Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official page posted by the Virginia General Assembly, fetched 2026-08-29. Where this bill amends existing law, language marked for deletion in the official page appears here in brackets. This is the reenrolled version. The official bill page.
2026 RECONVENED SESSION REENROLLED VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- CHAPTER An Act to amend and reenact § 18.2-287.4 of the Code of Virginia, relating to carrying assault firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty. [H 1524] Approved 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.
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