VirginiaPlastic firearms or receivers, etc.; transfer, etc., prohibited, penalties.
What it does
Manufacture, importation, sale, transfer, or possession of plastic firearms and unfinished frames or receivers and unserialized firearms prohibited; penalties. Creates a Class 5 felony for any person who knowingly manufactures or assembles, imports, purchases, sells, transfers, or possesses any firearm that, after removal of all parts other than a major component, as defined in the bill, is not detectable as a firearm when subjected to inspection by the types of detection devices, including X-ray machines, commonly used at airports, government buildings, schools, correctional facilities, and other locations for security screening. The bill updates language regarding the types of detection devices that are used at such locations for detecting plastic firearms.
More detail
Under current law, it is unlawful to manufacture, import, sell, transfer, or possess any plastic firearm and a violation is punishable as a Class 5 felony. The bill also creates a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable as a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense, for any person to knowingly possess a firearm or any completed or unfinished frame or receiver that is not imprinted with a valid serial number or to knowingly import, purchase, sell, offer for sale, or transfer ownership of any completed or unfinished frame or receiver, unless the completed or unfinished frame or receiver (i) is deemed to be a firearm pursuant to federal law and (ii) is imprinted with a valid serial number. The bill also creates a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable as a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense, for any person to manufacture or assemble, cause to be manufactured or assembled, import, purchase, sell, offer for sale, or transfer ownership of any firearm that is not imprinted with a valid serial number. The provisions of the bill prohibiting unfinished frames or receivers and unserialized firearms have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027; however, the provisions of the bill prohibiting the knowing possession of a firearm or any completed or unfinished frame or receiver that is not imprinted with a valid serial number have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 323.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 10Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0531)Latest
- Apr 10Approved by Governor Abigail Spanberger-Chapter531 (Effective - see bill)Became Law
- Mar 14Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026To Governor
- Mar 14Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026Minor
- Mar 12Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 11Signed by PresidentMajor
- Mar 11Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB40)
- Mar 11Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB40ER)Major
- Mar 11EnrolledMinor
- Mar 4Senate substitute agreed to by House (64-Y 32-N 0-A)Major
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 2Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Passage R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 2Engrossed by Senate - committee substituteMajor
- Mar 2Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to
- Feb 27Passed by for the day
- Feb 27Read third timeMinor
- Feb 26Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB40)
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 26Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- Feb 26Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Feb 26Rules suspended
- Feb 25Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/25/2026 12:50 pm)
- Vote recorded Reported from Finance and Appropriations. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 25Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)Minor
- Feb 25Committee substitute printed 26108434D-S1Major
- Feb 23Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 6Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Feb 6Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- Feb 5Read third time and passed House (63-Y 34-N 0-A)Passed House
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 4Read second time and engrossedMinor
- Feb 3Read first timeMinor
- Jan 30Reported from Public Safety (15-Y 6-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Public Safety. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 29Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 3-N)
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 16Assigned HPS sub: FirearmsMinor
- Jan 13Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB40)
- Jan 6Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/6/2026 2:07 pm)
- 2025
- Dec 23Referred to Committee on Public SafetyMinor
- Dec 23Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100452DIntroduced