14100309D
HOUSE BILL NO. 61
Offered January 8, 2014
Prefiled December 5, 2013
A BILL to amend and reenact §§18.2-308.2:2 and 46.2-342 of
the Code of Virginia, relating to the purchase and sale of rifles, shotguns,
and assault rifles; prohibition for nonresidents; penalties.
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Patron-- McQuinn
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Committee Referral Pending
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§18.2-308.2:2 and 46.2-342 of the Code of Virginia
are amended and reenacted as follows:
§18.2-308.2:2. Criminal history record information check
required for the transfer of certain firearms; penalties.
A. No dealer
shall sell, rent, trade, or transfer from his inventory any firearm or assault
firearm to any person who is not a resident of the Commonwealth.
B. Any
person purchasing from
a dealer a firearm as herein
defined from a dealer shall
consent in writing, on a form to be provided by the Department of State Police,
to have the dealer obtain criminal history record information. Such form shall
include only the written consent; the name, birth date, gender, race,
citizenship, and social security number and/or or any other identification
number; the number of firearms by category intended to be sold, rented, traded,
or transferred; and answers by the applicant to the following questions: (i)
has the applicant been convicted of a felony offense or found guilty or
adjudicated delinquent as a juvenile 14 years of age or older at the time of
the offense of a delinquent act that would be a felony if committed by an
adult; (ii) is the applicant subject to a court order restraining the applicant
from harassing, stalking, or threatening the applicant's child or intimate
partner, or a child of such partner, or is the applicant subject to a
protective order; and (iii) has the applicant ever been acquitted by reason of
insanity and prohibited from purchasing, possessing,
or transporting a firearm pursuant to §18.2-308.1:1 or any substantially
similar law of any other jurisdiction, been adjudicated legally incompetent,
mentally incapacitated or adjudicated an incapacitated person and prohibited
from purchasing a firearm pursuant to §18.2-308.1:2 or any substantially
similar law of any other jurisdiction, or been involuntarily admitted to an
inpatient facility or involuntarily ordered to outpatient mental health
treatment and prohibited from purchasing a firearm pursuant to §18.2-308.1:3
or any substantially similar law of any other jurisdiction.
B. C. 1. No dealer shall sell,
rent, trade, or transfer from his
inventory any such firearm
or assault firearm to any other
person who is a
resident of Virginia until he has (i) obtained written
consent and the other information on the consent form specified in subsection A B, and provided the Department
of State Police with the name, birth date, gender, race, citizenship, and
social security and/or or any other identification
number and the number of firearms by category intended to be sold, rented,
traded, or transferred and (ii)
requested criminal history record information by a telephone call to or other
communication authorized by the Department of
State Police and is authorized by subdivision 2 to complete the sale or other
such transfer. To establish personal identification and residence in Virginia the Commonwealth for purposes
of this section, a dealer must require any prospective purchaser to present one
photo-identification form issued by a governmental agency of the Commonwealth
or by the United States U.S. Department of Defense, and other documentation of
residence. Except where the photo-identification was issued by the United States U.S. Department of Defense,
the other documentation of residence shall show an address identical to that
shown on the photo-identification form, such as evidence of currently paid
personal property tax or real estate tax, or a current (a) lease, (b) utility
or telephone bill, (c) voter registration card, (d) bank check, (e) passport,
(f) automobile registration, or (g) hunting or fishing license; other current
identification allowed as evidence of residency by Part 178.124 of Title 27 of
the Code of Federal Regulations and ATF Ruling 2001-5; or other documentation
of residence determined to be acceptable by the Department of Criminal Justice
Services, that corroborates that the prospective purchaser currently resides in Virginia the Commonwealth. Where the
photo-identification was issued by the Department of Defense, permanent orders
assigning the purchaser to a duty post in Virginia the Commonwealth, including
the Pentagon, shall be the only other required documentation of residence. For
the purposes of this section and establishment of residency for firearm
purchase, residency of a member of the armed forces shall include both the
state in which the member's permanent duty post is located and any nearby state
in which the member resides and from which he commutes to the permanent duty
post. When the photo-identification presented to a dealer by the prospective
purchaser is a driver's license or other photo-identification issued by the
Department of Motor Vehicles, and such identification form contains a date of
issue, the dealer shall not, except for a renewed driver's license or other
photo-identification issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles, sell or
otherwise transfer a firearm to the prospective purchaser until 30 days after
the date of issue of an original or duplicate driver's license unless the
prospective purchaser also presents a copy of his Virginia Department of Motor
Vehicles driver's record showing that the original date of issue of the
driver's license was more than 30 days prior to the attempted purchase.
In addition,
no dealer shall sell, rent, trade or transfer from his inventory any assault
firearm to any person who is not a citizen of
the United States or who is not a person lawfully admitted for permanent
residence. To establish citizenship or lawful admission for a permanent
residence for purposes of purchasing an assault firearm, a dealer shall require
a prospective purchaser to present a certified birth certificate or a
certificate of birth abroad issued by the United States State Department, a
certificate of citizenship or a certificate of naturalization issued by the
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, an unexpired U.S. passport,
a United States citizen identification card, a current voter registration card,
a current selective service registration card, or an immigrant visa or other
documentation of status as a person lawfully admitted for permanent residence
issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Upon receipt of the request for a criminal
history record information check, the State Police shall (1) review its
criminal history record information to determine if the buyer or transferee is
prohibited from possessing or transporting a firearm by state or federal law,
(2) inform the dealer if its record indicates that the buyer or transferee is
so prohibited, and (3) provide the dealer with a unique reference number for
that inquiry.
2. The Department of
State Police shall provide its response to the requesting dealer during the
dealer's request, or by return
call without delay. If the criminal history record information check indicates
the prospective purchaser or transferee has a disqualifying criminal record or
has been acquitted by reason of insanity and committed to the custody of the
Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the Department of State Police
shall have until the end of the dealer's next business day to advise the dealer
if its records indicate the buyer or transferee is prohibited from possessing
or transporting a firearm by state or federal law. If not so advised by the end
of the dealer's next business day, a dealer who has fulfilled the requirements
of subdivision 1 may immediately complete the sale or transfer and shall not be
deemed in violation of this section with respect to such sale or transfer. In
case of electronic failure or other circumstances beyond the control of the Department of State Police,
the dealer shall be advised immediately of the reason for such delay and be
given an estimate of the length of such delay. After such notification, the Department of State Police
shall, as soon as possible but in no event later than the end of the dealer's
next business day, inform the requesting dealer if its records indicate the
buyer or transferee is prohibited from possessing or transporting a firearm by
state or federal law. A dealer who fulfills the requirements of subdivision 1
and is told by the Department of
State Police that a response will not be available by the end of the dealer's
next business day may immediately complete the sale or transfer and shall not
be deemed in violation of this section with respect to such sale or transfer.
3. Except as required by subsection D of §9.1-132, the Department of State Police
shall not maintain records longer than 30 days, except for multiple handgun
transactions for which records shall be maintained for 12 months, from any
dealer's request for a criminal history record information check pertaining to
a buyer or transferee who is not found to be prohibited from possessing and
transporting a firearm under state or federal law. However, the log on requests
made may be maintained for a period of 12 months, and such log shall consist of
the name of the purchaser, the dealer identification number, the unique
approval number, and the transaction date.
4. On the last day of the week following the sale or transfer
of any firearm, the dealer shall mail or deliver the written consent form
required by subsection A B to the Department of State
Police. The Department of
State Police shall immediately initiate a search of all available criminal
history record information to determine if the purchaser is prohibited from
possessing or transporting a firearm under state or federal law. If the search
discloses information indicating that the buyer or transferee is so prohibited from possessing
or transporting a firearm, the Department of
State Police shall inform the chief law-enforcement officer in the jurisdiction
where the sale or transfer occurred and the dealer without delay.
5. Notwithstanding
any other provisions of this section, rifles and shotguns may be purchased by persons who are citizens of the United States or persons lawfully
admitted for permanent residence but residents of other states under the terms of subsections A and
B upon furnishing the dealer with proof of citizenship or status as a person
lawfully admitted for permanent residence and one photo-identification form
issued by a governmental agency of the person's state of residence and one
other form of identification determined to be acceptable by the Department of
Criminal Justice Services.
6. For
the purposes of this subsection, the phrase
"dealer's next business day" shall does not include December 25.
