Proposed Virginia Firearm Legislation HB1977
Legislation Overview
Title: Weapons; possession prohibited in a hospital that provides mental health or developmental services.
Description: Weapons; possession prohibited in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services; penalty. Makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to knowingly and intentionally possess in the building of any hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services in the Commonwealth, including an emergency department or other facility rendering emergency medical care, a (i) firearm, (ii) knife with a blade over three and one-half inches, or (iii) other dangerous weapon, including explosives and stun weapons. The bill also provides that notice of such prohibitions shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance of any hospital and no person shall be convicted of the offense if such notice is not posted, unless such person had actual notice of the prohibitions. The bill provides that any such firearm, knife, explosive, or weapon shall be subject to seizure by a law-enforcement officer and forfeited to the Commonwealth and specifies exceptions to the prohibition. This bill is identical to SB 1110.
Session: 2025 Regular Session
Last Action: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1977)
Last Action Date: February 20, 2025
Sponsors
Note: the first sponsor listed is normally the primary sponsor. If a sponsor's name is a hyperlink you can click on it to 'follow the money'.
24 sponsors: Phil Hernandez (D); Nadarius Clark (D); Amy Laufer (D); Rodney Willett (D); Bonita Anthony (D); Alex Askew (D); Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D); Katrina Callsen (D); Laura Jane Cohen (D); Joshua Cole (D); Rae Cousins (D); Michael Feggans (D); Debra Gardner (D); Jackie Glass (D); Rozia Henson (D); Karen Keys-Gamarra (D); Destiny LeVere Bolling (D); Marty Martinez (D); Marcia Price (D); Atoosa Reaser (D); Irene Shin (D); Joshua Thomas (D); Kathy Tran (D); Vivian Watts (D);
Percentage of House Of Delegates sponsoring bill: 24% (24 of 100)
History
| Chamber | Date | Action |
| House | Feb 20, 2025 | Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1977) |
| House | Feb 19, 2025 | Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1977ER) |
| House | Feb 19, 2025 | Enrolled |
| Senate | Feb 14, 2025 | Read third time |
| Senate | Feb 14, 2025 | Passed Senate (21-Y 15-N) |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2025 | Passed by for the day |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2025 | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N) |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2025 | Rules suspended |
| Senate | Feb 12, 2025 | Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N) |
| Senate | Feb 10, 2025 | Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 4-N) |
| Senate | Feb 5, 2025 | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) |
| Senate | Feb 5, 2025 | Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice |
| House | Feb 4, 2025 | Read third time and passed House (52-Y 46-N) |
| House | Feb 4, 2025 | Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1977) |
| House | Feb 3, 2025 | Read second time |
| House | Feb 3, 2025 | Engrossed by House - committee substitute |
| House | Feb 3, 2025 | Public Safety Substitute agreed to |
| House | Feb 2, 2025 | Read first time |
| House | Jan 31, 2025 | Reported from Public Safety with substitute (12-Y 9-N) |
| House | Jan 31, 2025 | Impact statement from VCSC (HB1977) |
| House | Jan 31, 2025 | Committee substitute printed 25106604D-H1 |
| House | Jan 17, 2025 | Referred from Courts of Justice and referred to Public Safety (Voice Vote) |
| House | Jan 14, 2025 | Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1977) |
| House | Jan 7, 2025 | Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice |
| House | Jan 7, 2025 | Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25104317D |
Texts
| Type | Date | State Link | Text |
| Enrolled | Feb 19, 2025 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Jan 31, 2025 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Jan 31, 2025 | state link | bill text |
| Introduced | Jan 7, 2025 | state link | bill text |
Amendments
| Title | Description | Date | State Link | Text | Adopted |
| There are no amendments to this bill at this time | |||||
Votes - Click on description to view vote roll call
| Description | Vote Date | Yea Votes | Nay Votes | No Votes | Absent | Passed |
| Reported from Public Safety with substitute (12-Y 9-N) | 01/31/2025 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 1 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Read third time and passed House (52-Y 46-N) | 02/4/2025 | 52 | 46 | 0 | 2 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 4-N) | 02/10/2025 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 2 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N) | 02/12/2025 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N) | 02/13/2025 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Passed Senate (21-Y 15-N) | 02/14/2025 | 21 | 15 | 0 | 4 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
Link: link to state bill page
