Proposed Virginia Firearm Legislation HB2295
Legislation Overview
Title: Firearm; carrying within Capitol Square and the surrounding area, state-owned bldgs.
Description: Carrying a firearm within Capitol Square and the surrounding area, into building owned or leased by the Commonwealth, etc.; penalty. Makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for a person to carry any firearm within (i) the Capitol of Virginia; (ii) Capitol Square and the surrounding area, as described in the bill; (iii) any building, parking lot, or parking structure owned or leased by the Commonwealth or any agency thereof; (iv) any building owned or leased by the Commonwealth where employees of the Commonwealth perform their official duties; or (v) any building where the General Assembly meets or conducts its business. The bill provides exceptions for law-enforcement officers, court officers, authorized security personnel, and active military personnel while in the conduct of such person's official duties; any retired law-enforcement officer who is visiting a gun range owned or leased by the Commonwealth; and any state employee of a state or juvenile correctional facility who is authorized to carry a firearm while in the conduct of such employee's official duties. The bill provides that an individual who lawfully possesses a firearm may keep such firearm in his locked vehicle in a parking lot or parking structure described in clause (iii) so long as the firearm is (a) secured, (b) not visible, and (c) in a container or compartment inside of the vehicle. The bill requires that notice of the provisions prohibiting the carrying of such firearms be posted at each of the public entrances to Capitol Square and such buildings, parking lots, and parking structures. The bill also provides that any firearm carried in violation of these provisions is subject to seizure by a law-enforcement officer and forfeiture to the Commonwealth. Carrying a firearm within Capitol Square and the surrounding area, into building owned or leased by the Commonwealth, etc.; penalty. Makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for a person to carry any firearm within (i) the Capitol of Virginia; (ii) Capitol Square and the surrounding area, as described in the bill; (iii) any building, parking lot, or parking structure owned or leased by the Commonwealth or any agency thereof; (iv) any building owned or leased by the Commonwealth where employees of the Commonwealth perform their official duties; or (v) any building where the General Assembly meets or conducts its business. The bill provides exceptions for law-enforcement officers, court officers, authorized security personnel, and active military personnel while in the conduct of such person's official duties; any retired law-enforcement officer who is visiting a gun range owned or leased by the Commonwealth; and any state employee of a state or juvenile correctional facility who is authorized to carry a firearm while in the conduct of such employee's official duties. The bill provides that an individual who lawfully possesses a firearm may keep such firearm in his locked vehicle in a parking lot or parking structure described in clause (iii) so long as the firearm is (a) secured, (b) not visible, and (c) in a container or compartment inside of the vehicle. The bill requires that notice of the provisions prohibiting the carrying of such firearms be posted at each of the public entrances to Capitol Square and such buildings, parking lots, and parking structures. The bill also provides that any firearm carried in violation of these provisions is subject to seizure by a law-enforcement officer and forfeiture to the Commonwealth.
Session: 2021 Regular Session
Last Action: Continued to 2021 Sp. Sess. 1 in Rules (15-Y 0-N)
Last Action Date: February 5, 2021
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'.