C. No dealer
shall sell, rent, trade, or transfer from his inventory any
firearm, except when the transaction involves a rifle or a
shotgun and can be accomplished pursuant to the provisions of subdivision B 5 to any person who is not a resident of Virginia unless he has first obtained from the Department
of State Police a report indicating that a search of all available criminal
history record information has not disclosed that the person is prohibited from
possessing or transporting a firearm under state or federal law. The dealer
shall obtain the required report by mailing or delivering the written consent
form required under subsection A to the State Police within 24 hours of its
execution. If the dealer has complied with the provisions of this subsection
and has not received the required report from the State Police within 10 days
from the date the written consent form was mailed to the Department of State
Police, he shall not be deemed in violation of this section for thereafter
completing the sale or transfer.
D. Nothing herein shall prevent a resident of the
Commonwealth, at his option, from buying, renting,
or receiving a firearm or assault
firearm from a dealer in Virginia the Commonwealth by obtaining a criminal history record information check
through the dealer as provided in subsection C.
E. If any Any resident of
the Commonwealth who is an actual
buyer or transferee and
is denied the right to purchase a firearm under this section, he may exercise his right of
access to and review and correction of criminal history record information
under §9.1-132 or institute a civil action as provided in §9.1-135, provided
any such action is initiated within 30 days of such denial.
F. Any dealer who willfully and intentionally requests,
obtains, or seeks to obtain criminal history record information under false pretenses,
or who willfully and intentionally disseminates or seeks to disseminate
criminal history record information except as authorized in this section shall
be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.
G. For purposes of this section:
"Actual buyer" means a person who executes the
consent form required in subsection B or C,
or any other such firearm
transaction records record as may be required by
federal law.
"Antique firearm" means:
1. Any firearm (including any firearm with a matchlock,
flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system) manufactured in
or before 1898;
2. Any replica of any firearm described in subdivision 1 of
this definition if such replica (i) is not designed or redesigned for using
rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition or (ii) uses rimfire or
conventional centerfire fixed ammunition that is no longer manufactured in the
United States and that is not readily available in the ordinary channels of
commercial trade;
3. Any muzzle-loading rifle, muzzle-loading shotgun, or
muzzle-loading pistol that is designed to use black powder, or a black powder
substitute, and that cannot use fixed ammunition. For purposes of this
subdivision, the term
"antique firearm" shall does not include any weapon
that incorporates a firearm frame or receiver, any firearm that is converted
into a muzzle-loading weapon, or any muzzle-loading weapon that can be readily
converted to fire fixed ammunition by replacing the barrel, bolt, breech-block,
or any combination thereof; or
4. Any curio or relic as defined in this subsection.
"Assault firearm" means any semi-automatic
center-fire rifle or pistol which 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 which that will hold more than 20
rounds of ammunition or designed by the manufacturer to accommodate a silencer
or equipped with a folding stock.
"Curios or relics" means firearms that are of special
interest to collectors by reason of some quality other than is associated with
firearms intended for sporting use or as offensive or defensive weapons. To be
recognized as curios or relics, firearms must fall within one of the following
categories:
1. Firearms that were manufactured at least 50 years prior to
the current date, which that use rimfire or
conventional centerfire fixed ammunition that is no longer manufactured in the
United States and that is not readily available in the ordinary channels of
commercial trade, but not including replicas thereof;
2. Firearms that are certified by the curator of a municipal,
state, or federal museum that exhibits firearms to be curios or relics of
museum interest; and
3. Any other firearms that derive a substantial part of their
monetary value from the fact that they are novel, rare, or bizarre, or because of their
association with some historical figure, period, or event. Proof of
qualification of a particular firearm under this category may be established by
evidence of present value and evidence that like firearms are not available
except as collectors' items, or that
the value of like firearms available in ordinary commercial channels is
substantially less.
"Dealer" means any person licensed as a dealer
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §921 et seq.
"Firearm" means any handgun, shotgun, or rifle that
will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel single or multiple
projectiles by action of an explosion of a combustible material.
"Handgun" means any pistol or revolver or other
firearm originally designed, made, and
intended to fire single or multiple projectiles by means of an explosion of a
combustible material from one or more barrels when held in one hand.
"Lawfully
admitted for permanent residence" means the status of having been lawfully
accorded the privilege of residing permanently in the United States as an
immigrant in accordance with the immigration laws, such status not having
changed.
H. The Department of Criminal Justice Services shall
promulgate regulations to ensure the identity, confidentiality, and security of all records
and data provided by the Department of State Police pursuant to this section.
