Purchase of handguns; limitation on handgun purchases. Removes the prohibition on any person who is not a licensed firearms dealer from purchasing more than one handgun in a 30-day period. Current law makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for a violation of this provision, subject to certain exemptions.

Control of firearms by localities. Removes the authority for a locality by ordinance to prohibit the possession or carrying of firearms, ammunition, or components or any combination thereof in (i) any building, or part thereof, owned or used by such locality for governmental purposes; (ii) any public park owned or operated by the locality; (iii) any recreation or community center facility; or (iv) any public street, road, alley, or sidewalk or public right-of-way or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public and is being used by or is adjacent to a permitted event or an event that would otherwise require a permit.

The bill provides that any firearm received by the locality pursuant to a buy-back program shall be offered for sale by public auction or sealed bids to a person licensed as a dealer. Current law provides that any such firearm shall be destroyed by the locality unless the person surrendering the firearm requests in writing that the firearm be offered for sale. The bill also limits the authority of localities and state governmental entities to bring lawsuits against certain firearms manufacturers and others.

Manufacture, import, sale, transfer, or possession of plastic firearms and unfinished frames or receivers and unserialized firearms; penalties. Creates a Class 5 felony for any person who manufactures, imports, sells, transfers, or possesses any firearm with a major component, as defined in the bill, that when subjected to inspection by the types of detection devices, including X-ray machines, commonly used at airports for security screening does not generate an image that accurately depicts the shape of the component. The bill updates language regarding the types of detection devices that are used at airports for detecting plastic firearms.

The bill also creates several Class 1 misdemeanors, which are punishable as a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense, making it unlawful (i) for any person to knowingly possess, transport, or receive an unfinished frame or receiver unless the party possessing or receiving the unfinished frame or receiver is a federal firearms importer, manufacturer, or dealer or the unfinished frame or receiver is required by federal law to be, and has been, imprinted with a serial number by a federal firearms importer, manufacturer, or dealer and (ii) for any person to knowingly sell, offer to sell, transfer, or purchase an unfinished frame or receiver unless the party selling, offering to sell, transferring, or purchasing the unfinished frame or receiver is a federal firearms importer, manufacturer, or dealer or the unfinished frame or receiver is required by federal law to be, and has been, imprinted with a serial number by a federal firearms importer, manufacturer, or dealer. The provisions related to the prohibition for possessing, transporting, or receiving an unfinished frame or receiver have a delayed effected date of January 1, 2023.

Control of firearms by localities. Removes the authority for a locality by ordinance to prohibit the possession or carrying of firearms, ammunition, or components or any combination thereof in (i) any building, or part thereof, owned or used by such locality for governmental purposes; (ii) any public park owned or operated by the locality; (iii) any recreation or community center facility; or (iv) any public street, road, alley, or sidewalk or public right-of-way or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public and is being used by or is adjacent to a permitted event or an event that would otherwise require a permit.

The bill provides that any firearm received by the locality pursuant to a buy-back program shall be offered for sale by public auction or sealed bids to a person licensed as a dealer. Current law provides that any such firearm shall be destroyed by the locality unless the person surrendering the firearm requests in writing that the firearm be offered for sale. The bill also limits the authority of localities and state governmental entities to bring lawsuits against certain firearms manufacturers and others.

Carrying a firearm or explosive material within Capitol Square and the surrounding area, into building owned or leased by the Commonwealth, etc.; penalty. Repeals the prohibition on carrying a firearm or explosive material within (i) the Capitol of Virginia; (ii) Capitol Square and the surrounding area; (iii) any building owned or leased by the Commonwealth or any agency thereof; or (iv) any office where employees of the Commonwealth or any agency thereof are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties. Current law makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to carry a firearm or explosive material within these areas, subject to certain exceptions, including the following individuals while acting in the conduct of such person's official duties: any law-enforcement officer, any authorized security personnel, any active military personnel, any fire marshal when such fire marshal has been granted police powers, or any member of a cadet corps while such member is participating in an official ceremonial event for the Commonwealth.

Hunting on Sunday; wildlife management areas. Allows hunting on Sundays only in wildlife management areas owned by the Department of Wildlife Resources.

Virginia Center for Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention; Virginia Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund; creation. Establishes the Virginia Center for Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention (the Center) within the Department of Criminal Justice Services and transfers to the Center the administration of the existing Virginia Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund.

Limitation on handgun purchases; exemptions; penalty. Adds a federal law-enforcement officer to the list of those exempted from the prohibition on purchasing more than one handgun in a 30-day period.

Control of firearms by localities. Removes the authority for a locality by ordinance to prohibit the possession or carrying of firearms, ammunition, or components or any combination thereof in (i) any building, or part thereof, owned or used by such locality for governmental purposes; (ii) any public park owned or operated by the locality; (iii) any recreation or community center facility; or (iv) any public street, road, alley, or sidewalk or public right-of-way or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public and is being used by or is adjacent to a permitted event or an event that would otherwise require a permit.

The bill provides that any firearm received by the locality pursuant to a buy-back program shall be offered for sale by public auction or sealed bids to a person licensed as a dealer. Current law provides that any such firearm shall be destroyed by the locality unless the person surrendering the firearm requests in writing that the firearm be offered for sale. The bill also limits the authority of localities and state governmental entities to bring lawsuits against certain firearms manufacturers and others.

