Virginia: Gun Control Bills Pass General Assembly, Head to Youngkin's Desk

It has been a busy week in Richmond, and not for the right reasons.

The General Assembly passed a slew of anti-gun legislation, and these bills will now be transmitted to Governor Youngkin's office. Please contact Governor Youngkin and urge him to VETO these bills by using the TAKE ACTION button below!

The following bills are headed to Governor Youngkin's desk:

SB744 creates age restrictions for certain firearm transfers.

SB848 restricts young adults between 18 and 21 from being able to purchase certain semi-automatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns.

SB880 bans carrying a rifle or shotgun on any public street, road, alley, sidewalk, public right-of-way, public park, or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public. This is a drastic expansion of Gun Free Zones across Virginia.

SB881 ends the centuries-old practice of individuals building lawful firearms for personal use without government interference by prohibiting the manufacture of firearms without serial numbers. Transfer and possession of an unserialized or plastic firearm would be prohibited. This legislation would also penalize individuals who lawfully purchased unfinished frames and receivers before the bill’s effective date.

SB891 implements a mandatory, five-day waiting period before a law-abiding citizen may take possession of a legally purchased firearm.

SB1110 and SB1182 propose an expansion of "gun-free" zones without providing any additional security measures where law-abiding persons would be prohibited from lawfully carrying. 

SB1134 creates mandatory firearm storage laws. 

HB1960 creates age restrictions for certain firearm transfers.

Further, the House Public Safety Committee made technical amendments to SB1450 and reported the substituted bill out of committee this morning. It will likely head to the House floor next week for it’s second read. The House Public Safety Committee also referred both SB883 and SB886 to the Committee on Rules earlier this week for further consideration.

SB1450 threatens firearm industry members with frivolous lawsuits by eroding the protections afforded to them via federal law. This legislation would be detrimental and costly to the industry, making exercising your constitutional rights more expensive.

SB883 expands prohibiting categories for certain misdemeanor crimes.

SB886 redefines "trigger activator" to mean a "conversion kit, tool, accessory, or device designed to allow alter the rate of fire." This vague and ambiguous definition could be broadly interpreted to implicate many common firearm accessories, including any trigger upgrades and modifications. 

Additionally, more gun control bills are still alive and well in the Senate. The following bills will likely proceed to their third reading on the Senate floor next week: 

HB1607 bans certain semi-automatic firearms manufactured after July 1, 2025, including many semi-automatic rifles, pistols and shotguns. Additionally, HB 1607 arbitrarily limits magazine capacities and discriminates against adults who are 18-20 years old. 

HB1608 threatens firearm industry members with frivolous lawsuits by eroding the protections afforded to them via federal law. This legislation would be detrimental and costly to the industry, making exercising your constitutional rights more expensive.

HB1660 redefines "trigger activator" to mean a "conversion kit, tool, accessory, or device designed to allow alter the rate of fire." This vague and ambiguous definition could be broadly interpreted to implicate many common firearm accessories, including any trigger upgrades and modifications. 

HB1736 creates and provides funding for a Virginia Center for Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention.

HB1797 jeopardizes concealed handgun recognition and reciprocity agreements. This could impact the ability of Virginia's Concealed Handgun Permit holders to carry their firearms in other states as they travel.

HB1869 expands prohibiting categories for certain misdemeanor crimes. 

HB1876 prohibits firearms within buildings owned by public academic institutions, allowing only those that are to be utilized in an official program or during a sanctioned activity.

HB1977 increases the number of locations that qualify as "gun-free zones." 

Earlier this week the Senate Courts of Justice Committee rejected HB1622 as it passed by indefinitely with a 14-1 vote. This vote effectively ended the bill’s chance of passing during the 2025 legislative session.

HB1622 would have prohibited Virginians from storing, placing, or leaving a handgun in their parked vehicle. 

Lastly, the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee reported HB2241 out of committee with a 10-4 vote. This bill is likely headed to the Senate floor for its second read next week.

HB2241 creates new categories of prohibited persons for certain misdemeanor convictions.

This year's legislative session is quickly approaching its conclusion, and gun owners must remain vigilant to prevent these bills from becoming law. Please stay tuned to the NRA-ILA website and your inbox for future updates.