I. The provisions of this section shall not apply to (i)
transactions between persons who are licensed as firearms importers or
collectors, manufacturers, or
dealers pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §921 et seq.; (ii) purchases by or sales to any
law-enforcement officer or agent of the United States, the Commonwealth, or any local government, or any campus police officer
appointed under Chapter 17 (§23-232 et seq.) of Title 23; or (iii) antique
firearms, curios, or
relics.
J. The provisions of this section shall not apply to restrict
purchase, trade, or
transfer of firearms by a resident of Virginia the Commonwealth when the
resident of Virginia the Commonwealth makes such
purchase, trade or transfer in another state, in which case the laws and
regulations of that state and the United States governing the purchase, trade, or transfer of firearms shall
apply. A National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) check shall
be performed prior to such purchase, trade,
or transfer of firearms.
J1. All licensed firearms dealers shall collect a fee of $2
for every transaction for which a criminal history record information check is
required pursuant to this section, except that
a fee of $5 shall be collected for every transaction involving an out-of-state
resident. Such fee shall be transmitted to the Department
of State Police by the last day of the month following the sale for deposit in
a special fund for use by the Department of
State Police to offset the cost of conducting criminal history record
information checks under the provisions of this section.
K. Any person willfully and intentionally making a materially
false statement on the consent form required in subsection B or C or on such firearm
transaction records as may be required by federal law, shall be is guilty of a Class 5 felony.
L. Except as provided in §18.2-308.2:1, any dealer who
willfully and intentionally sells, rents, trades,
or transfers a firearm in violation of this section shall be is guilty of a Class 6 felony.
L1. Any person who attempts to solicit, persuade, encourage,
or entice any dealer to transfer or otherwise convey a firearm other than to
the actual buyer, as well as any other person who willfully and intentionally
aids or abets such person, shall be is guilty of a Class 6 felony.
This subsection shall not apply to a federal law-enforcement officer or a
law-enforcement officer as defined in §9.1-101, in the performance of his
official duties, or other person under his direct supervision.
M. Any person who purchases a firearm with the intent to (i)
resell or otherwise provide such firearm to any person who he knows or has
reason to believe is ineligible to purchase or otherwise receive from a dealer
a firearm for whatever reason or (ii) transport such firearm out of the
Commonwealth to be resold or otherwise provided to another person who the
transferor knows is ineligible to purchase or otherwise receive a firearm, shall be is
guilty of a Class 4 felony and shall be sentenced
to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of one year. However, if the
violation of this subsection involves such a transfer of more than one firearm,
the person shall be sentenced to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of
five years. The prohibitions of this subsection shall not apply to the purchase
of a firearm by a person for the lawful use, possession, or transport thereof,
pursuant to §18.2-308.7, by his child, grandchild, or individual for whom he
is the legal guardian if such child, grandchild, or individual is ineligible,
solely because of his age, to purchase a firearm.
N. Any person who is ineligible to purchase or otherwise
receive or possess a firearm in the Commonwealth who solicits, employs, or assists any person in
violating subsection M shall be is guilty of a Class 4 felony and
shall be sentenced to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years.
O. Any mandatory minimum sentence imposed under this section
shall be served consecutively with any other sentence.
P. All
driver's licenses issued on or after July 1, 1994, shall carry a letter
designation indicating whether the driver's license is an original, duplicate
or renewed driver's license.
§46.2-342. What license to contain; organ donor information;
Uniform Donor Document.
A. Every license issued under this chapter shall bear:
1. For licenses issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2003, a
license number which that
shall be assigned by the Department to the licensee and shall not be the same
as the licensee's social security number;
2. A photograph of the licensee;
3. The licensee's full name, year, month, and date of birth;
4. The licensee's address, subject to the provisions of
subsection B of this section;
5. A brief description of the licensee for the purpose of
identification;
6. A space for the signature of the licensee; and
7. Any other information deemed necessary by the Commissioner
for the administration of this title.
No abbreviated names or nicknames shall be shown on any
license.
B. At the option of the licensee, the address shown on the license
may be either the post office box, business, or residence address of the
licensee, provided such address is located in Virginia. However, regardless of
which address is shown on the license, the licensee shall supply the Department
with his residence address, which shall be an address in Virginia. This
residence address shall be maintained in the Department's records. Whenever the
licensee's address shown either on his license or in the Department's records
changes, he shall notify the Department of such change as required by §
46.2-324.
