VirginiaHB16082025 Regular SessionHouse

Firearm industry members; standards of responsible conduct, civil liability.

Sponsored By: Dan I. Helmer (Democratic)

To Governor

Summary

Firearm industry members; standards of responsible conduct; civil liability. Creates standards of responsible conduct for firearm industry members and requires such members to establish and implement reasonable controls regarding the manufacture, sale, distribution, use, and marketing of the firearm industry member's firearm-related products, as those terms are defined in the bill. Such reasonable controls include reasonable procedures, safeguards, and business practices that are designed to (i) prevent the sale or distribution of a firearm-related product to a straw purchaser, a firearm trafficker, a person prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law, or a person who the firearm industry member has reasonable cause to believe is at substantial risk of using a firearm-related product to harm themselves or unlawfully harm another or of unlawfully possessing or using a firearm-related product; (ii) prevent the loss of a firearm-related product or theft of a firearm-related product from a firearm industry member; (iii) ensure that the firearm industry member complies with all provisions of state and federal law and does not otherwise promote the unlawful manufacture, sale, possession, marketing, or use of a firearm-related product; and (iv) ensure that the firearm industry member does not engage in an act or practice in violation of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The bill also provides that a firearm industry member may not knowingly or recklessly create, maintain, or contribute to a public nuisance, as defined in the bill, through the sale, manufacturing, importing, or marketing of a firearm-related product. The bill creates a civil cause of action for the Attorney General or a local county or city attorney to enforce the provisions of the bill or for any person who has been injured as a result of a firearm industry member's violation to seek an injunction and to recover costs and damages.

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Bill Overview

No Economic Impacts Identified for this Bill

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Dan I. Helmer

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 191 • No: 130

House vote • 2/18/2025

Senate substitute agreed to by House

Yes: 50 • No: 47

Senate vote • 2/14/2025

Passed Senate with substitute

Yes: 21 • No: 15

Senate vote • 2/13/2025

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/12/2025

Reported from Finance and Appropriations

Yes: 10 • No: 5

Senate vote • 2/10/2025

Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations

Yes: 9 • No: 6

House vote • 1/23/2025

Read third time and passed House

Yes: 49 • No: 47

House vote • 1/17/2025

Reported from Public Safety

Yes: 12 • No: 10

Actions Timeline

  1. House sustained Governor's veto

    4/2/2025House
  2. Vetoed by Governor

    3/24/2025Governor
  3. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025

    3/5/2025Governor
  4. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 5, 2025

    3/5/2025House
  5. Signed by President

    2/23/2025Senate
  6. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1608ER)

    2/20/2025House
  7. Enrolled

    2/20/2025House
  8. Signed by Speaker

    2/20/2025House
  9. Senate substitute agreed to by House (50-Y 47-N)

    2/18/2025House
  10. Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 15-N)

    2/14/2025Senate
  11. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

    2/14/2025Senate
  12. Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to

    2/14/2025Senate
  13. Read third time

    2/14/2025Senate
  14. Reading of substitute waived

    2/14/2025Senate
  15. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N)

    2/13/2025Senate
  16. Passed by for the day

    2/13/2025Senate
  17. Rules suspended

    2/13/2025Senate
  18. Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)

    2/12/2025Senate
  19. Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N)

    2/10/2025Senate
  20. Committee substitute printed 25107128D-S1

    2/10/2025Senate
  21. Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

    1/24/2025Senate
  22. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

    1/24/2025Senate
  23. Read third time and passed House (49-Y 47-N)

    1/23/2025House
  24. Read second time and engrossed

    1/22/2025House
  25. Read first time

    1/21/2025House

Bill Text

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