Proposed Virginia Firearm Legislation HB702
Legislation Overview
Title: Firearm give-back or firearm buy-back programs; local law-enforcement agencies to implement.
Description: Virginia Firearm Give-Back Program and Fund established. Directs each local law-enforcement agency to develop policies and procedures to implement either a firearm give-back program or a firearm buy-back program by January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter. The bill enumerates several requirements to be included in such policies. The bill also requires local law-enforcement agencies to submit an annual report to the Department of State Police. The bill states that proceeds generated from the sale or auction of a returned firearm shall be deposited into the locality's general fund or used solely for the administration of the locality's firearm give-back program or firearm buy-back program.
Session: 2026 Regular Regular Session
Last Action: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB702)
Last Action Date: February 16, 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'.
6 sponsors: Joshua Cole (D); Nadarius Clark (D); Nicole Cole (D);Dan Helmer (D); Rozia Henson (D); Holly Seibold (D);
Percentage of House of Delegates sponsoring bill: 6% (6 of 100)
History
| Chamber | Date | Action |
| House | Feb 16, 2026 | Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB702) |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2026 | Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2026 | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) |
| House | Feb 12, 2026 | Read third time and passed House (62-Y 34-N 1-A) |
| House | Feb 11, 2026 | Read second time |
| House | Feb 11, 2026 | Engrossed by House - committee substitute |
| House | Feb 11, 2026 | committee substitute agreed to |
| House | Feb 10, 2026 | Read first time |
| House | Feb 6, 2026 | Reported from Appropriations (15-Y 7-N) |
| House | Feb 4, 2026 | Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 2-N) |
| House | Jan 30, 2026 | Reported from Public Safety with substitute and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 6-N) |
| House | Jan 30, 2026 | Assigned HAPP sub: Transportation & Public Safety |
| House | Jan 30, 2026 | Committee substitute printed 26106538D-H1 |
| House | Jan 29, 2026 | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N) |
| House | Jan 29, 2026 | House subcommittee offered |
| House | Jan 22, 2026 | House subcommittee offered |
| House | Jan 20, 2026 | Assigned HMPPS sub: Firearms |
| House | Jan 13, 2026 | Referred to Committee on Public Safety |
| House | Jan 13, 2026 | Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102339D |
Texts
| Type | Date | State Link | Text |
| Comm Sub | Jan 30, 2026 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Jan 30, 2026 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Jan 29, 2026 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Jan 22, 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 |
| Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N) | 01/29/2026 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Reported from Public Safety with substitute and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 6-N) | 01/30/2026 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 1 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 2-N) | 02/4/2026 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Reported from Appropriations (15-Y 7-N) | 02/6/2026 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Read third time and passed House (62-Y 34-N 1-A) | 02/12/2026 | 62 | 34 | 1 | 3 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
Link: link to state bill page
