Vetoed by Governor Glenn Youngkin

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits the manufacture, sale, and possession of assault-style weapons and large-capacity ammunition devices.

Highlights:

• Prohibits the importation, manufacture, and sale of assault firearms (Sec. 18.2-287.4).

• Specifies that the importation, manufacture, sale, possession, and transfer of assault firearms is classified as a Class 1 misdemeanor (Sec. 18.2-287.4).

• Specifies that this law will not apply to (Sec. 18.2-287.4):

• Government officers, agents, or employees;

• Members of the armed forces, while acting in their role within the armed forces; 

• Manufacturers of assault weapons for the armed forces, military colleges, or law enforcement agencies; 

• Sales or transfers of assault firearms between any branch of the military and law enforcement agencies with Virginia; or

• Any use of assault firearms in military training or ceremonial events for the state.

• Prohibits the importation, sale, manufacture, purchase, possession, transportation, or transfer of assault firearms by individuals younger than 21 years old (Sec. 18.2-287.4).

• Prohibits any individual with a conviction of a Class 1 misdemeanor from possessing, purchasing, or transporting a firearm for 3 years from the date of the conviction (Sec. 18.2-308).

• Requires firearm dealers to obtain written consent from purchasers for an information check before sale, rent, trade, or transfer to verify (Sec. 18.2-308):

• Individual’s criminal history;

• Firearm manufacturing date; and 

• The purchasing individual is at least 21 years old.

• Requires firearm dealers to request the criminal history of a purchaser from Virginia State Police (Sec. 18.2-308).

• Prohibits firearm dealers from the sale, rent, trade, or transfer to individuals who are not citizens of the United States or permanent residents in the country of the following firearms (Sec. 18.2-308):

• Assault firearms;

• Semi-automatic center-fire rifle;

• Pistols that expel single or multiple projectiles;

• Pistols that are equipped with magazines that hold more than 20 rounds of ammunition; or,

• Pistols that can accommodate a silencer or a folding stock.

• Expands the definition of assault firearm to include (Sec. 18.2-308):

• Semi-automatic center-fire rifles;

• Semi-automatic center-fire pistols;

• Semi-automatic shotguns;

• Shotguns with a magazine that can hold more than 7 rounds of the shortest ammunition for its chamber.

• Classifies that firearms manufactured before July 1, 2025, are antique firearms (Sec. 18.2-308).

• Prohibits the purchase, rent, trade, or transfer of firearms manufactured before July 1, 2025, to individuals younger than 21 years old (Sec. 18.2-308).

• Classifies the sale or purchase of an assault firearm as a Class 1 misdemeanor (Sec. 18.2-308).

• Prohibits the possession or transportation of a handgun by individuals under the age of 18, except if (Sec. 18.2-308):

• The individual is in their home or property;

• The individual is in the home or property of a parent, grandparent, or legal guardian; 

• The individual is in the home or property of another individual with approval;

• The individual is accompanied by an adult to, from, or at a lawful shooting range or firearm education class if the firearm is unloaded during transport; 

• The individual is engaged in legal hunting; or

• The individual is a member of the armed forces if they are acting in the capacity of their role in the armed forces.

• Prohibits the sale, import, barter, or transfer of large-capacity ammunition feeding devices (Sec. 18.2-309).

• Classifies a violation of the law on large capacity ammunition feeding devices as a Class 1 misdemeanor (Sec. 18.2-309).

• Specifies that the law on large capacity ammunition feeding devices does not apply to(Sec. 18.2-309):

• Manufacturing by the state;

• Law enforcement officers for law enforcement; or

• Individuals retired from a law enforcement agency.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits the manufacture, sale, and possession of assault-style weapons and large-capacity ammunition devices.

Highlights:

• Prohibits the importation, manufacture, and sale of assault firearms (Sec. 18.2-287.4).

• Specifies that the importation, manufacture, sale, possession, and transfer of assault firearms is classified as a Class 1 misdemeanor (Sec. 18.2-287.4).

• Specifies that this law will not apply to (Sec. 18.2-287.4):

• Government officers, agents, or employees;

• Members of the armed forces, while acting in their role within the armed forces; 

• Manufacturers of assault weapons for the armed forces, military colleges, or law enforcement agencies; 

• Sales or transfers of assault firearms between any branch of the military and law enforcement agencies with Virginia; or

• Any use of assault firearms in military training or ceremonial events for the state.

• Prohibits the importation, sale, manufacture, purchase, possession, transportation, or transfer of assault firearms by individuals younger than 21 years old (Sec. 18.2-287.4).

• Prohibits any individual with a conviction of a Class 1 misdemeanor from possessing, purchasing, or transporting a firearm for 3 years from the date of the conviction (Sec. 18.2-308).

• Requires firearm dealers to obtain written consent from purchasers for an information check before sale, rent, trade, or transfer to verify (Sec. 18.2-308):

• Individual’s criminal history;

• Firearm manufacturing date; and 

• The purchasing individual is at least 21 years old.

• Requires firearm dealers to request the criminal history of a purchaser from Virginia State Police (Sec. 18.2-308).

• Prohibits firearm dealers from the sale, rent, trade, or transfer to individuals who are not citizens of the United States or permanent residents in the country of the following firearms (Sec. 18.2-308):

• Assault firearms;

• Semi-automatic center-fire rifle;

• Pistols that expel single or multiple projectiles;

• Pistols that are equipped with magazines that hold more than 20 rounds of ammunition; or,

• Pistols that can accommodate a silencer or a folding stock.

• Expands the definition of assault firearm to include (Sec. 18.2-308):

• Semi-automatic center-fire rifles;

• Semi-automatic center-fire pistols;

• Semi-automatic shotguns;

• Shotguns with a magazine that can hold more than 7 rounds of the shortest ammunition for its chamber.

• Classifies that firearms manufactured before July 1, 2025, are antique firearms (Sec. 18.2-308).

• Prohibits the purchase, rent, trade, or transfer of firearms manufactured before July 1, 2025, to individuals younger than 21 years old (Sec. 18.2-308).

• Classifies the sale or purchase of an assault firearm as a Class 1 misdemeanor (Sec. 18.2-308).

• Prohibits the possession or transportation of a handgun by individuals under the age of 18, except if (Sec. 18.2-308):

• The individual is in their home or property;

• The individual is in the home or property of a parent, grandparent, or legal guardian; 

• The individual is in the home or property of another individual with approval;

• The individual is accompanied by an adult to, from, or at a lawful shooting range or firearm education class if the firearm is unloaded during transport; 

• The individual is engaged in legal hunting; or

• The individual is a member of the armed forces if they are acting in the capacity of their role in the armed forces.

• Prohibits the sale, import, barter, or transfer of large-capacity ammunition feeding devices (Sec. 18.2-309).

• Classifies a violation of the law on large capacity ammunition feeding devices as a Class 1 misdemeanor (Sec. 18.2-309).

• Specifies that the law on large capacity ammunition feeding devices does not apply to(Sec. 18.2-309):

• Manufacturing by the state;

• Law enforcement officers for law enforcement; or

• Individuals retired from a law enforcement agency.

Full Bill Text