# Virginia HB1977: Weapons; possession prohibited in a hospital that provides mental health or developmental services. Virginia HB1977, Weapons; possession prohibited in a hospital that provides mental health or developmental services., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Phil M. Hernandez (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-04-02 (Requires 64 affirmative votes to override Governor's veto) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1977-2025 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB1977 - State: Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Weapons; possession prohibited in a hospital that provides mental health or developmental services. - Status: to governor - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-07 - Last action: 2025-04-02, Requires 64 affirmative votes to override Governor's veto - Sponsor: Phil M. Hernandez (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 8 (194 yes, 125 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Weapons; possession prohibited in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services; penalty. Makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to knowingly and intentionally possess in the building of any hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services in the Commonwealth, including an emergency department or other facility rendering emergency medical care, a (i) firearm, (ii) knife with a blade over three and one-half inches, or (iii) other dangerous weapon, including explosives and stun weapons. The bill also provides that notice of such prohibitions shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance of any hospital and no person shall be convicted of the offense if such notice is not posted, unless such person had actual notice of the prohibitions. The bill provides that any such firearm, knife, explosive, or weapon shall be subject to seizure by a law-enforcement officer and forfeited to the Commonwealth and specifies exceptions to the prohibition. This bill is identical to SB 1110. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Phil M. Hernandez (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-02 | House | House sustained Governor's veto | pass | 50 | 46 | | | 2025-02-14 | Senate | Passed Senate | 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 and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 9 | 4 | | | 2025-02-04 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 52 | 46 | | | 2025-01-31 | House | Reported from Public Safety with substitute | pass | 12 | 9 | | | 2025-01-17 | House | Referred from Courts of Justice and referred to Public Safety (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | ## Actions (32) - 2025-04-02: Requires 64 affirmative votes to override Governor's veto (House) - 2025-04-02: House sustained Governor's veto (50-Y 46-N) (House) - 2025-03-24: Vetoed by Governor (Governor) - 2025-03-03: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor) - 2025-03-03: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 3, 2025 (House) - 2025-02-22: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1977) (House) - 2025-02-19: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1977ER) (House) - 2025-02-19: Enrolled (House) - 2025-02-19: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-02-14: Passed Senate (21-Y 15-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-14: Read third time (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 and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 4-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2025-02-04: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1977) (House) - 2025-02-04: Read third time and passed House (52-Y 46-N) (House) - 2025-02-03: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House) - 2025-02-03: Public Safety Substitute agreed to (House) - 2025-02-03: Read second time (House) - 2025-02-02: Read first time (House) - 2025-01-31: Impact statement from VCSC (HB1977) (House) - 2025-01-31: Committee substitute printed 25106604D-H1 (House) - 2025-01-31: Reported from Public Safety with substitute (12-Y 9-N) (House) - 2025-01-17: Referred from Courts of Justice and referred to Public Safety (Voice Vote) (House) - 2025-01-14: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1977) (House) - 2025-01-07: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House) - 2025-01-07: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25104317D (House) ## Bill text - Veto Explanation, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073207.HTML) - Enrolled, 2025-02-19: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054842.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054841.PDF) - Substitute, 2025-01-31: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036682.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036848.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036681.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036847.PDF) - Introduced, 2025-01-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014306.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014305.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/1073207.HTML) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054842.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054841.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036682.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036848.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036681.PDF) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036847.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014306.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014305.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-HB1977-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).