Limitations on use or transfer of firearms. Provides that certain provisions related to the sale or transfer of firearms do not prohibit the lawful transfer of firearms between certain family members. The bill also removes the brandishing of a firearm in such manner as to reasonably induce fear in the mind of another while assembled with one or more persons for the purpose of and with the intent to intimidate any person or group of persons from actions constituting the offense of unlawful paramilitary activity.

Purchase of service handguns or other weapons by retired sworn law-enforcement officers. Removes the requirement that a sworn law-enforcement officer be employed in a full-time capacity at the time of his retirement to purchase his service handgun.

Possession of firearms or other weapons on school property. Removes preschools and licensed child day centers that are not operated at the residence of the provider or of any of the children from the list of schools where possessing a firearm or other weapon on school property or on a school bus is prohibited.

Sale and transfer of firearms; criminal history record information check delay. Decreases from five business days to three business days the time provided for the Department of State Police to complete a background check before a firearm may be transferred. If a dealer who has otherwise fulfilled all requirements is told by the State Police that a response will not be available by the end of the dealer's third business day, the dealer may complete the sale or transfer without being deemed in violation.

Concealed handgun permits; demonstration of competence. Removes the requirement that concealed handgun permit applicants demonstrate competence with a handgun by completing an in-person course and adds the option for applicants to demonstrate competence by completing an electronic, video, or online course conducted by a state-certified or National Rifle Association-certified firearms instructor.

Reporting lost or stolen firearms; civil penalty. Repeals the requirement that, if a firearm is lost or stolen from a person who lawfully possessed it, such person shall report the loss or theft of the firearm to any local law-enforcement agency or the Department of State Police within 48 hours after such person discovers the loss or theft or is informed by a person with personal knowledge of the loss or theft. Under current law, a violation is punishable by a civil penalty of not more than $250.

Purchase of service handguns or other weapons by retired sworn law-enforcement officers. Removes the requirement that a sworn law-enforcement officer be employed in a full-time capacity at the time of his retirement to purchase his service handgun.

Carrying a concealed handgun; permit not required. Allows any person who is otherwise eligible to obtain a concealed handgun permit to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere he may lawfully carry a handgun openly within the Commonwealth.

Manufacture, import, sale, transfer, or possession of plastic firearms and unfinished frames or receivers and unserialized firearms; penalties. Creates a Class 5 felony for any person who manufactures, imports, sells, transfers, or possesses any firearm with a major component, as defined in the bill, that when subjected to inspection by the types of detection devices, including X-ray machines, commonly used at airports for security screening does not generate an image that accurately depicts the shape of the component. The bill updates language regarding the types of detection devices that are used at airports for detecting plastic firearms.

The bill also creates several Class 1 misdemeanors, which are punishable as a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense, making it unlawful (i) for any person to knowingly possess, transport, or receive an unfinished frame or receiver unless the party possessing or receiving the unfinished frame or receiver is a federal firearms importer, manufacturer, or dealer or the unfinished frame or receiver is required by federal law to be, and has been, imprinted with a serial number by a federal firearms importer, manufacturer, or dealer and (ii) for any person to knowingly sell, offer to sell, transfer, or purchase an unfinished frame or receiver unless the party selling, offering to sell, transferring, or purchasing the unfinished frame or receiver is a federal firearms importer, manufacturer, or dealer or the unfinished frame or receiver is required by federal law to be, and has been, imprinted with a serial number by a federal firearms importer, manufacturer, or dealer. The provisions related to the prohibition for possessing, transporting, or receiving an unfinished frame or receiver have a delayed effected date of January 1, 2023.

Virginia Center for Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention; Virginia Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund; creation. Establishes the Virginia Center for Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention (the Center) within the Department of Criminal Justice Services and transfers to the Center the administration of the existing Virginia Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund.

Removing, altering, etc., serial number on firearm; selling, giving, etc., or possessing firearm with removed, altered, etc., serial number; penalty. Makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person, firm, association, or corporation to knowingly possess any pistol, shotgun, rifle, machine gun, or any other firearm that has a serial number that has been removed, altered, changed, destroyed, or obliterated in any manner. The bill also makes it a Class 6 felony for any person, firm, association, or corporation to sell, give, or distribute any pistol, shotgun, rifle, machine gun, or other firearm that has a serial number that has been removed, defaced, altered, changed, destroyed, or obliterated in any manner.

Carrying a firearm or explosive material within Capitol Square and the surrounding area, into building owned or leased by the Commonwealth, etc.; penalty. Repeals the prohibition on carrying a firearm or explosive material within (i) the Capitol of Virginia; (ii) Capitol Square and the surrounding area; (iii) any building owned or leased by the Commonwealth or any agency thereof; or (iv) any office where employees of the Commonwealth or any agency thereof are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties. Current law makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to carry a firearm or explosive material within these areas, subject to certain exceptions, including the following individuals while acting in the conduct of such person's official duties: any law-enforcement officer, any authorized security personnel, any active military personnel, any fire marshal when such fire marshal has been granted police powers, or any member of a cadet corps while such member is participating in an official ceremonial event for the Commonwealth.