# Virginia HB1608: Firearm industry members; standards of responsible conduct, civil liability. Virginia HB1608, Firearm industry members; standards of responsible conduct, civil liability., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Dan I. Helmer (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-04-02 (House sustained Governor's veto) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1608-2025 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB1608 - State: Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Firearm industry members; standards of responsible conduct, civil liability. - Status: to governor - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-03 - Last action: 2025-04-02, House sustained Governor's veto - Sponsor: Dan I. Helmer (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 7 (191 yes, 130 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## 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. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Dan I. Helmer (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-02-18 | House | Senate substitute agreed to by House | pass | 50 | 47 | | | 2025-02-14 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute | pass | 21 | 15 | | | 2025-02-13 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2025-02-12 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 10 | 5 | | | 2025-02-10 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 9 | 6 | | | 2025-01-23 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 49 | 47 | | | 2025-01-17 | House | Reported from Public Safety | pass | 12 | 10 | | ## Actions (28) - 2025-04-02: House sustained Governor's veto (House) - 2025-03-24: Vetoed by Governor (Governor) - 2025-03-05: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor) - 2025-03-05: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 5, 2025 (House) - 2025-02-23: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1608ER) (House) - 2025-02-20: Enrolled (House) - 2025-02-20: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-02-18: Senate substitute agreed to by House (50-Y 47-N) (House) - 2025-02-14: Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 15-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-14: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate) - 2025-02-14: Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to (Senate) - 2025-02-14: Read third time (Senate) - 2025-02-14: Reading of substitute waived (Senate) - 2025-02-13: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-13: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2025-02-13: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2025-02-12: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-10: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-10: Committee substitute printed 25107128D-S1 (Senate) - 2025-01-24: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate) - 2025-01-24: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2025-01-23: Read third time and passed House (49-Y 47-N) (House) - 2025-01-22: Read second time and engrossed (House) - 2025-01-21: Read first time (House) - 2025-01-17: Reported from Public Safety (12-Y 10-N) (House) - 2025-01-03: Referred to Committee on Public Safety (House) - 2025-01-03: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25100327D (House) ## Bill text - Veto Explanation, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1072862.HTML) - Enrolled, 2025-02-20: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1059252.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1059251.PDF) - Substitute, 2025-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1046066.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1046065.PDF) - Introduced, 2025-01-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012300.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012299.PDF) ## Related bills - HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted) - SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed) - HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed) - HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed) - SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed) - HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor) ## Sources - [Veto Explanation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1072862.HTML) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1059252.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1059251.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1046066.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1046065.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012300.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012299.PDF) ## Related - [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025) - [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025) - [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025) - [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025) - [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025) - [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025) - [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-HB1608-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).