Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Article 4 of Chapter 7 of Title 18.2 a section numbered 18.2-287.5 as follows:
§18.2-287.5. Reporting lost or stolen firearms; penalty.
A. Any person who lawfully possesses a firearm that is lost or stolen from such person shall report the loss or theft to any local law-enforcement agency or the Department of State Police within 24 hours after such person discovered the loss or theft or was informed by a person with personal knowledge of the loss or theft. The law-enforcement agency shall enter such report information into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to the loss or theft of an antique firearm as defined in § 18.2-308.2:2.
B. A violation of this section is punishable, for a first offense, by a civil penalty of $50 and, for any subsequent offense, by a civil penalty of not less than $100 or more than $250, which shall be paid into the state treasury.
C. No person who, in good faith, reports a firearm lost or stolen shall be held criminally or civilly liable for any damages for acts or omissions resulting from the loss or theft. This subsection shall not apply to any person who makes a report in violation of §18.2-461.