# Virginia HB626: Firearm or explosive material; exemptions, carrying in public institutions of higher education. Virginia HB626, Firearm or explosive material; exemptions, carrying in public institutions of higher education., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Katrina Callsen (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0643)) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB626-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB626 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Firearm or explosive material; exemptions, carrying in public institutions of higher education. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-13 - Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0643) - Sponsor: Katrina Callsen (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 8 (165 yes, 72 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 1 ## Summary Carrying a firearm or explosive material within Capitol Square or building owned or leased by the Commonwealth; exemptions; public institutions of higher education; penalty. Limits the exemption from the prohibition on the carrying of any firearm or explosive material within any building owned or leased by the Commonwealth or agency thereof or any office where employees of the Commonwealth or any agency thereof are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties that currently applies to any property owned or operated by a public institution of higher education to instead apply to any individual within a building owned or operated by a public institution of higher education who possesses a weapon as part of such public institution of higher education's curriculum or activities or as part of any organization authorized by such public institution of higher education to conduct its programs or activities within such building, as such uses are approved through the law-enforcement or public safety unit of such institution. This bill is identical to SB 272. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Weapons allowed for approved public college activities: benefit, low. Virginia law allows weapon possession in buildings owned or operated by public colleges for approved classes or campus activities. This exemption also covers programs or activities of organizations authorized by the college. The college’s law-enforcement or public-safety unit must approve the weapo… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Katrina Callsen (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-02 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 21 | 19 | | | 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 and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 9 | 4 | | | 2026-02-05 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 63 | 35 | | | 2026-01-30 | House | Reported from Public Safety | pass | 15 | 6 | | | 2026-01-29 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 7 | 3 | | ## Actions (29) - 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0643) (Governor) - 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 643 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor) - 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (House) - 2026-03-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB626) (House) - 2026-03-06: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB626ER) (House) - 2026-03-06: Enrolled (House) - 2026-03-06: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-06: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-02: Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-27: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-02-27: Read third time (Senate) - 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: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 4-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-06: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate) - 2026-02-06: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB626) (House) - 2026-02-05: Read third time and passed House (63-Y 35-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-04: Read second time and engrossed (House) - 2026-02-03: Read first time (House) - 2026-01-30: Reported from Public Safety (15-Y 6-N) (House) - 2026-01-29: Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 3-N) (House) - 2026-01-27: Assigned HMPPS sub: Firearms (House) - 2026-01-13: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/13/2026 3:34 pm) (House) - 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Public Safety (House) - 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105402D (House) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221450.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221449.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-03-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194110.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194109.PDF) - Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085258.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085257.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/1221450.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221449.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194110.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194109.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085258.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085257.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-HB626-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).