Results of Tonight's Militia, Police and Public Safety Subcommittee 1

A good night in tonight's subcommittee meeting. The results are below. The bills reported will be heard in full committee tomorrow morning.

H.B. 1326 Concealed handgun permits; firearms safety courses. Failed
Patron: Torian
Concealed handgun permit; firearms safety course. Eliminates certain firearms safety courses the completion of which currently satisfies the requirement that all resident and nonresident applicants for a concealed handgun permit demonstrate competence with a handgun. The bill also requires that certain firearms safety courses that satisfy this requirement focus primarily on the use and handling of a concealed handgun.

H.B. 1391 Possession of handguns in legislative buildings. Amended and referred to the Rules Committee.
Patron: Hope
Possession of weapons in state legislative buildings. Prohibits the possession of weapons in legislative buildings except by any person who lawfully possesses a handgun. The provisions of the bill would not apply to General Assembly members or staff or to any law-enforcement officer.

H.B. 1410 Firearms; possession of weapons following conviction of certain crimes, penalty. Passed by for the day.
Patron: Scott, J.M.
Possession of firearms following conviction of certain crimes; penalty. Prohibits any person who is convicted of stalking, sexual battery, or assault and battery of a family member that results in serious bodily injury from possessing, transporting, or carrying a firearm or any other weapon for a period of five years following his conviction. A violation would constitute a Class 6 felony. The bill also provides for the forfeiture of any weapon possessed, transported, or carried in violation of the prohibition. Finally, the bill provides for a process by which a violator may petition the circuit court for a reinstatement of his rights to possess, transport, or carry a weapon.

H.B. 1557 School boards; training for persons designated to carry concealed handguns on school property. Referred to the Governor's Task Force on School Safety.
Patron: Marshall, R.G.
School boards; employee firearms training. Requires every school board in the Commonwealth to designate at least one qualified person for every school in the district who, upon application with the school board, may carry a concealed handgun on school property. The bill requires all designated persons, including certain school division employees, certain school volunteers who carry valid concealed handgun permits, and certain retired law-enforcement officers, to be certified and trained by the Virginia Center for School Safety or the National Rifle Association in the storage, use, and handling of a concealed handgun. The bill also outlines the training requirements for designated persons as designed by the Department of Criminal Justice Services.

H.B. 1662 Libraries; locality to adopt an ordinance that prohibits firearms, ammunition, etc. in. Failed
Patron: BaCote
Control of firearms; libraries owned or operated by localities. Allows a locality to adopt an ordinance that prohibits firearms, ammunition, or components, or a combination thereof, in libraries owned or operated by the locality.

H.B. 1679 Concealed handgun permit; exception retired investigator of security division of Lottery Department. Recommend for reporting.
Patron: O'Quinn
Concealed handgun permit; retired investigator of the State Lottery Department; exception. Provides an exception for a concealed handgun permit for a qualifying retired investigator of the security division of the State Lottery Department. The bill contains technical amendments.

H.B. 1693 Firearms; removes specific exception for possession on public school property, penalty. Failed
Patron: Kory
Possession of firearm on public school property; penalty. Removes the specific exception for a person who possesses an unloaded firearm that is in a closed container, or a knife having a metal blade of three inches or longer, in or upon a motor vehicle located at any elementary, middle, or high school or an unloaded shotgun or rifle in a firearms rack in or upon a motor vehicle located at any elementary, middle, or high school from the list of exceptions for possessing a weapon on school property, which when violated is a Class 6 felony.

H.B. 2025 Firearms; requires background check for any purchase. Failed
Patron: Hope
Sale of firearms; penalty. Requires a background check for any firearm purchase and requires the Department of State Police to establish a process for sellers to obtain such a check from licensed firearm dealers. A seller who fails to obtain such a check and sells the gun to any other person is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

H.B. 2207 Sale, transfer, etc., of certain firearms and firearms magazines; penalty. Failed
Patron: Morrissey
Sale, transfer, etc., of certain firearms and firearms magazines; penalty. Provides that a person who imports, sells, barters, or transfers an assault firearm is guilty of a Class 6 felony. The bill also provides that a person who imports, sells, barters, or transfers a firearms magazine that is designed to hold more than 20 rounds of ammunition is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Finally, the bill provides an exception from both penalties for law-enforcement officers and military personnel.