Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §18.2-308 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§18.2-308. Carrying concealed weapons; exceptions; penalty.
A. If any person carries about his person, hidden from common observation, (i) any pistol, revolver, or other weapon designed or intended to propel a missile of any kind by action of an explosion of any combustible material; (ii) any dirk, bowie knife, switchblade knife, ballistic knife, machete, razor, slingshot, spring stick, metal knucks, or blackjack; (iii) any flailing instrument consisting of two or more rigid parts connected in such a manner as to allow them to swing freely, which may be known as a nun chahka, nun chuck, nunchaku, shuriken, or fighting chain; (iv) any disc, of whatever configuration, having at least two points or pointed blades which is designed to be thrown or propelled and which may be known as a throwing star or oriental dart; or (v) any weapon of like kind as those enumerated in this subsection, he is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. A second violation of this section or a conviction under this section subsequent to any conviction under any substantially similar ordinance of any county, city, or town shall be punishable as a Class 6 felony, and a third or subsequent such violation shall be punishable as a Class 5 felony. For the purpose of this section, a weapon shall be deemed to be hidden from common observation when it is observable but is of such deceptive appearance as to disguise the weapon's true nature. It shall be an affirmative defense to a violation of clause (i) regarding a handgun, that a person had been issued, at the time of the offense, a valid concealed handgun permit.
B. This section shall not apply to any person while in his own place of abode or the curtilage thereof.
C. Except as provided in subsection A of §18.2-308.012, this section shall not apply to:
1. Any person while in his own place of business;
2. Any law-enforcement officer, or retired law-enforcement officer pursuant to §18.2-308.016, wherever such law-enforcement officer may travel in the Commonwealth;
3. Any person who is at, or going to or from, an established shooting range, provided that the weapons are unloaded and securely wrapped while being transported;
4. Any regularly enrolled member of a weapons collecting organization who is at, or going to or from, a bona fide weapons exhibition, provided that the weapons are unloaded and securely wrapped while being transported;
5. Any person carrying such weapons between his place of abode and a place of purchase or repair, provided the weapons are unloaded and securely wrapped while being transported;
6. Any person actually engaged in lawful hunting, as authorized by the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries, under inclement weather conditions necessitating temporary protection of his firearm from those conditions, provided that possession of a handgun while engaged in lawful hunting shall not be construed as hunting with a handgun if the person hunting is carrying a valid concealed handgun permit;
7. Any attorney for the Commonwealth or assistant attorney for the Commonwealth, wherever such attorney may travel in the Commonwealth;
8. 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;
9. Any enrolled participant of a firearms training course who
is at, or going to or from, a training location, provided that the weapons are
unloaded and securely wrapped while being transported; and
10. Any judge or justice of the Commonwealth, wherever such judge or justice may travel in the Commonwealth; and
11. Any firefighter, as defined in §65.2-102, volunteer firefighter, or person employed as emergency medical services personnel, as defined in §32.1-111.1, or a volunteer emergency medical services personnel, who has a valid resident concealed handgun permit issued pursuant to § 18.2-308.02, may carry a concealed handgun wherever such firefighter, volunteer firefighter, person employed as emergency medical services personnel, or volunteer emergency medical services personnel may travel in the Commonwealth while engaged in the performance of his official duties. However, nothing in this subdivision shall affect the authority of any private entity or, as provided in §15.2-915, any locality from adopting workplace rules relating to the terms and conditions of employment.
D. For purposes of subdivision C 11, any fire department, volunteer fire department, emergency medical services agency, or volunteer emergency medical services agency that authorizes its employees or volunteers to carry a concealed handgun while engaged in the performance of their official duties shall develop a written policy regarding such authorizations and best practices in carrying a concealed handgun. The Department of Criminal Justice Services in consultation with the Office of Emergency Medical Services of the Department of Health and the Department of Fire Programs shall develop a model policy regarding carrying a concealed handgun for firefighters and emergency medical services personnel. Any decision by a fire chief or emergency medical services agency chief that authorizes an employee or volunteer to carry a concealed handgun while engaged in the performance of his official duties is reviewable by the local elected governing body unless the fire chief or emergency medical services agency chief is employed by a private entity.
D. E. This section shall also not apply to any
of the following individuals while in the discharge of their official duties,
or while in transit to or from such duties:
1. Carriers of the United States mail;
2. Officers or guards of any state correctional institution;
3. Conservators of the peace, except that a judge or justice of the Commonwealth, an attorney for the Commonwealth, or an assistant attorney for the Commonwealth may carry a concealed handgun pursuant to subdivisions C 7 and 10. However, the following conservators of the peace shall not be permitted to carry a concealed handgun without obtaining a permit as provided in this article: (i) notaries public; (ii) registrars; (iii) drivers, operators, or other persons in charge of any motor vehicle carrier of passengers for hire; or (iv) commissioners in chancery;
4. Noncustodial employees of the Department of Corrections designated to carry weapons by the Director of the Department of Corrections pursuant to §53.1-29; and
5. Harbormaster of the City of Hopewell.