HB969 • 2026

Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center; work group to develop policy, etc., to establish.

An Act to direct the Department of Criminal Justice Services to convene a work group to develop policy and legislative recommendations to establish the Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center.

Firearms

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Price
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.

Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center; work group to develop policy, etc., to establish.

Secretary of Public Safety; firearm violence.

What This Bill Does

Secretary of Public Safety; firearm violence.
Directs the Secretary of Public Safety to convene a work group to develop policy and legislative recommendations to establish the Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center.
The bill allows the work group to (i) meet both in-person and virtually, (ii) have small group breakouts for the purpose of advancing work in a timely and efficient manner, and (iii) collaborate with experts and other representatives as needed.
The bill requires the work group to report its findings and any legislative and policy recommendations to the General Assembly by December 15, 2026.

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.

HB969AC

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.
969 , report as follows: A.
We recommend that the Senate Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26108459D) be rejected.
B.

HB969G

2026-04-13 • Governor

Governor's Recommendation

Plain English: (HB969) 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 (26110306D) be accepted.

(HB969) 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 (26110306D) be accepted.

HB969H2

2026-03-14 • Conference

Conference Report Substitute

Plain English: 2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26109790D HOUSE BILL NO.

2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26109790D HOUSE BILL NO.
969 AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE (Proposed by the Joint Conference Committee on March 13, 2026) (Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate Price) A BILL to direct the Department of Criminal Justice Services to convene a work group to develop policy and legislative recommendations to establish the Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1.
§ 1.

HB969H3

2026-04-14 • Governor

Governor Substitute

Plain English: 2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26110306D HOUSE BILL NO.

2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26110306D HOUSE BILL NO.
969 AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE (Proposed by the Governor on April 13, 2026) (Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate Price) A BILL to direct the Department of Criminal Justice Services to convene a work group to develop policy and legislative recommendations to establish the Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1.
§ 1.

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 1082 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-22 House
Reenrolled
2026-04-22 House
Reenrolled bill text (HB969ER2)
2026-04-22 Governor
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1082)
2026-04-22 House
House concurred in Governor's recommendation (64-Y 35-N 0-A)
2026-04-22 Senate
Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
2026-04-13 Governor
Governor's recommendation received by House
2026-04-01 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB969)
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 (HB969ER)
2026-03-17 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB969)
2026-03-14 Conference
Conference Report released
2026-03-14 Conference
Conference Report released
2026-03-14 House
Conference report agreed to by House (61-Y 35-N 0-A)
2026-03-13 Conference
Conference Report released
2026-03-13 Senate
Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
2026-03-12 Senate
Senate requested conference committee
2026-03-12 Senate
Senate Conferees: Carroll Foy, Deeds, Sturtevant
2026-03-12 Senate
Conferees appointed by Senate
2026-03-12 Senate
Senate insisted on substitute
2026-03-12 Senate
Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-12 House
House acceded to request
2026-03-12 House
Conferees appointed by House
2026-03-12 House
House Conferees: Price, Pope Adams, Tata
2026-03-11 House
Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 97-N 1-A)
2026-03-10 Senate
Read third time
2026-03-10 Senate
Read third time
2026-03-10 Senate
Read third time
2026-03-10 Senate
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute
2026-03-10 Courts of Justice
Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to
2026-03-10 Senate
Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)
2026-03-09 Senate
Read third time
2026-03-09 Senate
Passed by for the day
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)
2026-02-25 Courts of Justice
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB969)
2026-02-23 Courts of Justice
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N)
2026-02-23 Courts of Justice
Committee substitute printed 26108459D-S1
2026-02-18 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-18 Courts of Justice
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
2026-02-17 House
Read third time and passed House (61-Y 35-N 0-A)
2026-02-16 House
Read second time
2026-02-16 House
committee substitute agreed to
2026-02-16 House
Engrossed by House - committee substitute
2026-02-13 House
Read first time
2026-02-11 Appropriations
Reported from Appropriations (15-Y 7-N)
2026-02-11 Transportation & Public Safety
Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 2-N)
2026-02-09 Public Safety
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB969)
2026-02-06 Transportation & Public Safety
Assigned HAPP sub: Transportation & Public Safety
2026-02-06 Public Safety
Reported from Public Safety with substitute and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 7-N)
2026-02-06 House
House committee offered
2026-02-06 Public Safety
Committee substitute printed 26107390D-H1
2026-01-29 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB969)
2026-01-13 House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105127D
2026-01-13 Public Safety
Referred to Committee on Public Safety

Official Summary Text

Secretary of Public Safety; firearm violence.
Directs the Secretary of Public Safety to convene a work group to develop policy and legislative recommendations to establish the Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center. The bill allows the work group to (i) meet both in-person and virtually, (ii) have small group breakouts for the purpose of advancing work in a timely and efficient manner, and (iii) collaborate with experts and other representatives as needed. The bill requires the work group to report its findings and any legislative and policy recommendations to the General Assembly by December 15, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 364.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

An Act to direct the Department of Criminal Justice Services to convene a work group to develop policy and legislative recommendations to establish the Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1.
§ 1. That the Secretary of Public Safety shall convene a work group to develop policy and legislative recommendations to establish the Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center. The work group shall consist of relevant stakeholders, including (i) two current members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; (ii) one current member of the Senate to be appointed by the Chair of the Senate Committee on Rules; (iii) three representatives with experience in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security; (iv) four representatives with experience working in the Department of Health and in social services, mental health, and youth services and in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Resources; (v) one representative with experience in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth; (vi) one representative with experience in K-12 schools and in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the Secretary of Education; (vii) one representative with experience in workforce development and in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the Secretary of Labor; (viii) one representative from the Office of the Attorney General with a role in community engagement and experience in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the Attorney General; (ix) one representative from the University of Virginia with experience in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the president of the University of Virginia; (x) one representative from Virginia State University with experience in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the president of Virginia State University; (xi) one representative who is an attorney for the Commonwealth and has experience in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the Chair of the Senate Committee on Rules; (xii) one representative who is a defense attorney licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth and has experience in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; (xiii) two members of tax-exempt gun violence prevention advocacy organizations to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; and (xiv) one member of a tax-exempt gun violence prevention advocacy organization to be appointed by the Chair of the Senate Committee on Rules.
The work group shall be allowed to (a) meet both in-person and virtually, (b) have small group breakouts for the purpose of advancing work in a timely and efficient manner, and (c) collaborate with experts and other representatives as needed.
The work group shall report its findings and specific legislative and policy recommendations to the Speaker of the House of Delegates, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Rules, the Chair of the House Committee on Public Safety, and the Chair of the Senate Committee for Courts of Justice by December 15, 2026.