# Virginia HB1524: Assault firearms; carrying in public areas prohibited, exceptions, penalty. Virginia HB1524, Assault firearms; carrying in public areas prohibited, exceptions, penalty., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Garrett McGuire (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-22 (Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1524-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB1524 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Assault firearms; carrying in public areas prohibited, exceptions, penalty. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-27 - Last action: 2026-04-22, Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A) - Sponsor: Garrett McGuire (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 14 (343 yes, 286 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 1 ## Summary Carrying assault firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty. Prohibits the carrying of certain semi-automatic center-fire rifles, pistols, and shotguns or any firearm modified to be operable as an assault firearm on any public street, road, alley, sidewalk, or public right-of-way or in any public park or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public, with certain exceptions. Under current law, the prohibition on carrying certain shotguns and semi-automatic center-fire rifles and pistols applies to a narrower range of firearms, only in certain localities, and only when such firearms are loaded. A violation of this prohibition is a Class 1 misdemeanor. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Virginia limits public carrying of assault firearms: cost, medium. Virginia bans carrying an assault firearm on or about a person in public streets, roads, alleys, sidewalks, rights-of-way, parks, and other public places. The law uses the assault firearm definition in § 18.2-308.2:2. Violations are Class 1 misdemeanors. Exceptions cover law-enforcement officers an… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Garrett McGuire (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-22 | Senate | Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation | pass | 21 | 18 | | | 2026-04-22 | House | House concurred in Governor's recommendation | pass | 59 | 40 | | | 2026-03-13 | Senate | Conference report agreed to by Senate | pass | 21 | 18 | | | 2026-03-13 | House | Conference report agreed to by House | pass | 55 | 38 | | | 2026-03-06 | Senate | Senate insisted on amendments Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-03-04 | House | Senate substitute rejected by House | fail | 0 | 95 | | | 2026-03-02 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute | pass | 21 | 19 | | | 2026-03-02 | Senate | Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-26 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-26 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-02-25 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 10 | 5 | | | 2026-02-23 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 9 | 5 | | | 2026-02-17 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 54 | 41 | | | 2026-02-13 | House | Reported from Public Safety | pass | 13 | 7 | | ## Actions (59) - 2026-04-22: Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-04-22: House concurred in Governor's recommendation (59-Y 40-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-04-22: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1101) (Governor) - 2026-04-22: Reenrolled bill text (HB1524ER2) (House) - 2026-04-22: Reenrolled (House) - 2026-04-22: Approved by Governor-Chapter 1101 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor) - 2026-04-22: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-04-22: Governor's recommendation adopted (Governor) - 2026-04-15: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (4/15/2026 7:24 am) (House) - 2026-04-11: Governor's recommendation received by House (Governor) - 2026-04-01: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1524) (House) - 2026-03-31: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-03-31: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 (House) - 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1524ER) (House) - 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House) - 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-18: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1524) (House) - 2026-03-13: Conference report agreed to by House (55-Y 38-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-13: Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1524) (House) - 2026-03-13: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (3/13/2026 2:57 pm) (House) - 2026-03-13: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (3/13/2026 2:06 pm) (House) - 2026-03-13: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (3/13/2026 1:57 pm) (House) - 2026-03-13: Conference Report released - 2026-03-11: House Conferees: McGuire, Simon, Wilt (House) - 2026-03-11: Conferees appointed by House (House) - 2026-03-10: Conferees appointed by Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Senate Conferees: Jones, Surovell, Peake (Senate) - 2026-03-09: House acceded to request (House) - 2026-03-06: Senate insisted on amendments Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-06: Senate requested conference committee (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 95-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-02: Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-02: Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to (Senate) - 2026-03-02: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate) - 2026-02-27: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-02-27: Read third time (Senate) - 2026-02-26: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1524) (House) - 2026-02-26: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-26: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-26: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/25/2026 12:55 pm) (House) - 2026-02-25: Committee substitute printed 26108452D-S1 (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-18: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate) - 2026-02-18: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2026-02-17: Read third time and passed House (54-Y 41-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-16: Read second time and engrossed (House) - 2026-02-15: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-13: Reported from Public Safety (13-Y 7-N) (House) - 2026-02-03: Assigned HMPPS sub: Firearms (House) - 2026-01-28: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1524) (House) - 2026-01-28: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/28/2026 9:43 am) (House) - 2026-01-27: Referred to Committee on Public Safety (House) - 2026-01-27: Unanimous consent to introduce (House) - 2026-01-27: Presented and ordered printed 26105949D (House) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225473.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225472.PDF) - Reenrolled, 2026-04-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220283.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220282.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-04-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219422.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219421.PDF) - Gov Recommendation, 2026-04-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219418.HTML) - Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213699.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213698.PDF) - Conference Report, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210079.HTML) - Substitute, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210076.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210075.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-02-25: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179295.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179294.PDF) - Introduced, 2026-01-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098871.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098870.PDF) ## Related bills - HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed) - HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed) - HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed) - HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed) ## Sources - [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225473.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225472.PDF) - [Reenrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220283.HTML) - [Reenrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220282.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219422.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219421.PDF) - [Gov Recommendation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219418.HTML) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213699.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213698.PDF) - [Conference Report (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210079.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210076.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210075.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179295.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179294.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098871.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098870.PDF) ## Related - [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026) - [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026) - [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026) - [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026) - [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026) - [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026) - [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills) - [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1524-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).