Proposed Virginia Firearm Legislation HB1818
Legislation Overview
Title: School Safety Firearm Detection Software Pilot Program; established.
Description: Public School Security Equipment Grant Act of 2013; eligible security equipment; School Safety Firearm Detection Software Pilot Program established. Establishes the School Safety Firearm Detection Software Pilot Program (the Pilot Program), to be administered as a part of the Public School Security Equipment Grant Act of 2013, for the purpose of enhancing security and firearm violence prevention measures in public schools in the Commonwealth by awarding grants to eligible school divisions for the purchase, installation or integration, maintenance, and operation of firearm detection software into security cameras in two Title 1 schools in each congressional district in the Commonwealth. The bill defines "firearm detection software" as any technology software or system provided by a vendor that (i) is headquartered in the Commonwealth, has at least 10 years of experience in providing school safety technology to educational institutions, and is a small business consisting of fewer than 100 employees and (ii) uses artificial intelligence to analyze video streams from surveillance cameras in real time for the detection of firearms and, upon detecting a firearm, immediately notifies local law enforcement, school security personnel, the school administration, and other appropriate public safety authorities. The bill amends provisions of the Public School Security Equipment Grant Act of 2013 as necessary for the integration of the Pilot Program, including by (a) expanding the definition of "security equipment" to include firearm detection software; (b) exempting from the match requirement, in addition to the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind as set forth in current law, any school division receiving a grant pursuant to the Pilot Program; (c) requiring the Department to give priority to eligible school divisions applying on behalf of Title 1 schools for grants under the Pilot Program such that grants are first awarded to school divisions and in an amount sufficient to support the purchase, installation or integration, maintenance, and operation of firearm detection software in two Title 1 schools in each congressional district; and (d) modifying and expanding applications requirements, reporting requirements, and requirements relating to the development of certain guidelines, policies, and procedures to include the Pilot Program. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2028.
Session: 2025 Regular Session
Last Action: Assigned Approps sub: Elementary & Secondary Education
Last Action Date: January 15, 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'.
1 sponsors: David Reid (D);
Percentage of House Of Delegates sponsoring bill: 1% (1 of 100)
History
| Chamber | Date | Action |
| House | Jan 15, 2025 | Reported from Education with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations (21-Y 0-N) |
| House | Jan 15, 2025 | Assigned Approps sub: Elementary & Secondary Education |
| House | Jan 14, 2025 | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations (8-Y 0-N) |
| House | Jan 11, 2025 | Assigned Educ sub: K-12 Subcommittee |
| House | Jan 6, 2025 | Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25104122D |
| House | Jan 6, 2025 | Referred to Committee on Education |
Texts
| Type | Date | State Link | Text |
| Introduced | Jan 6, 2025 | state link | bill text |
Amendments
| Title | Description | Date | State Link | Text | Adopted |
| HED Sub: K-12 Subcommittee Amendments | HED Sub: K-12 Subcommittee Amendments | Nov 30, -0001 | State Link | amendment text | No |
| Education Amendments | Education Amendments | Nov 30, -0001 | State Link | amendment text | No |
Votes - Click on description to view vote roll call
| Description | Vote Date | Yea Votes | Nay Votes | No Votes | Absent | Passed |
| Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations (8-Y 0-N) | 01/14/2025 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Yes |
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| Reported from Education with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations (21-Y 0-N) | 01/15/2025 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Yes |
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Link: link to state bill page
