# Virginia SB173: Weapons; possession prohibited in hospital that provides mental health or developmental services.

Virginia SB173, Weapons; possession prohibited in hospital that provides mental health or developmental services., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Angelia Williams Graves (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-14 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1109)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB173-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB173
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Weapons; possession prohibited in hospital that provides mental health or developmental services.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-08
- Last action: 2026-05-14, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1109)
- Sponsor: Angelia Williams Graves (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 9 (177 yes, 89 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## 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 that 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 such firearm, knife, explosive, or weapon shall be subject to seizure by a law-enforcement officer and forfeited to the Commonwealth and specifies certain exceptions to the prohibition. This bill is identical to HB 229.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Weapons banned inside certain Virginia hospitals: cost, low. The law bans knowing and intentional weapon possession inside licensed Virginia hospitals that provide mental health or developmental services. This includes emergency departments and other facilities providing emergency medical care. Covered weapons include firearms, knives with blades over 3.5 in…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Angelia Williams Graves (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-22 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote | pass | 21 | 18 |   |
| 2026-02-16 | House | Passed House | pass | 63 | 35 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | House | Reported from Public Safety | pass | 13 | 7 |   |
| 2026-02-09 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 21 | 19 |   |
| 2026-02-06 | Senate | Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-05 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-05 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-04 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 10 | 5 |   |
| 2026-01-26 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 9 | 5 |   |

## Actions (38)

- 2026-05-14: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1109) (Governor)
- 2026-05-14: Approved by Governor-Chapter 1109 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-04-22: Passed by for the day Block Vote (21-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-04-22: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 23, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-04-22: Communicated to Governor (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Substitute bill reprinted 26110156D (Senate)
- 2026-04-11: Governor's recommendation received by Senate (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 (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB173) (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB173ER) (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-02-16: Passed House (63-Y 35-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-16: Read third time (House)
- 2026-02-15: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-13: Reported from Public Safety (13-Y 7-N) (House)
- 2026-02-12: Referred to Committee on Public Safety (House)
- 2026-02-12: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-12: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-09: Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB173) (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-30: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/30/2026 1:45 pm) (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB173) (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Committee substitute printed 26106282D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-01-26: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-01-26: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-12: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/12/2026 11:30 am) (Senate)
- 2026-01-08: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2026-01-08: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105103D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-05-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225680.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225679.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219139.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219138.PDF)
- Gov Recommendation, 2026-04-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219135.HTML)
- Enrolled, 2026-02-18: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1168679.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1168678.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-28: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1099242.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1099241.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-26: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1097136.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1097135.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083656.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083655.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/1225680.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225679.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219139.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219138.PDF)
- [Gov Recommendation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219135.HTML)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1168679.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1168678.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1099242.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1099241.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1097136.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1097135.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083656.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083655.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-SB173-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).