6 sponsors: Mark Levine (D); Patrick Hope (D); Kaye Kory (D); Kathleen Murphy (D); Marcus Simon (D); Kathy Tran (D);
Percentage of House of Delegates sponsoring bill: 6% (6 of 100)
History
| Chamber | Date | Action |
| Senate | Feb 5, 2021 | Continued to 2021 Sp. Sess. 1 in Rules (15-Y 0-N) |
| Senate | Feb 2, 2021 | Constitutional reading dispensed |
| Senate | Feb 2, 2021 | Referred to Committee on Rules |
| House | Feb 1, 2021 | VOTE: Passage (51-Y 45-N) |
| House | Feb 1, 2021 | Passed by temporarily |
| House | Feb 1, 2021 | Read third time and passed House (51-Y 45-N) |
| House | Jan 29, 2021 | Engrossed by House - floor substitute HB2295H3 |
| House | Jan 29, 2021 | Floor substitute printed 21104055D-H3 (Levine) |
| House | Jan 29, 2021 | Read second time |
| House | Jan 29, 2021 | Passed by temporarily |
| House | Jan 29, 2021 | Substitute by Delegate Levine withdrawn 21103671D-H2 |
| House | Jan 29, 2021 | Substitute by Delegate Levine agreed to 21104055D-H3 |
| House | Jan 28, 2021 | Passed by for the day |
| House | Jan 28, 2021 | Engrossment reconsidered by House |
| House | Jan 28, 2021 | Substitute by Delegate Levine reconsidered 21103671D-H2 |
| House | Jan 28, 2021 | Passed by for the day |
| House | Jan 28, 2021 | Passed by motion reconsidered |
| House | Jan 28, 2021 | Read third time and defeated by House (48-Y 52-N) |
| House | Jan 28, 2021 | VOTE: DEFEATED (48-Y 52-N) |
| House | Jan 28, 2021 | Reconsideration of defeated action agreed to by House (54-Y 46-N) |
| House | Jan 28, 2021 | VOTE: Reconsider (54-Y 46-N) |
| House | Jan 27, 2021 | Passed by for the day |
| House | Jan 26, 2021 | Read second time |
| House | Jan 26, 2021 | Substitute by Delegate Levine agreed to 21103671D-H2 |
| House | Jan 26, 2021 | Engrossed by House - floor substitute HB2295H2 (51-Y 45-N) |
| House | Jan 26, 2021 | VOTE: Agree To (51-Y 45-N) |
| House | Jan 26, 2021 | Floor substitute printed 21103671D-H2 (Levine) |
| House | Jan 26, 2021 | Committee substitute rejected 21103561D-H1 |
| House | Jan 25, 2021 | Read first time |
| House | Jan 22, 2021 | Reported from Public Safety with substitute (13-Y 9-N) |
| House | Jan 22, 2021 | Committee substitute printed 21103561D-H1 |
| House | Jan 19, 2021 | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 3-N) |
| House | Jan 18, 2021 | Assigned PS sub: Firearms |
| House | Jan 17, 2021 | Presented and ordered printed 21103093D |
| House | Jan 17, 2021 | Referred to Committee on Public Safety |
Texts
| Type | Date | State Link | Text |
| Amended | Jan 29, 2021 | state link | bill text |
| Amended | Jan 26, 2021 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Jan 22, 2021 | state link | bill text |
| Introduced | Jan 17, 2021 | state link | bill text |
Amendments
| Title | Description | Date | State Link | Text | Adopted |
| Substitute for HB2295 for Committee: Public Safety | Substitute for HB2295 for Committee: Public Safety | Jan 22, 2021 | State Link | amendment text | No |
| Substitute for Committee: Public Safety, Subcommittee: Firearms | Substitute for Committee: Public Safety, Subcommittee: Firearms | Jan 20, 2021 | State Link | amendment text | No |
| Substitute for HB2295 Public Safety, Firearms | Substitute for HB2295 Public Safety, Firearms | Jan 19, 2021 | State Link | amendment text | Yes |
Votes - Click on description to view vote roll call
| Description | Vote Date | Yea Votes | Nay Votes | No Votes | Absent | Passed |
| House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 3-N) | 01/19/2021 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
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| House: Reported from Public Safety with substitute (13-Y 9-N) | 01/22/2021 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
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| House: VOTE: Agree To (51-Y 45-N) | 01/26/2021 | 51 | 45 | 0 | 4 | Yes |
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| House: VOTE: Agree To (51-Y 45-N) | 01/26/2021 | 51 | 45 | 0 | 4 | Yes |
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| House: VOTE: DEFEATED (48-Y 52-N) | 01/28/2021 | 48 | 52 | 0 | 0 | No |
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| House: VOTE: Reconsider (54-Y 46-N) | 01/28/2021 | 54 | 46 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
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| House: VOTE: Passage (51-Y 45-N) | 02/1/2021 | 51 | 45 | 0 | 4 | Yes |
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| Senate: Continued to 2021 Sp. Sess. 1 in Rules (15-Y 0-N) | 02/5/2021 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
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Link: link to state bill page
