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.
HB1525 amends Virginia Code § 18.2-308.7 to expand and clarify restrictions on minors and young adults possessing, transporting, and purchasing certain firearms. The bill makes it unlawful for anyone under 18 to knowingly and intentionally possess or transport a handgun or assault firearm anywhere in the Commonwealth, and it makes it unlawful for anyone under 21 to knowingly and intentionally purchase a handgun or assault firearm. A violation is classified as a Class 1 misdemeanor.
The bill also spells out a series of exceptions to the possession/transport ban for minors, including being at home or on family property, being on another person’s property with written permission and parental consent, attending or traveling to a lawful shooting range or firearms education class with an adult, participating in lawful hunting with an adult, and certain law-enforcement, military, cadet, ROTC, and police academy training activities. It further directs the Department of State Police to administer and enforce related provisions and includes an emergency clause, making the act effective immediately upon passage.
The bill changes Virginia firearms law by tightening age-based restrictions on possession, transportation, and purchase of handguns and assault firearms, while preserving enumerated exceptions for supervised, educational, hunting, and official-duty settings. It also assigns enforcement responsibility to the Department of State Police and anticipates some increase in incarceration or juvenile commitment costs, with a minimum fiscal impact noted in the bill text. The measure affects minors, young adults, firearm owners, law-enforcement agencies, and courts handling misdemeanor prosecutions under § 18.2-308.7.
The bill appears to have been controversial but ultimately enacted after multiple rounds of amendment and conference. Committee and floor votes show recurring support but also substantial opposition, especially in the House and Senate at different stages, indicating a divided response to the firearm restrictions. The final passage and gubernatorial recommendation suggest the bill retained enough support to become law, but not without significant debate and negotiation.
The main point of contention was the scope of the firearm restrictions, especially the age thresholds for possession and purchase and the breadth of the prohibited firearms covered by the bill. Opponents likely objected to the expanded limits on young adults and minors’ access to firearms, while supporters emphasized public safety and clearer enforcement standards. The repeated use of substitutes, the Senate’s amendments, the House’s rejection of the Senate substitute, and the eventual conference report all indicate that the exact wording and reach of the exceptions and prohibitions were disputed.