Virginia: Bills Defeated in Committee

The Virginia Senate Committee on Courts of Justice and the House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee heard and voted to defeat many of Governor Ralph Northam’s requested gun control bills.

Bills listed as “passed by indefinitely” have been defeated for the 2019 legislative session.  Bills listed as “laid on the table” have been heard and would require a majority vote to be brought back up.

Senate Committee on Courts of Justice:

Senate Bill 1163, sponsored by Senator Richard Saslaw (D-35), was passed by a 9-6 vote to be referred to the Senate Finance Committee.  It contains very broad and overreaching language to ban items that increase the rate of fire of semi-automatic rifles, but do not fundamentally alter the way they operate.  It could be interpreted to ban firearm modifications such as match grade triggers, and ergonomic changes that are commonly done by law-abiding gun owners to make their firearms more suitable for a variety of lawful purposes.

Senate Bill 1084, sponsored by Senator David Marsden (D-37), was passed by indefinitely with an 11-4 vote.  It would have imposed a vague and unpredictable standard of firearm storage upon law-abiding citizens and made them civilly liable for injury resulting from actions by a criminal who acquired a firearm stored in a non-compliant manner.  

Senate Bill 1096, sponsored by Senator Janet Howell (D-32), was defeated by a 6-9 vote.  It would have restricted the ability of young people to use firearms for lawful purposes and increased penalties on adults who violated it.

Senate Bill 1162, sponsored by Senator Saslaw, was passed by indefinitely with a 9-6 vote.  It would have criminalized private firearm transfers and denied adults under the age of 21 their Second Amendment rights by prohibiting them from purchasing firearms.

Senate Bill 1454, sponsored by Senator Louise Lucas (D-18) was defeated by a 6-8 vote.  It would have criminalized private firearm transfers.

Senate Bill 1303, sponsored by Senator Edwards (D-21), was defeated by a 6-8 vote.  It would have allowed local governments to prohibit law-abiding citizens from carrying firearms for self-defense at meetings of a local government body.

Senate Bill 1324, sponsored by Senator Jennifer McClellan (D-9), was defeated by a 6-8 vote.  It would have further victimized law-abiding gun owners who suffered loss or theft of their firearms if they did not report them within a certain time.

Senate Bill 1446, sponsored by Senator Mamie Locke (D-2), was defeated by a 5-9 vote.  It would have reinstated a handgun rationing law that was in place from 1993 until it was repealed in 2012.  It would have limited handgun purchases to one per 30 day period.

Senate Bill 1458, sponsored by Senator George Barker (D-39), failed to report by a 7-7 vote.  It would have allowed for individuals to be stripped of their Second Amendment rights without due process on baseless accusations.

Senate Bill 1473, sponsored by Senator Deeds, was defeated by a 6-8 vote.  It would have allowed local governments to suspend Second Amendment rights at public events.

Senate Bill 1482, sponsored by Senator Creigh Deeds (D-25), failed to report by a 7-7 vote.  It would have added Albemarle county and the City of Charlottesville to the jurisdictions in which law-abiding citizens would not be allowed to carry certain firearms without a concealed carry permit.

House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee – Subcommittee #1

House Bill 1654, sponsored by Delegate Sam Rasoul (D-11), was passed by indefinitely with a 4-2 vote.  It would have prohibited law-abiding citizens from carrying long guns in certain jurisdictions without a concealed carry permit.

House Bill 1856, sponsored by Delegate Delores McQuinn (D-70), was laid on the table by a 4-2 vote.  It would have allowed local governments to prohibit law-abiding citizens from defending themselves while visiting public libraries.

House Bill 1992, sponsored by Delegate Cia Price (D-95), was passed by indefinitely with a 4-2 vote.  It would have allowed local governments to enact their own gun control ordinances, potentially resulting in a patchwork of laws and the Second Amendment not being equally protected across the state. 

House Bill 1644, sponsored by Delegate Jeffrey Bourne (D-71), was passed by indefinitely with a 4-2 vote.  It would have further victimized law-abiding gun owners who suffered loss or theft of their firearms if they did not report them within a certain time.

House Bill 1691, sponsored by Delegate Marcus Simon (D-53), was passed by indefinitely with a 4-2 vote.  It was a vaguely worded attempt at banning “undetectable firearms” already banned under federal law.  It would have likely banned many commonly owned firearms made with modern materials that are not actually undetectable.

House Bill 1763, sponsored by Delegate Rip Sullivan (D-48), was passed by indefinitely with a 4-2 vote.  It would have allowed for individuals to be stripped of their Second Amendment rights without due process on baseless accusations.

House Bill 1956, sponsored by Delegate David Toscano (D-57), was passed by indefinitely with a 4-1 vote.  It would have allowed local governments to suspend Second Amendment rights at public events.

House Bill 1957, sponsored by Delegate Toscano, was passed by indefinitely with a 4-1 vote.  It would have allowed courts to restrict the self-defense rights of parents who have a child in their household found to be needing services or who is a status offender.

House Bill 2244, sponsored by Delegate Sullivan, was passed by indefinitely with a 4-1 vote. It would have expanded the misdemeanor offenses that would result in a loss of Second Amendment rights.

House Bill 2285, sponsored by Delegate Cliff Hayes (D-77), was passed by indefinitely with a 4-1 vote.  It would have restricted the ability of young people to use firearms for lawful purposes and increased penalties on adults who violated it.

House Bill 2399, sponsored by Delegate Alfonso Lopez (D-49), was passed by indefinitely with a 4-1 vote.  It would have allowed state police to delay firearm transfers up to five business days to process instant background checks instead of the current end of business day requirement.

House Bill 2479, sponsored by Delegate Kenneth Plum (D-36), was passed by indefinitely with a 4-1 vote.  It would have criminalized private firearm transfers.

House Bill 2492, sponsored by Delegate Kathy Tran (D-42), was passed by indefinitely with a 4-1 vote.  It would have banned many commonly owned semi-automatic rifles and handguns as well as ammunition magazines greater than ten rounds in capacity, encompassing most standard capacity magazines in use by law-abiding citizens.  In addition, it would have banned the carrying of certain shotguns by individuals who do not have a concealed carry permit.

House Bill 2604, sponsored by Delegate Jeion Ward (D-92), was passed by indefinitely with a 4-1 vote.  It would have reinstated a handgun rationing law that was in place from 1993 until it was repealed in 2012.  It would have limited handgun purchases to one per 30 day period.

Your NRA would like to thank everyone who took the time to contact committee members and communicate their support for our Second Amendment rights.  With the volume of anti-gun legislation proposed this year, it is a reminder of the importance for all to stay engaged in the fight.  Please stay tuned to www.nraila.org and your email inbox for further updates on bills and other issues affecting our Second Amendment rights in Virginia.