Proposed Virginia Firearm Legislation SB496
Legislation Overview
Title: Handguns; secure storage in an unattended locked vehicle, penalty.
Description: Secure storage of handguns; unattended locked vehicle; penalty. Removes the exception to the prohibition on carrying a concealed weapon for any person who may lawfully possess a firearm and is carrying a handgun while in a personal, private motor vehicle or vessel and such handgun is secured in a container or compartment in the vehicle or vessel. The bill also creates a Class 4 misdemeanor for any person who fails to securely store a handgun, defined in the bill, in a locked hard-sided container out of plain view in an unattended vehicle, defined in the bill.
Session: 2026 Regular Regular Session
Last Action: Passed by for the day
Last Action Date: January 28, 2026
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'.
2 sponsors: Dave Marsden (D); Adam Ebbin (D);
Percentage of Senate sponsoring bill: 5% (2 of 40)
History
| Chamber | Date | Action |
| Senate | Jan 28, 2026 | Passed by for the day |
| Senate | Jan 28, 2026 | Read second time |
| Senate | Jan 28, 2026 | Committee substitute printed 26106227D-S1 |
| Senate | Jan 27, 2026 | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) |
| Senate | Jan 27, 2026 | Read first time |
| Senate | Jan 27, 2026 | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) |
| Senate | Jan 27, 2026 | Rules suspended |
| Senate | Jan 26, 2026 | Senate committee offered |
| Senate | Jan 26, 2026 | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (9-Y 5-N) |
| Senate | Jan 20, 2026 | Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB496) |
| Senate | Jan 13, 2026 | Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104067D |
| Senate | Jan 13, 2026 | Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice |
Texts
| Type | Date | State Link | Text |
| Comm Sub | Jan 28, 2026 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Jan 26, 2026 | state link | bill text |
| Introduced | Jan 13, 2026 | 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 Courts of Justice with substitute (9-Y 5-N) | 01/26/2026 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 1 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) | 01/27/2026 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
Link: link to state bill page
