Proposed Virginia Firearm Legislation SB496
Legislation Overview
Title: Handguns; definitions, secure storage in an unattended vehicle, penalty.
Description: Secure storage of handguns; unattended vehicle; penalty. 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, including a locked container that is affixed to the vehicle's interior by steel cable, bolt, or welding. The bill provides that such locked container includes a locked glove compartment or a locked center console. The bill contains certain exemptions, including a person who reports the theft or loss of such firearm to a law-enforcement agency as provided in relevant law.
Session: 2026 Regular Regular Session
Last Action: Referred to Committee on Public Safety
Last Action Date: February 19, 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 |
| House | Feb 19, 2026 | Referred to Committee on Public Safety |
| House | Feb 19, 2026 | Read first time |
| House | Feb 19, 2026 | Placed on Calendar |
| Senate | Feb 16, 2026 | Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB496) |
| Senate | Feb 16, 2026 | Read third time and passed Senate (20-Y 19-N 0-A) |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2026 | Senator Marsden Amendments withdrawn |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2026 | Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute as amended (Voice Vote) |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2026 | Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2026 | Floor offered Senator Marsden Amendments |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2026 | Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2026 | Read second time |
| Senate | Feb 11, 2026 | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (9-Y 6-N) |
| Senate | Feb 11, 2026 | Senate committee offered |
| Senate | Feb 5, 2026 | Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB496) |
| Senate | Feb 3, 2026 | Motion to recommit to Courts of Justice agreed to |
| Senate | Feb 3, 2026 | Read second time |
| Senate | Feb 3, 2026 | Recommitted to Courts of Justice |
| Senate | Feb 2, 2026 | Passed by for the day |
| Senate | Feb 2, 2026 | Read second time |
| Senate | Jan 30, 2026 | Read second time |
| Senate | Jan 30, 2026 | Passed by for the day |
| Senate | Jan 29, 2026 | Passed by for the day |
| Senate | Jan 29, 2026 | Read second time |
| Senate | Jan 28, 2026 | Committee substitute printed 26106227D-S1 |
| Senate | Jan 28, 2026 | Passed by for the day |
| Senate | Jan 28, 2026 | Read second time |
| Senate | Jan 27, 2026 | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) |
| Senate | Jan 27, 2026 | Passed by for the day |
| Senate | Jan 27, 2026 | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) |
| Senate | Jan 27, 2026 | Rules suspended |
| Senate | Jan 27, 2026 | Read first time |
| 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 | Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice |
| Senate | Jan 13, 2026 | Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104067D |
Texts
| Type | Date | State Link | Text |
| Engrossed | Feb 13, 2026 | state link | bill 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 |
| Courts of Justice Amendment | Courts of Justice Amendment | Nov 30, -0001 | State Link | amendment text | No |
| Courts of Justice Amendment | Courts of Justice Amendment | Nov 30, -0001 | State Link | amendment text | No |
| Senator Marsden Amendments | Senator Marsden 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 |
| Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (9-Y 5-N) | 01/26/2026 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 1 | Yes |
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| 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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| Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (9-Y 6-N) | 02/11/2026 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
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| Read third time and passed Senate (20-Y 19-N 0-A) | 02/16/2026 | 20 | 19 | 0 | 1 | Yes |
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Link: link to state bill page
