HB110 • 2026

Handguns in unattended motor vehicle; definitions, penalty.

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 18.2-308.7:1, relating to handguns in unattended motor vehicles.

Children Crime Firearms

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Laufer
Last action: 2026-04-13
Official status: Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Rules for Storing Handguns in Unattended Cars

This act makes it illegal to leave a handgun in an unattended car without securely storing it in a locked container, with certain exemptions.

What This Bill Does

Defines 'handgun' and 'vehicle' for the law's purposes.
Requires that any person who leaves a handgun in an unattended vehicle must store it in a locked hard-sided container or a locked glove compartment/center console.
Makes leaving a handgun in an unattended car without proper storage a Class 4 misdemeanor offense.
Exempts antique firearms, law enforcement officers, and people who report the theft or loss of their firearm to police.

Who It Names or Affects

People who leave handguns in cars
Law enforcement agencies that handle reports of stolen or lost firearms

Terms To Know

Class 4 misdemeanor: A minor criminal offense with a small fine but no jail time.
Locked hard-sided container: A secure box or case that can be locked and is made of sturdy material like metal.

Limits and Unknowns

The effective date for when the law will start has not been set.
It does not specify what happens if someone forgets to lock their handgun in a container but reports it immediately.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB110AC

2026-03-14 • Conference

Conference Report

Plain English: The amendment recommends rejecting a previous Senate proposal and accepting a new substitute amendment to address disagreements about House Bill No. 110.

Rejects the Senate's original amendment (26108436D) related to HB110.
Accepts a new substitute amendment (26109411D) to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of HB110.

The specific details of the new substitute amendment are not provided in this text, so we cannot explain its exact changes.
Without additional information about the original Senate amendment (26108436D), it's unclear what was being rejected and why.

HB110AC1

2026-03-14 • Conference

Conference Report

Plain English: The amendment recommends rejecting a previous Senate proposal and accepting a new substitute amendment to address disagreements about House Bill No. 110.

Rejects the Senate Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26108436D).
Accepts a new Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26110088D) to resolve disagreements.

The official text does not provide details about the content of the accepted amendment or what specific changes it makes.
Further information is needed to understand the exact nature and impact of Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26110088D).

HB110AH1

2026-02-02 • Committee

Public Safety Amendment

Plain English: The amendment changes the reference to a specific section of Virginia law related to unattended handguns in motor vehicles.

Removes the existing text after 'to the' and replaces it with 'Virginia Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention'.
Changes the reference from § 46.2-114 to § 9.1-116.6.

The exact content of the new sections referenced (§ 9.1-116.6) is not provided, so it's unclear what specific rules or penalties will apply.
It's not clear how this amendment affects the overall intent and enforcement of unattended handguns in motor vehicles.

HB110AH2

2026-02-02 • Committee

Firearms Subcommittee Amendment

Plain English: The amendment changes the fund referenced in the bill and modifies a specific section of Virginia law.

Changes the reference to 'Fund' on line 20 to the 'Virginia Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund'.
Replaces the citation to §46.2-114 with §9.1-116.6.

The amendment text does not provide details about what these changes mean in practice or how they affect the bill's overall purpose.

HB110H1

2026-03-14 • Conference

Conference Report Substitute

Plain English: The amendment adds a new section that allows members of the General Assembly to leave handguns in unattended motor vehicles under certain conditions.

Adds a new section, §18.2-308.7:1, which permits members of the General Assembly to leave handguns in unattended motor vehicles when parked in designated parking structures reserved for them.

The amendment text is incomplete and does not provide full details about all conditions or penalties related to leaving a handgun in an unattended vehicle.
It's unclear how the new section interacts with existing laws regarding firearms storage outside of this specific context.

HB110H2

2026-03-14 • Conference

Conference Report Substitute

Plain English: The amendment adds new rules about leaving handguns in unattended vehicles and sets penalties for not following these rules.

Defines 'handgun' and 'vehicle', including boats as vehicles but excluding bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, motorized skateboards or scooters, and mopeds.
Requires that any handgun left in an unattended vehicle must be out of plain view and locked in a hard-sided container affixed to the vehicle's interior.
Specifies exceptions for antique firearms, law enforcement officers, and individuals who report theft or loss of a firearm.

The amendment text does not specify all possible types of containers that could be considered 'locked hard-sided'.

Bill History

2026-04-13 Governor
Approved by Governor-Chapter 560 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-13 Governor
Approved by Governor-Chapter 560 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-13 Governor
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0560)
2026-04-01 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB110)
2026-03-31 House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
2026-03-31 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-31 House
Signed by Speaker
2026-03-31 House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
2026-03-31 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-30 Senate
Signed by President
2026-03-30 House
Enrolled
2026-03-30 House
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB110ER)
2026-03-23 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB110)
2026-03-14 Senate
Second conferees appointed by Senate
2026-03-14 Senate
Conference report agreed to by Senate
2026-03-14 Senate
Second conferees appointed by Senate
2026-03-14 Senate
Senate Conferees: Marsden, Surovell, Obenshain
2026-03-14 House
House acceded to request for second conference committee
2026-03-14 Conference
Conference Report released
2026-03-14 Conference
Conference Report released
2026-03-14 House
Conference report agreed to by House (60-Y 36-N 0-A)
2026-03-14 Senate
Senate requested second conference committee (20-Y 18-N 0-A)
2026-03-14 House
Reconsideration of
2026-03-14 House
House requested second conference committee
2026-03-14 Conference
Conference Report released
2026-03-14 Conference
Conference Report released
2026-03-14 Senate
Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
2026-03-14 House
Conference report agreed to by House (60-Y 37-N 0-A)
2026-03-13 House
House Conferees: Laufer, Simon, Morefield
2026-03-13 House
Conferees appointed by House
2026-03-13 House
House Conferees: Laufer, Simon, Morefield
2026-03-10 Senate
Senate Conferees: Marsden, Surovell, Obenshain
2026-03-10 Senate
Conferees appointed by Senate
2026-03-09 House
House acceded to request
2026-03-09 House
Conferees appointed by House
2026-03-09 House
House Conferees: Laufer, Clark, Morefield
2026-03-06 Senate
Senate requested conference committee
2026-03-06 Senate
Senate insisted on amendments Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-04 Courts of Justice
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB110)
2026-03-04 House
Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 96-N 0-A)
2026-03-02 Senate
Read third time
2026-03-02 Senate
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute
2026-03-02 Courts of Justice
Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to
2026-03-02 Senate
Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)
2026-02-27 Senate
Read third time
2026-02-27 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-02-27 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-02-26 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-02-26 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-02-26 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-02-26 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-26 Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-25 Finance and Appropriations
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)
2026-02-23 Courts of Justice
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N)
2026-02-23 Courts of Justice
Committee substitute printed 26108436D-S1
2026-02-13 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB110)
2026-02-06 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-06 Courts of Justice
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
2026-02-05 House
Read third time and passed House (62-Y 35-N 0-A)
2026-02-04 House
Read second time
2026-02-04 House
committee amendments agreed to
2026-02-04 House
Engrossed by House as amended
2026-02-03 House
Read first time
2026-01-30 Public Safety
Reported from Public Safety with amendment(s) (15-Y 6-N)
2026-01-29 Firearms
Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (7-Y 3-N)
2026-01-16 Firearms
Assigned HPS sub: Firearms
2026-01-02 House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101482D
2026-01-02 Public Safety
Referred to Committee on Public Safety

Official Summary Text

Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; penalty.
Creates a Class 4 misdemeanor for any person who, when leaving a handgun in an unattended vehicle, fails to securely store such handgun 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 an exemption for a person who reports the theft or loss of such firearm to a law-enforcement agency as provided in relevant law. This bill is identical to SB 496.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
18.2-308.7:1
, relating to handguns in unattended motor vehicles.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered
18.2-308.7:1
as follows:
§
18.2-308.7:1
. Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; penalty.
A. For purposes of this section:
"Handgun" means any pistol or revolver or other firearm originally designed, made, and intended to fire single or multiple projectiles by means of an explosion of a combustible material from one or more barrels when held in one hand.
"Vehicle" has the same meaning as ascribed to "motor vehicle" in §
46.2-364
. A "boat" is considered a vehicle and is defined as any vessel or other watercraft, privately owned, whether moved by oars, paddles, sails, or other power mechanism, inboard or outboard, or any other vessel or structure floating on water in the Commonwealth, whether or not capable of self-locomotion, including cruisers, cabin cruisers, runabouts, houseboats, and barges. However, bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, motorized skateboards or scooters, and mopeds are not vehicles. A vehicle is considered to be unattended if (i) such vehicle is left unattended (a) on a public highway or other public property or (b) any parking area, lot, or structure intended for commercial or retail use, including such parking areas, lots, or structures exclusively reserved and used by commercial or retail employees, and (ii) the owner, operator, or any passenger of such motor vehicle is unable to observe such motor vehicle.
B. No person shall knowingly leave a handgun in an unattended vehicle or trunk unless such handgun is placed out of plain view in a locked hard-sided container, including a locked container that is affixed to the vehicle's interior by steel cable, bolt, or welding. A locked container affixed to the vehicle's interior includes a locked glove compartment or a locked center console. Any person who violates this section is guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.
C. The provisions of this section shall not apply to (i) the storage of any antique firearm as defined in §
18.2-308.2:2
, (ii) a law-enforcement officer as defined in §
9.1-101
, or (iii) a person who reports the theft or loss of a firearm to a law-enforcement agency as provided in §
18.2-287.5
.