Virginia · 2026 Regular Session

HB702 Local law-enforcement agencies; firearm give-back or sell-back programs.

Direction

Firearms otherAI label

Restricts gun access model confidence 80%

Requires local law-enforcement agencies to implement firearm give-back or sell-back programs that mandate destruction of most surrendered firearms within 90 days (with limited exceptions for antiques or historically significant ones), so fewer such firearms remain available for reuse or resale.

Require that any firearm voluntarily returned under such a program be destroyed within 90 days after a determination that such firearm is not evidence and is not required for prosecution;

✓ 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: 2026-04-22: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1067)
Filed: 2026-01-13
Sponsor: Joshua Cole D + 5 cosponsors (5 D)

Read official text (Chaptered)Legislature page LegiScan

Why the model tagged it this way: The bill mandates that localities run firearm give-back/sell-back programs with required destruction of most returned guns (after forensic checks and return of stolen ones), and it strikes out the prior option for owners to elect auction/sale to a dealer instead of destruction. These changes reduce the number of firearms that can be resold or reused, restricting the firearms axis. No other listed topics are substantively addressed.

Related bills

HB240 Admission to bail; fixing terms of bail, mental health considerations.Restricts gun access Committee
HB623 Forfeiture of certain weapons; petition for return by Commonwealth.Expands gun access Committee
HB778 Pop-up events; local enhanced enforcement actions.Restricts gun access Committee
HB919 Retail Sales and Use Tax; impose firearm and ammunition tax.Restricts gun access Restricts gun access Committee

Hearings and calendar

2026-01-22 16:00 · Hearing · House Public Safety: Firearms Hearing House North Subcommittee Room - 200
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

Votes

Date	Chamber	Motion	Yea-Nay
2026-01-29	H	Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N)	7-3	Passed
2026-01-30	H	Reported from Public Safety with substitute and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 6-N)	15-6	Passed
2026-02-04	H	Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 2-N)	5-2	Passed
2026-02-06	H	Reported from Appropriations (15-Y 7-N)	15-7	Passed
2026-02-12	H	Read third time and passed House (62-Y 34-N 1-A)	62-34	Passed
2026-02-23	S	Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (9-Y 6-N)	9-6	Passed
2026-02-24	S	Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)	39-0	Passed
2026-02-25	S	Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)	21-19	Passed
2026-02-27	H	Senate substitute agreed to by House (59-Y 34-N 0-A)	59-34	Passed
2026-04-22	H	House concurred in Governor's recommendation (63-Y 36-N 0-A)	63-36	Passed
2026-04-22	S	Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)	21-18	Passed

Text versions

Introduced 2026-01-13
Comm Sub 2026-01-22
Comm Sub 2026-01-29
Comm Sub 2026-01-30
Comm Sub 2026-01-30
Comm Sub 2026-02-24
Enrolled 2026-03-04
Enrolled 2026-04-22
Chaptered 2026-04-22

History (47 actions)

Date	Chamber	Action
2026-04-22		Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1067)
2026-04-22		Approved by Governor-Chapter 1067 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-22	S	Signed by President
2026-04-22	H	Signed by Speaker
2026-04-22	H	Reenrolled bill text (HB702ER2)
2026-04-22	H	Reenrolled
2026-04-22		Governor's recommendation adopted
2026-04-22	S	Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
2026-04-22	H	House concurred in Governor's recommendation (63-Y 36-N 0-A)
2026-04-12		Governor's recommendation received by House
2026-03-10		Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-10	H	Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
2026-03-05	H	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB702)
2026-03-04	S	Signed by President
2026-03-04	H	Signed by Speaker
2026-03-04	H	Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB702ER)
2026-03-04	H	Enrolled
2026-02-27	H	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB702)
2026-02-27	H	Senate substitute agreed to by House (59-Y 34-N 0-A)
2026-02-25	S	Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)
2026-02-25	S	Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute
2026-02-25	S	Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to
2026-02-25	S	Read third time
2026-02-25	S	Committee substitute printed 26108462D-S1
2026-02-24	S	Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-24	S	Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-24	S	Rules suspended
2026-02-23	S	Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (9-Y 6-N)
2026-02-16	H	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB702)
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 (62-Y 34-N 1-A)
2026-02-11	H	Engrossed by House - committee substitute
2026-02-11	H	committee substitute agreed to
2026-02-11	H	Read second time
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	Committee substitute printed 26106538D-H1
2026-01-30	H	Reported from Public Safety with substitute and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 6-N)
2026-01-29	H	Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N)
2026-01-29	H	House subcommittee offered
2026-01-22	H	House subcommittee offered
2026-01-20	H	Assigned HMPPS sub: Firearms
2026-01-13	H	Referred to Committee on Public Safety
2026-01-13	H	Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102339D