Virginia’s legislative calendar is quickly approaching the end of the line, and gun policy has been one of the biggest areas of movement in the Commonwealth this year. Over the past few weeks, Gov. Abigail Spanberger has already signed several gun-control measures, and lawmakers have also just wrapped action on a separate set of recommendations she sent back to them for changes.
As of now, the picture is mixed: a number of bills are already in effect as law, several more are finalized because the legislature accepted the governor’s revisions, and a small but important group is back on her desk in a holding pattern—awaiting a signature, a veto, or inaction that would allow them to take effect.
Here’s where things stand as the session nears its conclusion, with a focus on which bills are now law and which are still pending final action from the governor.
Now back on the governor’s desk: still awaiting signature, veto, or no action
HB217 and SB749: “Assault firearm” sales/transfer ban, but with a key definition fight unresolved
These companion bills are designed to prohibit future sales and transfers of firearms categorized as “assault firearms.” Gov. Spanberger asked the General Assembly to broaden the initial “assault firearm” definition in a way that would have widened the reach of the restrictions. Lawmakers in both chambers declined to adopt that change and formally chose to “pass by” the bills.
That decision blocks the governor’s attempt to use the definition change as an indirect way to restrict carrying firearms with magazines over 15 rounds. Because lawmakers did not take up her recommended language, the legislation returns to the governor without the expansion she sought.
What happens next is entirely up to Spanberger. She can sign the bills as written, veto them, or take no action and allow them to become law. That keeps the session’s most prominent firearms proposal from being fully settled yet, even though a full collapse appears unlikely given Spanberger’s long-standing support for banning AR-15-style rifle sales and restricting “high-capacity” magazines. In her message to legislators, she indicated support for the bills’ overall intent even while pushing for changes. She has 30 days to decide.
HB229 and SB143: Firearm restrictions at mental health treatment facilities, with an exception preserved
HB229 (with its related measure SB143) addresses carrying firearms at facilities that provide mental health treatment. The governor asked lawmakers to go further by eliminating an exception that permits staff or security to carry if they have administrative approval.
The General Assembly again used the “pass by” route, which effectively rejects her requested revision. As a result, the version headed back to Spanberger still includes an option for people to carry with written permission from the facility.
Just like HB217 and SB749, HB229 now sits in a decision window: signature, veto, or no action within 30 days. Spanberger again signaled support for the bill’s basic goal, but she must decide whether the legislature’s refusal to tighten it further is enough to justify blocking it.
Now law: bills that became law after lawmakers accepted the governor’s revisions
HB1524 and SB727: Ban on carrying “assault firearms” in broad public spaces
Lawmakers agreed to the governor’s requested adjustments to HB1524 and SB727, which prohibit the carrying of “assault firearms.” The change itself was largely technical, tying the carry definition back to the definition used in the pending sales/transfer ban.
Even with that definitional link, the practical effect of the carry restriction is significant. The law bars civilians from having covered firearms “on or about” their person in a wide range of places, including public streets and sidewalks, as well as public parks. With the legislature approving the governor’s recommendation, these measures have moved into the category of enacted law.
HB1525: Handgun purchase ban for 18-to-20-year-olds, enacted as emergency legislation with immediate effect
HB1525 prevents adults aged 18 to 20 from purchasing handguns. At the governor’s request, the legislature converted it into emergency legislation, which makes it effective immediately rather than waiting for the typical July 1 start date used for most new laws.
Virginia’s constitution generally requires a four-fifths vote in each chamber for emergency legislation. In this case, the emergency clause was inserted through the governor’s recommendation process—an uncommon tactic but one that prior governors, including Republican Glenn Youngkin, have used.
The bill is aimed at responding to a court decision from last year that struck down Virginia’s universal background check law. The ruling focused on the fact that the federal background check system will not process handgun checks for people under 21, leaving 18-to-20-year-olds with no workable path to complete a legal handgun purchase under the state’s background-check framework. This new law attempts to address that by banning handgun purchases for that age group outright, though it remains uncertain whether this approach resolves the legal concerns identified in the ruling. Virginia Citizens Defense League and Gun Owners of America—plaintiffs in the earlier case—have already warned the Virginia State Police not to enforce the new statute, arguing that enforcement would conflict with the court’s decision.
HB871 and SB348: Safe storage requirements broadened to include standard gun locks
With the governor’s recommendation adopted, HB871 now explicitly includes standard gun locks among the devices that satisfy its safe storage rules. The law requires that any firearm not actively being carried on the owner’s person must be secured if a minor or a prohibited person is present in the home.
HB909: Expanded gun-free areas connected to elections and voter registration, with a timing clarification
HB909 expands the list of election-related locations where firearms are prohibited and increases the restricted perimeter from 40 feet to 100 feet. The legislature agreed to the governor’s clarification that the ban at a voter registration location applies only while the site is actually being used for voter registration.
HB1015: Firearm-only prohibition for violent misdemeanor hate crime convictions, plus a pathway to restoration
HB1015 was modified per the governor’s recommendations so that the weapons restriction for people convicted of violent misdemeanor hate crimes applies to firearms (rather than a broader category of weapons). Lawmakers also accepted a provision allowing affected individuals to regain firearm rights after three years.
HB101: Electronic applications for concealed carry permits clarified
HB101 becomes law with language tweaks requested by the governor that clarify Virginians can submit concealed carry permit applications electronically.
HB702: Local law enforcement “sell-back” program terminology adopted
HB702 establishes standards for voluntary programs run by local law enforcement. At Spanberger’s request, the language now refers to “sell-back” programs instead of “buy-back” programs. With that adjustment approved, the measure is enacted.
Already signed into law by Gov. Spanberger: measures enacted earlier in the session
SB115: End of universal concealed-carry permit reciprocity
SB115 reverses Virginia’s universal reciprocity approach. Instead of broadly recognizing out-of-state concealed carry permits, Virginia returns to a system where the Attorney General can negotiate individual agreements with other states. The shift is expected to reduce the number of permits Virginia honors, and it may also prompt some states to stop recognizing Virginia permits in return.
HB110 and SB496: Locked-container requirement for guns left in unattended vehicles
Under this new law, firearm owners who leave a gun in an unattended vehicle must store it in a hard-sided, locked container or risk a Class 4 misdemeanor. If a gun is stolen, the penalty can still be avoided if the owner reports the theft to law enforcement within 48 hours.
HB626 and SB272: Firearm ban in public higher-education buildings, with a curriculum/activity exception
This legislation prohibits bringing firearms into buildings owned or operated by a public institution of higher education, unless the firearm is part of the institution’s curriculum or activities.
HB901 and SB495: Expansion of Virginia’s “red flag” law and who can seek an order
This measure broadens Virginia’s extreme risk protective order process. More categories of licensed counselors and medical professionals can request temporary firearm confiscation orders. The law also expands who can file petitions to include immediate family and household members, intimate partners, and school administrators. It further outlines additional factors that may be used to show a person is a danger to themselves or others, including alcohol abuse, threats toward animals, and recent efforts to purchase firearms or ammunition.
What to watch next as the deadline approaches
The biggest unresolved question is whether Gov. Spanberger signs, vetoes, or allows the remaining “passed by” bills to become law without her signature—especially the “assault firearm” sales/transfer measures and the mental health facility carry restrictions. With 30 days to act, the governor’s next steps will determine whether the final package matches the legislature’s narrower approach or ends with a late-session standoff.