18101844D<br><center><b>
HOUSE BILL NO. 261
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Offered January 10, 2018
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Prefiled January 2, 2018
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<i>A BILL to amend and reenact &sect;<a href="http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/15.2-915">15.2-915</a> of the Code of 
 Virginia, relating to localities; control of firearms in government buildings.</i>
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Patrons-- Price and Simon
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Committee Referral Pending
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<p>Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:</p>
 
 
<p>1. That &sect;<a href="http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/15.2-915">15.2-915</a> of the Code of Virginia is amended and 
 reenacted as follows:</p>
 
 
<p>&sect;<a href="http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/15.2-915">15.2-915</a>. Control of firearms; applicability to authorities 
 and local governmental agencies.</p>
 
 
<p><s class=str>A. No </s><i class=new>A </i>locality<s class=str> shall</s><i class=new> may</i> 
 adopt or enforce any ordinance, resolution<i class=new>,</i> 
 or motion, as permitted by &sect;<a href="http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/15.2-1425">15.2-1425</a>, and<s class=str> no</s><i class=new> an authorized</i> agent of such 
 locality<s class=str> shall</s><i class=new> may</i> 
 take<s class=str> any</s><i class=new> an</i> 
 administrative action<s class=str>,</s> 
 governing the<s class=str> purchase,</s> 
 possession<s class=str>, transfer, ownership, carrying, storage or 
 transporting</s> of firearms, ammunition, or components or combination 
 thereof<s class=str> other than those expressly authorized by statute. 
 For purposes of this section, a statute that does not refer to</s><i class=new> in, or carrying of</i> firearms, 
 ammunition, or components or combination thereof<i class=new> 
 into</i>,<s class=str> shall not be 
 construed to provide express authorization</s><i class=new> any building owned or used by such locality 
 for governmental purposes</i>.</p>
 
 
<p><s class=str>Nothing in this 
 section shall prohibit a locality from adopting workplace rules relating to 
 terms and conditions of employment of the workforce. However, no locality shall 
 adopt any workplace rule, other than for the purposes of a 
 community services board or behavioral health authority as defined in &sect;
 <a href="http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/37.2-100">37.2-100</a>, that prevents an employee of that locality from storing at that 
 locality's workplace a lawfully possessed firearm and ammunition in a locked 
 private motor vehicle. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a law-enforcement 
 officer, as defined in &sect;<a href="http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/9.1-101">9.1-101</a>, from acting within the scope of his duties.</s></p>
 
 
<p>The provisions of this section applicable to a locality shall 
 also apply to any authority or to a local governmental entity, including a 
 department or agency<s class=str>, but not including 
 any local or regional jail, juvenile detention facility, or state-governed 
 entity, department, or agency</s>.</p>
 
 
<p><s class=str>B. Any local 
 ordinance, resolution or motion adopted prior to the effective date of this act 
 governing the purchase, possession, transfer, ownership, carrying or 
 transporting of firearms, ammunition, or components or combination thereof, 
 other than those expressly authorized by statute, is invalid.</s></p>
 
 
<p><s class=str>C. In addition to any 
 other relief provided, the court may award reasonable attorney fees, expenses, 
 and court costs to any person, group, or entity that prevails in an action 
 challenging (i) an ordinance, resolution, or motion as being in conflict with 
 this section or (ii) an administrative action taken in bad faith as being in 
 conflict with this section.</s></p>
 
 
<p><s class=str>D. For purposes of 
 this section, "workplace" means "workplace of the 
 locality."</s></p>