2026 SESSION

HOUSE SUBSTITUTE

26110168D

HOUSE BILL NO. 1524

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the Governor

on ________________)

(Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate McGuire)

A BILL to amend and reenact § 18.2-287.4 of the Code of Virginia, relating to carrying assault firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 18.2-287.4 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 18.2-287.4. Carrying loaded firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty.

It shall be is unlawful for any person to carry a loaded (a) semi-automatic center-fire rifle or pistol that expels single or multiple projectiles by action of an explosion of a combustible material and is equipped at the time of the offense with a magazine that will hold more than 20 rounds of ammunition or designed by the manufacturer to accommodate a silencer or equipped with a folding stock or (b) shotgun with a magazine that will hold more than seven rounds of the longest ammunition for which it is chambered an assault firearm as defined in § 18.2-308.2:2 on or about his person on any public street, road, alley, sidewalk, public right-of-way, or in any public park or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public in the Cities of Alexandria, Chesapeake, Fairfax, Falls Church, Newport News, Norfolk, Richmond, or Virginia Beach or in the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Henrico, Loudoun, or Prince William.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to law-enforcement officers, licensed security guards in the performance of their official duties, military personnel in the performance of their lawful official duties, or any person having a valid concealed handgun permit any member of a cadet corps who is recognized by a public institution of higher education while such member is in the performance of sanctioned military training or such member is participating in an official ceremonial event for the Commonwealth, or to any person actually engaged in lawful hunting or lawful recreational shooting activities at an established shooting range or shooting contest. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

The exemptions set forth in §§ § 18.2-308 and 18.2-308.016 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the provisions of this section.

2. That the provisions of this act may result in a net increase in periods of imprisonment or commitment. Pursuant to § 30-19.1:4 of the Code of Virginia, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation cannot be determined for periods of imprisonment in state adult correctional facilities; therefore, Chapter 725 of the Acts of Assembly of 2025 requires the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission to assign a minimum fiscal impact of $50,000. Pursuant to § 30-19.1:4 of the Code of Virginia, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation cannot be determined for periods of commitment to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.