Are Currently Neutral On
|
|||
| Bill Summary | Bill Status | ||
School board policies; parental notification; safe storage of prescription drugs and firearms in the household. Requires each local school board to develop and implement a policy to require the annual notification of the parent of each student enrolled in the local school division, to be sent by email and, if applicable, SMS text message within 30 calendar days succeeding the first day of each school year, of (i) the importance of securely storing any prescription drug, as defined in relevant law, present in the household and (ii) the parent's legal responsibility to safely store any firearm present in the household. The bill requires each school board to make such parental notification available in multiple languages on its website. VCDL Comments This bill requires schools to notify parents by text and on the school's website, within 30-days of the start of school, that the parents are responsible for making sure they have secured their firearms from their children, as required under 18.2-56.2. | HistoryDate 1/14/2026 House Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB201) 1/7/2026 House Referred to Committee on H-Education 1/7/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101358D | ||
| | |||
Anti-harassment orders. Creates a procedure for issuing an anti-harassment order, defined in the bill. The bill also provides that (i) an anti-harassment order does not constitute a restraining order to disqualify a person from obtaining a concealed handgun permit and (ii) a violation of an anti-harassment order is punishable as contempt of court. VCDL Comments This bill creates an anti-harassment order. The order does not affect a person being able to get a CHP. | HistoryDate 1/7/2026 House Referred to Committee for H-Courts of Justice 1/7/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103419D | ||
| | |||
Concealed handgun permit; demonstrated competence. Adds a handgun shooting class or course that teaches (i) efficient, effective, and responsible use of a concealed handgun for self-defense outside of the home; (ii) state laws pertaining to handguns; and (iii) proper handgun storage techniques to those programs that satisfy the demonstration of competence requirement for the issuance of a Virginia resident or nonresident concealed handgun permit. The bill removes the requirement that such a training course must be conducted by the National Rifle Association or the United States Concealed Carry Association. VCDL Comments This bill changes the concealed handgun permit training requirements to replace '2. Completing any National Rifle Association or United States Concealed Carry Association firearms safety or training course;' with a more general, '2. Completing a handgun shooting class or course that teaches (i) efficient, effective, and responsible use of a concealed handgun for self-defense outside the home; (ii) state laws pertaining to handguns; and (iii) proper handgun storage techniques;' | HistoryDate 1/13/2026 House Committee Referral Pending 1/13/2026 House Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102206D | ||
| | |||
|
|
|||
|
Bills That Have Been Rolled Into Other Bills, Continued to Next Year, Withdrawn or Killed
|
|||
| Bill Summary | Bill Status | ||