HB 626 VA

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Became Law

Carrying a firearm or explosive material within Capitol Square or building owned or leased by the Commonwealth; exemptions; public institutions of higher education; penalty. Limits the exemption from the prohibition on the carrying of any firearm or explosive material within any building owned or leased by the Commonwealth or agency thereof or any office where employees of the Commonwealth or any agency thereof are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties that currently applies to any property owned or operated by a public institution of higher education to instead apply to any individual within a building owned or operated by a public institution of higher education who possesses a weapon as part of such public institution of higher education's curriculum or activities or as part of any organization authorized by such public institution of higher education to conduct its programs or activities within such building, as such uses are approved through the law-enforcement or public safety unit of such institution. This bill is identical to SB 272.

• Katrina Callsen Democratic · primary

1. Jan 13, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105402D · lower
2. Jan 13, 2026 Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/13/2026 3:34 pm) · lower
3. Jan 13, 2026 Referred to Committee on Public Safety · lower
4. Jan 27, 2026 Assigned HMPPS sub: Firearms · lower
5. Jan 29, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 3-N) · lower
6. Jan 30, 2026 Reported from Public Safety (15-Y 6-N) · lower
7. Feb 3, 2026 Read first time · lower
8. Feb 4, 2026 Read second time and engrossed · lower
9. Feb 5, 2026 Read third time and passed House (63-Y 35-N 0-A) · lower
10. Feb 5, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB626) · lower
11. Feb 6, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) · upper
12. Feb 6, 2026 Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice · upper
13. Feb 23, 2026 Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 4-N) · upper
14. Feb 25, 2026 Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N) · upper
15. Feb 26, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
16. Feb 26, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
17. Feb 26, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
18. Feb 27, 2026 Read third time · upper
19. Feb 27, 2026 Passed by for the day · upper
20. Mar 2, 2026 Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A) · upper
21. Mar 6, 2026 Enrolled · lower
22. Mar 6, 2026 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB626ER) · lower
23. Mar 6, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB626) · lower
24. Mar 6, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
25. Mar 6, 2026 Signed by President · upper
26. Mar 10, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 · lower
27. Mar 10, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
28. Apr 13, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 643 (effective 7/1/2026) · executive
29. Apr 13, 2026 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0643) · 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
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML