Virginia · 2026 Regular Session

HB19 Firearms; purchase, etc., after assault & battery of family or household member or intimate partner.

Direction

Firearms purchase background checksAI label

Restricts gun access model confidence 90%

Expands the list of misdemeanor convictions that prohibit firearm purchase, possession, or transportation for three years, including assault and battery against family/household members or intimate partners, so more restrictions on firearm access for those with such convictions.

Any person who knowingly and intentionally purchases, possesses, or transports any firearm following a misdemeanor conviction for an offense that occurred on or after July 1, 2021, for (i) the offense of assault and battery of a family or household member or (ii) an offense substantially similar to clause (i) under the laws of any other state or of the United States is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

✓ Quote verified word for word in the bill text

Firearms otherAI label

Restricts gun access model confidence 80%

Creates a temporary (three-year) prohibition on purchasing, possessing, or transporting firearms after certain misdemeanor assault convictions, with automatic restoration of rights afterward unless further disqualifying events occur.

Any person prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm pursuant to subsection A shall be prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm for three years following the date of the conviction at which point the person convicted of such offense shall no longer be prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm pursuant to subsection A.

✓ Quote verified word for word in the bill text

Filed (completed)
Committee (completed)
Passed one chamber (completed)
Passed both (completed)
Governor (completed)
Law

Stage: Law · step 6 of 6

Last action: 2026-04-10: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0527)
Filed: 2025-12-22
Sponsor: Adele McClure D + 12 cosponsors (12 D)

Read official text (Chaptered)Legislature page LegiScan

Why the model tagged it this way: The bill amends Virginia law to prohibit firearm purchase, possession, and transportation for three years after misdemeanor convictions for assault and battery against family/household members or intimate partners (expanding an existing prohibition), with the prohibition enforced as a Class 1 misdemeanor. It also updates definitions in § 16.1-228 and § 18.2-308.1:8 but these changes do not alter the core firearms restriction. No other listed topics are substantively addressed.

Related bills

HB217 Assault firearms & certain ammunition feeding devices; purchase, sale, etc., prohibited, penalties.Restricts gun access Restricts gun access Law
SB749 Assault firearms & certain ammunition feeding devices; purchase, sale, etc., prohibited, penalties.Restricts gun access Restricts gun access Law
HB1015 Firearms, etc.; carrying concealed weapon by persons convicted of misdemeanor hate crime prohibited.Restricts gun access Restricts gun access Law
HB1525 Firearms, certain; definitions, possession, transportation, or purchase by certain persons, penalty.Restricts gun access Restricts gun access Law

Hearings and calendar

2026-01-29 16:00 · Hearing · House Public Safety: Firearms Hearing House North Subcommittee Room - 200
2026-01-30 08:00 · Hearing · House Public Safety Hearing House Committee Room A - 008
2026-02-04 00:00 · Hearing · House Appropriations: Transportation & Public Safety Hearing House Appropriations Committee Room - 1200
2026-02-06 00:00 · Hearing · House Appropriations Hearing House Appropriations Committee Room - 1200
2026-02-23 08:00 · Hearing · Senate Courts of Justice Hearing Senate Room A, Room 305, General Assembly Building
2026-02-25 09:00 · Hearing · Senate Finance and Appropriations Hearing Senate Room A, Room 305, General Assembly Building

Votes

Date	Chamber	Motion	Yea-Nay
2026-01-29	H	Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N)	7-3	Passed
2026-01-30	H	Reported from Public Safety and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 6-N)	15-6	Passed
2026-02-06	H	Reported from Appropriations (15-Y 7-N)	15-7	Passed
2026-02-04	H	Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 2-N)	5-2	Passed
2026-02-12	H	Read third time and passed House (61-Y 35-N 0-A)	61-35	Passed
2026-02-23	S	Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N)	9-5	Passed
2026-02-25	S	Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)	10-5	Passed
2026-02-26	S	Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)	40-0	Passed
2026-03-02	S	Passed Senate with substitute (22-Y 18-N 0-A)	22-18	Passed
2026-03-04	H	Senate substitute rejected by House (2-Y 94-N 0-A)	2-94	Failed
2026-03-06	S	Recede from Senate substitute defeated by Senate (18-Y 22-N 0-A)	18-22	Failed
2026-03-06	S	Reconsideration of Recede from Senate substitute defeated by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)	40-0	Passed
2026-03-06	S	Senate receded from substitute (22-Y 18-N 0-A)	22-18	Passed

Text versions

Introduced 2025-12-22
Comm Sub 2026-02-23
Enrolled 2026-03-13
Chaptered 2026-04-10

History (41 actions)

Date	Chamber	Action
2026-04-10		Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0527)
2026-04-10		Approved by Governor-Chapter 527 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-03-18	H	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB19)
2026-03-14		Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-14	H	Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026
2026-03-13	S	Signed by President
2026-03-13	H	Signed by Speaker
2026-03-13	H	Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB19ER)
2026-03-13	H	Enrolled
2026-03-06	S	Senate receded from substitute (22-Y 18-N 0-A)
2026-03-06	S	Reconsideration of Recede from Senate substitute defeated by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-06	S	Recede from Senate substitute defeated by Senate (18-Y 22-N 0-A)
2026-03-04	H	Senate substitute rejected by House (2-Y 94-N 0-A)
2026-03-04	H	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB19)
2026-03-02	S	Passed Senate with substitute (22-Y 18-N 0-A)
2026-03-02	S	Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute
2026-03-02	S	Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to
2026-02-27	S	Passed by for the day
2026-02-27	S	Read third time
2026-02-26	S	Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-26	S	Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-26	S	Rules suspended
2026-02-25	H	Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/25/2026 1:15 pm)
2026-02-25	S	Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)
2026-02-23	S	Committee substitute printed 26108353D-S1
2026-02-23	S	Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N)
2026-02-13	S	Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
2026-02-13	S	Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-12	H	Read third time and passed House (61-Y 35-N 0-A)
2026-02-11	H	Read second time and engrossed
2026-02-10	H	Read first time
2026-02-06	H	Reported from Appropriations (15-Y 7-N)
2026-02-04	H	Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 2-N)
2026-01-30	H	Assigned HAPP sub: Transportation & Public Safety
2026-01-30	H	Reported from Public Safety and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 6-N)
2026-01-29	H	Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N)
2026-01-25	H	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB19)
2026-01-16	H	Assigned HPS sub: Firearms
2025-12-29	H	Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (12/29/2025 1:37 pm)
2025-12-22	H	Referred to Committee on Public Safety
2025-12-22	H	Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100661D