C. The Department may contract with the United States Postal
Service or an authorized agent to use the National Change of Address System for
the purpose of obtaining current address information for a person whose name
appears in customer records maintained by the Department. If the Department
receives information from the National Change of Address System indicating that
a person whose name appears in a Department record has submitted a permanent
change of address to the Postal Service, the Department may then update its
records with the mailing address obtained from the National Change of Address
System.
D. The license shall be made of a material and in a form to be
determined by the Commissioner.
E. Licenses issued to persons less than 21 years old shall be
immediately and readily distinguishable from those issued to persons 21 years
old or older. Distinguishing characteristics shall include unique design
elements of the document and descriptors within the photograph area to identify
persons who are at least 15 years old but less than 21 years old. These
descriptors shall include the month, day, and year when the person will become
21 years old.
F. The Department shall establish a method by which an
applicant for a driver's license or an identification card may designate his
willingness to make an anatomical gift for transplantation, therapy, research,
and education as provided in Article 2 (§32.1-289.2 et seq.) of Chapter 8 of
Title 32.1 and shall cooperate with the Virginia Transplant Council to ensure
that such method is designed to encourage organ, tissue, and eye donation with
a minimum of effort on the part of the donor and the Department.
G. If an applicant designates his willingness to be a donor
pursuant to subsection F, the Department may make a notation of this
designation on his license or card and shall make a notation of this
designation in his driver record.
H. The donor designation authorized in subsection G shall be
sufficient legal authority for the removal, following death, of the subject's
organs or tissues without additional authority from the donor, or his family or estate. No
family member, guardian, agent named pursuant to an advance directive, or person responsible for the
decedent's estate shall refuse to honor the donor designation or, in any way,
seek to avoid honoring the donor designation.
I. The donor designation provided pursuant to subsection F may
be rescinded by notifying the Department. In addition, the Department shall
remove from the driver's license or identification card any donor designation
made pursuant to subsection F, if, at the time the applicant
renews or replaces the license or identification card,
the applicant does not again designate his willingness to be a donor pursuant
to subsection F.
J. A minor may make a donor designation pursuant to subsection
F without the consent of a parent or legal guardian as authorized by the
Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (§32.1-291.1 et seq.).
K. The Department shall provide a method by which an applicant
conducting a Department of Motor Vehicles transaction using electronic means
may make a voluntary contribution to the Virginia Donor Registry and Public
Awareness Fund (Fund) established pursuant to §32.1-297.1. The Department shall
inform the applicant of the existence of the Fund and also that contributing to
the Fund is voluntary.
L. The Department shall collect all moneys contributed
pursuant to subsection K and transmit the moneys on a regular basis to the
Virginia Transplant Council, which shall credit the contributions to the Fund.
M. When requested by the applicant, and upon presentation of a
signed statement by a licensed physician confirming the applicant's condition,
the Department shall indicate on the applicant's driver's license that the
applicant is (i) an insulin-dependent diabetic,
or (ii) hearing or speech impaired.
N. In the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct,
the Department and its employees shall be immune from any civil or criminal
liability in connection with the making of or failure to make a notation of
donor designation on any license or card or in any person's driver record.
O. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section,
the Department shall continue to use the uniform donor document, as formerly
set forth in subsection F, for organ donation designation until such time as a
new method is fully implemented, which shall be no later than July 1, 1994. Any
such uniform donor document shall, when properly executed, remain valid and
shall continue to be subject to all conditions for execution, delivery,
amendment, and revocation as set out in Article 2 (§32.1-289.2 et seq.) of
Chapter 8 of Title 32.1.
P. The Department shall, in coordination with the Virginia
Transplant Council, prepare an organ donor information brochure describing the
organ donor program and providing instructions for completion of the uniform
donor document information describing the bone marrow donation program and
instructions for registration in the National Bone Marrow Registry. The
Department shall include a copy of such brochure with every driver's license
renewal notice or application mailed to licensed drivers in Virginia.
Q. All
driver's licenses issued on or after July 1, 1994, shall carry a letter designation
indicating whether the driver's license is an original, duplicate, or renewed driver's license.
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, the
estimated amount of the necessary appropriation cannot be determined for
periods of imprisonment in state adult correctional facilities; therefore,
Chapter 806 of the Acts of Assembly of 2013 requires the Virginia Criminal
Sentencing Commission to assign a minimum fiscal impact of $50,000. Pursuant to
§30-19.1:4, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation is $0 for
periods of commitment to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.
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