# Virginia SB496: Handguns in unattended motor vehicle; definitions, penalty. Virginia SB496, Handguns in unattended motor vehicle; definitions, penalty., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by David W. Marsden (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0561)) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB496-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB496 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Handguns in unattended motor vehicle; definitions, penalty. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-13 - Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0561) - Sponsor: David W. Marsden (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 15 (297 yes, 185 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 1 ## Summary Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; penalty. Creates a Class 4 misdemeanor for any person who, when leaving a handgun in an unattended vehicle, fails to securely store such handgun in a locked hard-sided container, including a locked container that is affixed to the vehicle's interior by steel cable, bolt, or welding. The bill provides that such locked container includes a locked glove compartment or a locked center console. The bill contains certain exemptions, including an exemption for a person who reports the theft or loss of such firearm to a law-enforcement agency as provided in relevant law. This bill is identical to HB 110. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Handguns in cars must be locked: cost, low. It is a Class 4 misdemeanor to knowingly leave a handgun in an unattended vehicle or trunk unless it is out of sight in a locked hard-sided container. A locked glove box or locked center console counts. A locked container can also be bolted, welded, or secured by a steel cable to the vehicle. A veh… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: David W. Marsden (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-14 | Senate | Conference report agreed to by Senate | pass | 21 | 18 | | | 2026-03-14 | House | Conference report agreed to by House | pass | 60 | 36 | | | 2026-03-14 | Senate | Senate requested second conference committee | pass | 21 | 18 | | | 2026-03-10 | Senate | Senate acceded to request Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-03-06 | Senate | House substitute rejected by Senate | fail | 0 | 40 | | | 2026-03-04 | House | Passed House with substitute | pass | 63 | 36 | | | 2026-02-27 | House | Reported from Public Safety with substitute | pass | 15 | 7 | | | 2026-02-16 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 20 | 19 | | | 2026-02-13 | Senate | Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-13 | Senate | Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-11 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments | pass | 9 | 6 | | | 2026-02-03 | Senate | Motion to recommit to Courts of Justice agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-01-27 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-01-27 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2026-01-26 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute | pass | 9 | 5 | | ## Actions (76) - 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0561) (Governor) - 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 561 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor) - 2026-04-07: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB496) (Senate) - 2026-03-31: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-03-31: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB496ER) (Senate) - 2026-03-30: Enrolled (Senate) - 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-17: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB496) (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Conference report agreed to by House (60-Y 36-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-14: House Conferees: Laufer, Simon, Morefield (House) - 2026-03-14: Conferees appointed by House (House) - 2026-03-14: Second Conference Report released - 2026-03-14: Senate requested second conference committee (21-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Conference Report released - 2026-03-14: Conference Report released - 2026-03-14: House acceded to request for second conference committee (House) - 2026-03-14: Senate Conferees: Marsden, Surovell, Obenshain (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Second conferees appointed by Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-13: House Conferees: Laufer, Simon, Morefield (House) - 2026-03-13: Conferees appointed by House (House) - 2026-03-13: House Conferees: Laufer, Simon, Morefield (House) - 2026-03-12: House Conferees: Laufer, Clark, Morefield (House) - 2026-03-12: Conferees appointed by House (House) - 2026-03-10: Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Conferees appointed by Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Senate Conferees: Marsden, Surovell, Obenshain (Senate) - 2026-03-09: House requested conference committee (House) - 2026-03-09: House insisted on substitute (House) - 2026-03-06: House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Passed House with substitute (63-Y 36-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-04: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House) - 2026-03-04: committee substitute agreed to (House) - 2026-03-04: Read third time (House) - 2026-03-04: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB496) (Senate) - 2026-03-03: Read second time (House) - 2026-03-02: Committee substitute printed 26108965D-H1 (House) - 2026-02-27: Reported from Public Safety with substitute (15-Y 7-N) (House) - 2026-02-19: Referred to Committee on Public Safety (House) - 2026-02-19: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-19: Placed on Calendar (House) - 2026-02-16: Read third time and passed Senate (20-Y 19-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-16: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB496) (Senate) - 2026-02-13: Floor offered (Senate) - 2026-02-13: Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to (Senate) - 2026-02-13: Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to (Senate) - 2026-02-13: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute as amended (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-13: Senator Marsden Amendments withdrawn (Senate) - 2026-02-13: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-02-11: Senate committee offered (Senate) - 2026-02-11: Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (9-Y 6-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB496) (Senate) - 2026-02-03: Recommitted to Courts of Justice (Senate) - 2026-02-03: Motion to recommit to Courts of Justice agreed to (Senate) - 2026-02-03: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-01-30: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-01-30: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Committee substitute printed 26106227D-S1 (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Read first time (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-01-26: Senate committee offered (Senate) - 2026-01-26: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (9-Y 5-N) (Senate) - 2026-01-20: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB496) (Senate) - 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate) - 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104067D (Senate) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218642.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218641.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214441.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214440.PDF) - Conference Report, 2026-03-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211539.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212072.HTML) - Substitute, 2026-03-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212069.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211536.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211535.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212068.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-03-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187696.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187695.PDF) - Amendment, 2026-02-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1148135.HTML) - Engrossed, 2026-02-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1147819.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1147818.PDF) - Amendment, 2026-02-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145051.HTML) - Amendment, 2026-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1142141.HTML) - Substitute, 2026-01-28: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1099063.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1099062.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-01-26: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096448.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096447.PDF) - Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090534.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090532.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/1218642.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218641.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214441.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214440.PDF) - [Conference Report (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211539.HTML) - [Conference Report (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212072.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212069.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211536.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211535.PDF) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212068.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187696.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187695.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1148135.HTML) - [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1147819.HTML) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1147818.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145051.HTML) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1142141.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1099063.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1099062.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096448.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096447.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090534.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090532.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-SB496-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).