HB1525 • 2026

Firearms, certain; definitions, possession, transportation, or purchase by certain persons, penalty.

An Act to amend and reenact § 18.2-308.7 of the Code of Virginia, relating to possession or transportation of certain firearms by certain persons; penalty; emergency.

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.

Firearms, certain; definitions, possession, transportation, or purchase by certain persons, penalty.

Possession, transportation, or purchase of certain firearms by certain persons; penalty.

What This Bill Does

Possession, transportation, or purchase of certain firearms by certain persons; penalty.
Provides additional exceptions, outlined in the bill, for persons younger than 18 years of age to possess or transport handguns or assault firearms anywhere in the Commonwealth.
The bill also makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for persons younger than 21 years of age to purchase a handgun or assault firearm anywhere in the Commonwealth.

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.

HB1525AC

2026-03-14 • 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.
1525 , report as follows: A.
We recommend that the Senate Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26108455D) be rejected.
B.

HB1525G

2026-04-11 • Governor

Governor's Recommendation

Plain English: (HB1525) 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 (26110144D) be accepted.

(HB1525) 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 (26110144D) be accepted.

HB1525H2

2026-03-14 • Conference

Conference Report Substitute

Plain English: 2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26110044D HOUSE BILL NO.

2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26110044D HOUSE BILL NO.
1525 AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE (Proposed by the Joint Conference Committee on March 14, 2026) (Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate McGuire) A BILL to amend and reenact § 18.2-308.7 of the Code of Virginia, relating to possession or transportation of certain firearms by certain persons; penalty.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1.
That § 18.2-308.7 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows: § 18.2-308.7 .

HB1525H3

2026-04-14 • Governor

Governor Substitute

Plain English: 2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26110144D HOUSE BILL NO.

2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26110144D HOUSE BILL NO.
1525 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 § 18.2-308.7 of the Code of Virginia, relating to possession or transportation of certain firearms by certain persons; penalty; emergency.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1.
That § 18.2-308.7 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows: § 18.2-308.7 .

Bill History

2026-04-22 Governor
Governor's recommendation adopted
2026-04-22 House
Signed by Speaker
2026-04-22 Senate
Signed by President
2026-04-22 Governor
Approved by Governor-Chapter 1102 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-22 House
Reenrolled
2026-04-22 House
Reenrolled bill text (HB1525ER2)
2026-04-22 Governor
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1102)
2026-04-22 House
House concurred in Governor's recommendation (63-Y 36-N 0-A)
2026-04-22 Senate
Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
2026-04-11 Governor
Governor's recommendation received by House
2026-04-07 House
Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (4/7/2026 1:37 pm)
2026-04-03 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1525)
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 (HB1525ER)
2026-03-17 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1525)
2026-03-14 Conference
Conference Report released
2026-03-14 House
Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (3/14/2026 12:23 pm)
2026-03-14 Conference
Conference Report released
2026-03-14 House
Conference report agreed to by House (60-Y 37-N 0-A)
2026-03-14 Senate
Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
2026-03-11 House
Conferees appointed by House
2026-03-11 House
House Conferees: McGuire, Simon, Oates
2026-03-10 Senate
Senate Conferees: Surovell, Deeds, Stanley
2026-03-10 Senate
Conferees appointed by Senate
2026-03-09 House
House acceded to request
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 House
Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 95-N 0-A)
2026-03-02 Senate
Read third time
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)
2026-02-26 Courts of Justice
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1525)
2026-02-25 Finance and Appropriations
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)
2026-02-25 Courts of Justice
Committee substitute printed 26108455D-S1
2026-02-25 Courts of Justice
Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/25/2026 12:44 pm)
2026-02-23 Courts of Justice
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N)
2026-02-13 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-13 Courts of Justice
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
2026-02-12 House
Read third time and passed House (58-Y 37-N 0-A)
2026-02-11 House
Read second time
2026-02-11 House
committee substitute agreed to
2026-02-11 House
Engrossed by House - committee substitute
2026-02-10 House
Read first time
2026-02-09 Public Safety
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1525)
2026-02-06 Public Safety
Reported from Public Safety with substitute (14-Y 8-N)
2026-02-06 Public Safety
Committee substitute printed 26107217D-H1
2026-02-06 Public Safety
Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/6/2026 2:03 pm)
2026-02-05 Firearms
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 3-N)
2026-02-05 Firearms
House subcommittee offered
2026-02-03 Firearms
Assigned HMPPS sub: Firearms
2026-01-29 House
Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/29/2026 4:49 pm)
2026-01-27 House
Presented and ordered printed 26106114D
2026-01-27 House
Unanimous consent to introduce
2026-01-27 Public Safety
Referred to Committee on Public Safety

Official Summary Text

Possession, transportation, or purchase of certain firearms by certain persons; penalty.
Provides additional exceptions, outlined in the bill, for persons younger than 18 years of age to possess or transport handguns or assault firearms anywhere in the Commonwealth. The bill also makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for persons younger than 21 years of age to purchase a handgun or assault firearm anywhere in the Commonwealth.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

An Act to amend and reenact §
18.2-308.7
of the Code of Virginia, relating to possession or transportation of certain firearms by certain persons; penalty; emergency.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §
18.2-308.7
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§
18.2-308.7
. Possession, transportation, or purchase of certain firearms by certain persons; penalty.
A. For the purposes of this section:
"Assault firearm" means the same as that term is defined in §
18.2-308.2:2
.
"Handgun" means the same as that term is defined in §
18.2-307.1
.
B.
It
shall be
is
unlawful for any person
under
younger than
18 years of age to knowingly and intentionally possess or transport a handgun or assault firearm anywhere in the Commonwealth.
For the 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 and "assault firearm" means any (i) semi-automatic centerfire rifle or pistol which 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 which will hold more than 20 rounds of ammunition or designed by the manufacturer to accommodate a silencer or equipped with a folding stock or (ii) shotgun with a magazine which will hold more than seven rounds of the longest ammunition for which it is chambered. A violation of this section shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor.
C. It is unlawful for any person younger than 21 years of age to knowingly and intentionally purchase a handgun or assault firearm anywhere in the Commonwealth.
D. A violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor.
This section
E. The provisions of subsection B
shall not apply to:
1. Any person
(i) while in his home or on his property; (ii)
while
present
in
the
his
home or on the property of his parent, grandparent, or legal guardian
; or (iii) while on the property of another who has provided prior permission,
and
with the prior permission
possessing the firearm with the consent
of his parent
, grandparent,
or legal guardian
if the person has the landowner's written permission on his person while on such property
who owns such firearm
;
2. Any person who, while accompanied by an adult, is
present
at
, or going to and from,
a lawful shooting range or firearms educational class
, provided that the weapons are unloaded while being transported
;
3. Any person
who, while accompanied by an adult, is
actually engaged in lawful hunting
or going to and from a hunting area or preserve, provided that the weapons are unloaded while being transported
;
and
4. Any person while
engaged in official training or
carrying out his duties
in
as a law-enforcement officer or as a member of
the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard of
this
the
Commonwealth or any other state
;
5. Any cadet who is participating in training, competitive, or ceremonial activities as a member of the Corps of Cadets or the Reserve Officers' Training Corps at a public institution of higher education; and
6. Any active duty law-enforcement officer in the course of his duties or an active participant in a Trooper Basic Academy Session administered by the Virginia State Police
.
2. That the Department of State Police shall administer, enforce, and otherwise implement §
18.2-308.2:5
of the Code of Virginia from the effective date of this bill.
3. 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 for periods of commitment to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.
4. That an emergency exists and this act is in force from its passage.