Proposed Virginia Firearm Legislation HB1597
Legislation Overview
Title: Firearms; secure storage, penalties.
Description: Secure storage of firearms; penalties. Creates a Class 4 misdemeanor for any person who fails to securely store a firearm on any premises where such person knows, or reasonably should know, that a minor or a person who is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm is, or is likely to be, present. The bill increases the penalty to a Class 1 misdemeanor if a minor or a person who is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm obtains such firearm. The bill includes certain exceptions and requires firearms dealers to post a notice stating firearm storage requirements and the penalty for improperly storing such firearms. The bill also creates a Class 4 misdemeanor for any person who fails to report to law enforcement the theft or loss of a firearm from a vehicle and a Class 1 misdemeanor if another person obtains such firearm. Finally, the bill requires the Superintendent of State Police, in conjunction with the Commissioner of Health, to create a public awareness campaign on the importance of the secure storage of firearms by January 1, 2026.
Session: 2025 Regular Session
Last Action: Delegates: Feggans, Simon, Taylor
Last Action Date: February 20, 2025
Sponsors
Note: the first sponsor listed is normally the primary sponsor. If a sponsor's name is a hyperlink you can click on it to 'follow the money'.
19 sponsors: Michael Feggans (D); Nadarius Clark (D); Dan Helmer (D); Amy Laufer (D); Atoosa Reaser (D); Alex Askew (D); Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D); Katrina Callsen (D); Laura Jane Cohen (D); Rae Cousins (D); Debra Gardner (D); Rozia Henson (D); Karen Keys-Gamarra (D); Destiny LeVere Bolling (D); Marty Martinez (D); Marcia Price (D); David Reid (D); J.J. Singh (D);Kathy Tran (D);
Percentage of House Of Delegates sponsoring bill: 19% (19 of 100)
History
| Chamber | Date | Action |
| House | Feb 20, 2025 | House acceded to request |
| House | Feb 20, 2025 | Delegates: Feggans, Simon, Taylor |
| House | Feb 20, 2025 | Conferees appointed by House |
| Senate | Feb 20, 2025 | Senators: Marsden, Boysko, Stuart |
| Senate | Feb 20, 2025 | Conferees appointed by Senate |
| Senate | Feb 19, 2025 | Senate insisted on substitute (36-Y 3-N) |
| Senate | Feb 19, 2025 | Senate requested conference committee |
| House | Feb 18, 2025 | Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 97-N) |
| Senate | Feb 17, 2025 | Courts of Justice Substitute rejected |
| Senate | Feb 17, 2025 | Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 18-N) |
| Senate | Feb 17, 2025 | Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute |
| Senate | Feb 17, 2025 | Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to |
| Senate | Feb 17, 2025 | Reading of substitute waived |
| Senate | Feb 17, 2025 | Read third time |
| Senate | Feb 14, 2025 | Passed by for the day |
| Senate | Feb 14, 2025 | Read third time |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2025 | Rules suspended |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2025 | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N) |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2025 | Passed by for the day |
| Senate | Feb 12, 2025 | Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (10-Y 5-N) |
| Senate | Feb 12, 2025 | Committee substitute printed 25107313D-S2 |
| Senate | Feb 11, 2025 | Committee substitute printed 25107187D-S1 |
| Senate | Feb 10, 2025 | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 6-N 1-A) |
| Senate | Feb 5, 2025 | Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice |
| Senate | Feb 5, 2025 | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) |
| House | Feb 4, 2025 | Read third time and passed House (50-Y 48-N) |
| House | Feb 3, 2025 | Read second time |
| House | Feb 3, 2025 | Engrossed by House - committee substitute |
| House | Feb 3, 2025 | Public Safety Substitute agreed to |
| House | Feb 2, 2025 | Read first time |
| House | Jan 31, 2025 | Reported from Public Safety with substitute (12-Y 9-N) |
| House | Jan 31, 2025 | Impact statement from VCSC (HB1597) |
| House | Jan 31, 2025 | Committee substitute printed 25105219D-H1 |
| House | Jan 14, 2025 | Assigned PS sub: Firearms |
| House | Jan 13, 2025 | Referred from Courts of Justice and referred to Public Safety (Voice Vote) |
| House | Jan 3, 2025 | Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice |
| House | Jan 3, 2025 | Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25103182D |
Texts
| Type | Date | State Link | Text |
| Comm Sub | Feb 12, 2025 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Feb 12, 2025 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Feb 11, 2025 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Feb 11, 2025 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Jan 31, 2025 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Jan 16, 2025 | state link | bill text |
| Introduced | Jan 3, 2025 | state link | bill text |
Amendments
| Title | Description | Date | State Link | Text | Adopted |
| There are no amendments to this bill at this time | |||||
Votes - Click on description to view vote roll call
| Description | Vote Date | Yea Votes | Nay Votes | No Votes | Absent | Passed |
| Reported from Public Safety with substitute (12-Y 9-N) | 01/31/2025 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 1 | Yes |
|
||||||
| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Read third time and passed House (50-Y 48-N) | 02/4/2025 | 50 | 48 | 0 | 2 | Yes |
|
||||||
| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 6-N 1-A) | 02/10/2025 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 | Yes |
|
||||||
| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (10-Y 5-N) | 02/12/2025 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
|
||||||
| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N) | 02/13/2025 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
|
||||||
| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 18-N) | 02/17/2025 | 21 | 18 | 0 | 1 | Yes |
|
||||||
| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 97-N) | 02/18/2025 | 0 | 97 | 0 | 3 | No |
|
||||||
| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Senate insisted on amendment (36-Y 3-N) | 02/19/2025 | 36 | 3 | 0 | 1 | Yes |
|
||||||
| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
Link: link to state bill page
