HB 21 VA

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Firearm industry members; standards of responsible conduct; civil liability. Creates standards of responsible conduct for firearm industry members and requires such members to establish and implement reasonable controls regarding the manufacture, sale, distribution, use, and marketing of the firearm industry member's firearm-related products, as those terms are defined in the bill. Such reasonable controls include reasonable procedures, safeguards, and business practices that are designed to (i) prevent the sale or distribution of a firearm-related product to a straw purchaser, a firearm trafficker, a person prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law, or a person who the firearm industry member has reasonable cause to believe is at substantial risk of using a firearm-related product to harm themselves or unlawfully harm another or of unlawfully possessing or using a firearm-related product; (ii) prevent the loss of a firearm-related product or theft of a firearm-related product from a firearm industry member; (iii) ensure that the firearm industry member complies with all provisions of state and federal law and does not otherwise promote the unlawful manufacture, sale, possession, marketing, or use of a firearm-related product; (iv) prevent the installation and use of an auto sear on firearm-related products; and (v) ensure that the firearm industry member does not engage in an act or practice in violation of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The bill also provides that a firearm industry member may not knowingly create, maintain, or contribute to a public nuisance, as defined in the bill, through the sale, manufacturing, importing, or marketing of a firearm-related product. The bill creates a civil cause of action for the Attorney General or a local county, city, or town attorney to enforce the provisions of the bill or for any person who has been injured as a result of a firearm industry member's violation to seek an injunction and to recover costs and damages. The bill also allows the Attorney General to issue a civil investigative demand if he has reasonable cause to believe that any person has engaged in, is engaging in, or is about to engage in any violation of such standards of responsible conduct.

• Dan I. Helmer Democratic · primary

1. Dec 22, 2025 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100319D · lower
2. Dec 22, 2025 Referred to Committee on Public Safety · lower
3. Jan 16, 2026 Assigned HPS sub: Firearms · lower
4. Jan 29, 2026 House subcommittee offered · lower
5. Jan 29, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 3-N) · lower
6. Jan 30, 2026 Reported from Public Safety with substitute (15-Y 6-N) · lower
7. Jan 30, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26106578D-H1 · lower
8. Feb 3, 2026 Read first time · lower
9. Feb 4, 2026 Read second time · lower
10. Feb 4, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
11. Feb 4, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
12. Feb 5, 2026 Read third time and passed House (62-Y 35-N 0-A) · lower
13. Feb 6, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) · upper
14. Feb 6, 2026 Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice · upper
15. Feb 13, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB21) · lower
16. Feb 23, 2026 Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N) · upper
17. Feb 25, 2026 Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (10-Y 5-N) · upper
18. Feb 25, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26108624D-S1 · upper
19. Feb 26, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
20. Feb 26, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
21. Feb 26, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
22. Feb 27, 2026 Read third time · upper
23. Feb 27, 2026 Passed by for the day · upper
24. Mar 2, 2026 Passed by for the day · upper
25. Mar 3, 2026 Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to · upper
26. Mar 3, 2026 Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute · upper
27. Mar 3, 2026 Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A) · upper
28. Mar 5, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB21) · lower
29. Mar 5, 2026 Senate substitute agreed to by House (62-Y 36-N 0-A) · lower
30. Mar 12, 2026 Enrolled · lower
31. Mar 12, 2026 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB21ER) · lower
32. Mar 12, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
33. Mar 12, 2026 Signed by President · upper
34. Mar 14, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 · lower
35. Mar 14, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
36. Mar 16, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB21) · lower
37. Apr 10, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 529 (effective 7/1/2026) · executive
38. Apr 10, 2026 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0529) · executive

The published texts of this bill as it moves through the legislature. Each links to the official document on the state legislature site. Data from OpenStates.

• Chaptered · PDF
• Chaptered · HTML
• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · HTML
• Finance and Appropriations Substitute · PDF
• Finance and Appropriations Substitute · HTML
• Public Safety Substitute · PDF
• Public Safety Substitute · HTML
• Public Safety Substitute · PDF
• Public Safety Substitute · HTML
• Firearms Subcommittee Substitute · PDF
• Firearms Subcommittee Substitute · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML