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HB1524 • 2026

Assault firearms; carrying in public areas prohibited, exceptions, penalty.

An Act to amend and reenact § 18.2-287.4 of the Code of Virginia, relating to carrying assault firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty.

Crime Firearms
Enacted

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

Sponsor
McGuire
Last action
2026-04-22
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Assault firearms; carrying in public areas prohibited, exceptions, penalty.

Carrying assault firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty.

What This Bill Does

  • Carrying assault firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty.
  • Prohibits the carrying of certain semi-automatic center-fire rifles, pistols, and shotguns or any firearm modified to be operable as an assault firearm on any public street, road, alley, sidewalk, or public right-of-way or in any public park or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public, with certain exceptions.
  • Under current law, the prohibition on carrying certain shotguns and semi-automatic center-fire rifles and pistols applies to a narrower range of firearms, only in certain localities, and only when such firearms are loaded.
  • A violation of this prohibition is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

HB1524AC

2026-03-13 • Conference

Conference Report

Plain English: JOINT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT We, the conferees, appointed by the respective bodies to consider and report upon the disagreeing vote on House Bill No.

  • JOINT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT We, the conferees, appointed by the respective bodies to consider and report upon the disagreeing vote on House Bill No.
  • 1524 , report as follows: A.
  • We recommend that the Senate Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26108452D) be rejected.
  • B.
HB1524G

2026-04-11 • Governor

Governor's Recommendation

Plain English: (HB1524) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION I approve the general purpose of this bill, but I am returning it without my signature with the request that the attached Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26110168D) be accepted.

  • (HB1524) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION I approve the general purpose of this bill, but I am returning it without my signature with the request that the attached Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26110168D) be accepted.
HB1524H1

2026-03-13 • Conference

Conference Report Substitute

Plain English: 2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26109726D HOUSE BILL NO.

  • 2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26109726D HOUSE BILL NO.
  • 1524 AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE (Proposed by the Joint Conference Committee on March 13, 2026) (Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate McGuire) A BILL to amend and reenact § 18.2-287.4 of the Code of Virginia, relating to carrying assault firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty.
  • Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1.
  • That § 18.2-287.4 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows: § 18.2-287.4 .
HB1524H2

2026-04-14 • Governor

Governor Substitute

Plain English: 2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26110168D HOUSE BILL NO.

  • 2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26110168D HOUSE BILL NO.
  • 1524 AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE (Proposed by the Governor on April 13, 2026) (Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate McGuire) A BILL to amend and reenact § 18.2-287.4 of the Code of Virginia, relating to carrying assault firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty.
  • Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1.
  • That § 18.2-287.4 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows: § 18.2-287.4 .

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-22 Governor

    Governor's recommendation adopted

  2. 2026-04-22 House

    Signed by Speaker

  3. 2026-04-22 Senate

    Signed by President

  4. 2026-04-22 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 1101 (effective 7/1/2026)

  5. 2026-04-22 House

    Reenrolled

  6. 2026-04-22 House

    Reenrolled bill text (HB1524ER2)

  7. 2026-04-22 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1101)

  8. 2026-04-22 House

    House concurred in Governor's recommendation (59-Y 40-N 0-A)

  9. 2026-04-22 Senate

    Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)

  10. 2026-04-15 House

    Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (4/15/2026 7:24 am)

  11. 2026-04-11 Governor

    Governor's recommendation received by House

  12. 2026-04-01 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1524)

  13. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  14. 2026-03-31 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  15. 2026-03-31 House

    Signed by Speaker

  16. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  17. 2026-03-31 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  18. 2026-03-30 Senate

    Signed by President

  19. 2026-03-30 House

    Enrolled

  20. 2026-03-30 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1524ER)

  21. 2026-03-18 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1524)

  22. 2026-03-13 Conference

    Conference Report released

  23. 2026-03-13 House

    Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (3/13/2026 1:57 pm)

  24. 2026-03-13 House

    Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (3/13/2026 2:06 pm)

  25. 2026-03-13 House

    Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (3/13/2026 2:57 pm)

  26. 2026-03-13 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1524)

  27. 2026-03-13 Senate

    Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)

  28. 2026-03-13 House

    Conference report agreed to by House (55-Y 38-N 0-A)

  29. 2026-03-11 House

    Conferees appointed by House

  30. 2026-03-11 House

    House Conferees: McGuire, Simon, Wilt

  31. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Senate Conferees: Jones, Surovell, Peake

  32. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Conferees appointed by Senate

  33. 2026-03-09 House

    House acceded to request

  34. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Senate requested conference committee

  35. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Senate insisted on amendments Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  36. 2026-03-04 House

    Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 95-N 0-A)

  37. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Read third time

  38. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Read third time

  39. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  40. 2026-03-02 Courts of Justice

    Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to

  41. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  42. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Read third time

  43. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  44. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  45. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Rules suspended

  46. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Rules suspended

  47. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  48. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  49. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  50. 2026-02-26 Courts of Justice

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1524)

  51. 2026-02-25 Finance and Appropriations

    Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)

  52. 2026-02-25 Courts of Justice

    Committee substitute printed 26108452D-S1

  53. 2026-02-25 Courts of Justice

    Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/25/2026 12:55 pm)

  54. 2026-02-23 Courts of Justice

    Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N)

  55. 2026-02-18 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  56. 2026-02-18 Courts of Justice

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  57. 2026-02-17 House

    Read third time and passed House (54-Y 41-N 0-A)

  58. 2026-02-16 House

    Read second time and engrossed

  59. 2026-02-15 House

    Read first time

  60. 2026-02-13 Public Safety

    Reported from Public Safety (13-Y 7-N)

  61. 2026-02-03 Firearms

    Assigned HMPPS sub: Firearms

  62. 2026-01-28 House

    Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/28/2026 9:43 am)

  63. 2026-01-28 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1524)

  64. 2026-01-27 House

    Presented and ordered printed 26105949D

  65. 2026-01-27 House

    Unanimous consent to introduce

  66. 2026-01-27 Public Safety

    Referred to Committee on Public Safety

Official Summary Text

Carrying assault firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty.
Prohibits the carrying of certain semi-automatic center-fire rifles, pistols, and shotguns or any firearm modified to be operable as an assault firearm on any public street, road, alley, sidewalk, or public right-of-way or in any public park or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public, with certain exceptions. Under current law, the prohibition on carrying certain shotguns and semi-automatic center-fire rifles and pistols applies to a narrower range of firearms, only in certain localities, and only when such firearms are loaded. A violation of this prohibition is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to amend and reenact §
18.2-287.4
of the Code of Virginia, relating to carrying assault firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §
18.2-287.4
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§
18.2-287.4
. Carrying loaded firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty.
It
shall be
is
unlawful for any person to carry
a loaded (a) semi-automatic center-fire rifle or pistol that expels single or multiple projectiles by action of an explosion of a combustible material and is equipped at the time of the offense with a magazine that will hold more than 20 rounds of ammunition or designed by the manufacturer to accommodate a silencer or equipped with a folding stock or (b) shotgun with a magazine that will hold more than seven rounds of the longest ammunition for which it is chambered
an assault firearm as defined in §
18.2-308.2:2
on or about his person on any public street, road, alley, sidewalk, public right-of-way, or in any public park or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public
in the Cities of Alexandria, Chesapeake, Fairfax, Falls Church, Newport News, Norfolk, Richmond, or Virginia Beach or in the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Henrico, Loudoun, or Prince William
.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to law-enforcement officers
, licensed security guards

in the performance of their official duties
, military personnel in the performance of their
lawful
official
duties,
or any person having a valid concealed handgun permit
any member of a cadet corps who is recognized by a public institution of higher education while such member is in the performance of sanctioned military training or such member is participating in an official ceremonial event for the Commonwealth,
or
to
any person actually engaged in lawful hunting or lawful recreational shooting activities at an established shooting range or shooting contest. Any person violating the provisions of this section
shall be
is
guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
The exemptions set forth in
§§
§
18.2-308
and
18.2-308.016
shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the provisions of this section.
2. That the provisions of this act may result in a net increase in periods of imprisonment or commitment. Pursuant to §
30-19.1:4
of the Code of Virginia, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation cannot be determined for periods of imprisonment in state adult correctional facilities; therefore, Chapter 725 of the Acts of Assembly of 2025 requires the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission to assign a minimum fiscal impact of $50,000. Pursuant to §
30-19.1:4
of the Code of Virginia, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation cannot be determined for periods of commitment to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.