STATE BILLVA HB 40PASSED

Plastic firearms or receivers, etc., transfer, etc., prohibited; penalties.

Commonwealth of Virginia

Manufacture, importation, sale, transfer, or possession of plastic firearms and unfinished frames or receivers and unserialized firearms prohibited; penalties. Creates a Class 5 felony for any person who knowingly manufactures or assembles, imports, purchases, sells, transfers, or possesses any firearm that, after removal of all parts other than a major component, as defined in the bill, is not detectable as a firearm when subjected to inspection by the types of detection devices, including X-ray machines, commonly used at airports, government buildings, schools, correctional facilities, and other locations for security screening. The bill updates language regarding the types of detection devices that are used at such locations for detecting plastic firearms. Under current law, it is unlawful to manufacture, import, sell, transfer, or possess any plastic firearm and a violation is punishable as a Class 5 felony. The bill also creates a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable as a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense, for any person to knowingly possess a firearm or any completed or unfinished frame or receiver that is not imprinted with a valid serial number or to knowingly import, purchase, sell, offer for sale, or transfer ownership of any completed or unfinished frame or receiver, unless the completed or unfinished frame or receiver (i) is deemed to be a firearm pursuant to federal law and (ii) is imprinted with a valid serial number. The bill also creates a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable as a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense, for any person to manufacture or assemble, cause to be manufactured or assembled, import, purchase, sell, offer for sale, or transfer ownership of any firearm that is not imprinted with a valid serial number. The provisions of the bill prohibiting unfinished frames or receivers and unserialized firearms have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027; however, the provisions of the bill prohibiting the knowing possession of a firearm or any completed or unfinished frame or receiver that is not imprinted with a valid serial number have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 323.

Status
Passed
Signed or otherwise enacted
Status date
Apr 10, 2026
216 days ago
Current chamber
House of Delegates
Session
2026 Regular Session
VA HB 40 · PassedApr 10

Follow the legislation that affects what you sell.

Get started free

Free account · 30-second setup · No credit card

What it means for vendors

Civic IQ reads each bill for what it would fund, require or change for the agencies that buy.

Bill details

Last action
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0531) · Apr 10, 2026

Sponsors

MSMarcus SimonRepresentative · Democrat · HD-013Primary sponsor
EBElizabeth Bennett-ParkerSenator · Democrat · SD-005
RCRae CousinsRepresentative · Democrat · HD-079
RHRozia HensonRepresentative · Democrat · HD-019
MMMarty MartinezRepresentative · Democrat · HD-029
MPMarcia PriceRepresentative · Democrat · HD-085
SRSam RasoulRepresentative · Democrat · HD-038
HSHolly SeiboldRepresentative · Democrat · HD-012
Show 2 more sponsors
VTVirgil ThorntonRepresentative · Democrat · HD-086
KTKathy TranRepresentative · Democrat · HD-018

Bill history

Newest first.

Apr 10, 2026Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0531)
Apr 10, 2026Approved by Governor - Chapter 531 (effective - see bill)
Mar 14, 2026Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Mar 14, 2026Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026House
Mar 12, 2026Signed by SpeakerHouse
Mar 11, 2026Signed by PresidentSenate
Mar 11, 2026Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB40)House
Mar 11, 2026Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB40ER)House
Show 27 earlier actions
Mar 11, 2026EnrolledHouse
Mar 4, 2026Senate substitute agreed to by House (64-Y 32-N 0-A)House
Mar 2, 2026Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)Senate
Mar 2, 2026Engrossed by Senate - committee substituteSenate
Mar 2, 2026Courts of Justice Substitute agreed toSenate
Feb 27, 2026Passed by for the daySenate
Feb 27, 2026Read third timeSenate
Feb 26, 2026Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB40)House
Feb 26, 2026Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)Senate
Feb 26, 2026Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)Senate
Feb 26, 2026Rules suspendedSenate
Feb 25, 2026Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/25/2026 12:50 pm)House
Feb 25, 2026Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)Senate
Feb 25, 2026Committee substitute printed 26108434D-S1Senate
Feb 23, 2026Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N)Senate
Feb 6, 2026Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeSenate
Feb 6, 2026Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)Senate
Feb 5, 2026Read third time and passed House (63-Y 34-N 0-A)House
Feb 4, 2026Read second time and engrossedHouse
Feb 3, 2026Read first timeHouse
Jan 30, 2026Reported from Public Safety (15-Y 6-N)House
Jan 29, 2026Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 3-N)House
Jan 16, 2026Assigned HPS sub: FirearmsHouse
Jan 13, 2026Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB40)House
Jan 6, 2026Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/6/2026 2:07 pm)House
Dec 23, 2025Referred to Committee on Public SafetyHouse
Dec 23, 2025Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100452DHouse

Recorded votes

Reported from Public Safety (15-Y 6-N)Jan 30, 2026 · House · 15 yea · 6 nayPassed
Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 3-N)Jan 29, 2026 · House · 7 yea · 3 nayPassed
Read third time and passed House (63-Y 34-N 0-A)Feb 5, 2026 · House · 63 yea · 34 nayPassed
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N)Feb 23, 2026 · Senate · 9 yea · 5 nayPassed
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)Feb 25, 2026 · Senate · 10 yea · 5 nayPassed
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)Feb 26, 2026 · Senate · 40 yea · 0 nayPassed
Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)Mar 2, 2026 · Senate · 21 yea · 19 nayPassed
Senate substitute agreed to by House (64-Y 32-N 0-A)Mar 4, 2026 · House · 64 yea · 32 nayPassed

Read the bill at the source

This page follows the bill as the legislature records it. For the bill's full text and the official record, use the legislature's own site.

Work in government? Get Civic IQ free →

Start finding government buyers today.
It's free.

B2G and SLED sales intelligence. Surface government procurement signals from 100,000+ state, local, and education agencies months before the RFP.

Get started free

No credit card required