HB229 • 2026

Weapons; possession prohibited in hospital that provides mental health or developmental services.

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 18.2-283.3, relating to weapons; possession prohibited in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services; penalty.

Crime Firearms Healthcare

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Hernandez
Last action: 2026-05-14
Official status: Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details on how seizures of weapons are handled beyond stating they will be forfeited to the Commonwealth.

No Weapons in Mental Health and Developmental Hospitals

This law makes it illegal to bring weapons like guns, knives with long blades, or other dangerous items into hospitals that treat mental health patients or people with developmental disabilities.

What This Bill Does

Makes it a crime for anyone to carry weapons in buildings of hospitals providing mental health services or developmental services.
Lists specific types of weapons such as firearms and certain knives that are not allowed.
Requires hospitals to put up clear signs at the entrance telling people about these rules.
Allows police officers, security guards, and hospital staff with permission to carry weapons in these areas.

Who It Names or Affects

People who visit or work at hospitals providing mental health services or developmental services.
Police officers and security guards with special permission to carry weapons in these areas.

Terms To Know

Location-restricted knife: A knife with a blade over three and one-half inches.
Developmental services: Services for people with developmental disabilities, as defined by Virginia law.

Limits and Unknowns

The exact cost of enforcing this law is not known.
It does not specify what happens to weapons that are seized from violators.

Amendments

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

HB229G

2026-04-13 • Governor

Governor's Recommendation

Plain English: (HB229) 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 (26110158D) be accepted.

(HB229) 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 (26110158D) be accepted.

HB229H2

2026-04-13 • Governor

Governor Substitute

Plain English: 2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26110158D HOUSE BILL NO.

2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26110158D HOUSE BILL NO.
229 AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE (Proposed by the Governor on April 11, 2026) (Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate Hernandez) A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 18.2-283.3 , relating to weapons; possession prohibited in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services; penalty.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1.
That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 18.2-283.3 as follows: § 18.2-283.3 .

Bill History

2026-05-14 Governor
Approved by Governor-Chapter 1108 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-05-14 Governor
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1108)
2026-04-23 House
Communicated to Governor
2026-04-23 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 23, 2026
2026-04-23 House
Passed by for the day
2026-04-22 House
Passed by for the day
2026-04-15 House
Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (4/15/2026 7:32 am)
2026-04-11 Governor
Governor's recommendation received by House
2026-03-25 House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026
2026-03-25 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-17 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB229)
2026-03-14 House
Signed by Speaker
2026-03-14 Senate
Signed by President
2026-03-14 House
Enrolled
2026-03-14 House
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB229ER)
2026-03-09 Senate
Read third time
2026-03-09 Senate
Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)
2026-03-06 Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-03-06 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-03-05 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-03-05 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-03-05 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-03-05 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-05 Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-03-04 Finance and Appropriations
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)
2026-02-23 Courts of Justice
Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 4-N)
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 (63-Y 34-N 0-A)
2026-02-04 House
Read second time
2026-02-04 House
committee substitute agreed to
2026-02-04 House
Engrossed by House - committee substitute
2026-02-03 House
Read first time
2026-02-03 Public Safety
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB229)
2026-02-02 Public Safety
Committee substitute printed 26106607D-H1
2026-02-02 Public Safety
Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/2/2026 10:31 am)
2026-01-30 Public Safety
Reported from Public Safety with substitute (15-Y 6-N)
2026-01-29 Firearms
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 3-N)
2026-01-29 Firearms
House subcommittee offered
2026-01-29 Firearms
House subcommittee offered
2026-01-28 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB229)
2026-01-16 Firearms
Assigned HPS sub: Firearms
2026-01-08 House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104503D
2026-01-08 Public Safety
Referred to Committee on Public Safety
2026-01-08 House
Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/8/2026 5:05 pm)

Official Summary Text

Weapons; possession prohibited in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services; penalty.
Makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to knowingly and intentionally possess in the building of any hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services in the Commonwealth, including an emergency department or other facility rendering emergency medical care, a (i) firearm, (ii) knife with a blade over three and one-half inches, or (iii) other dangerous weapon, including explosives and stun weapons. The bill also provides that notice of such prohibitions shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance of any hospital and that no person shall be convicted of the offense if such notice is not posted, unless such person had actual notice of the prohibitions. The bill provides that such firearm, knife, explosive, or weapon shall be subject to seizure by a law-enforcement officer and forfeited to the Commonwealth and specifies certain exceptions to the prohibition. This bill is identical to SB 173.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
18.2-283.3
, relating to weapons; possession prohibited in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services; penalty.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered
18.2-283.3
as follows:
§
18.2-283.3
. Possession of a weapon in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services prohibited; penalty.
A. As used in this section:
"Developmental services" means the same as that term is defined in §
37.2-100
.
"Hospital" means a public or private institution licensed pursuant to Chapter 5 (§
32.1-123
et seq.) of Title 32.1 or Article 2 (§
37.2-403
et seq.) of Chapter 4 of Title 37.2.
"Location-restricted knife" means a knife with a blade over three and one-half inches.
"Mental health services" means the same as that term is defined in §
37.2-100
.
B. It is unlawful for any person to knowingly and intentionally possess a (i) firearm, (ii) location-restricted knife, or (iii) other dangerous weapon, including explosives and stun weapons as defined in §
18.2-308.1
, in the building of any hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services in the Commonwealth, including an emergency department or other facility rendering emergency medical care. Any such firearm, knife, explosive, or weapon shall be subject to seizure by a law-enforcement officer and forfeited to the Commonwealth and disposed of as provided in §
19.2-386.28
. A violation of this subsection is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor.
C. The provisions of subsection B shall not apply to (i) a person while in the actual discharge of his official duties as a police officer, sheriff, law-enforcement agent or official, officer or guard of any state correctional institution, or armed security officer; (ii) any person who has written authorization from the hospital, including authorization related to an employee's scope of employment; or (iii) any person brought into a hospital pursuant to the issuance of an emergency custody order or involuntary detention order under the provisions of Article 4 (§
37.2-808
et seq.) of Chapter 8 of Title 37.2.
D. Notice of the provisions of this section shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance of any hospital and no person shall be convicted of an offense under this section if such notice is not posted at each such public entrance, unless such person had actual notice of the prohibitions 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.