HB 229 VA

0likes☆Favorite🔕SubscribeShare

To Executive

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 that 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 such firearm, knife, explosive, or weapon shall be subject to seizure by a law-enforcement officer and forfeited to the Commonwealth and specifies certain exceptions to the prohibition. This bill is identical to SB 173.

• Phil M. Hernandez Democratic · primary

1. Jan 8, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104503D · lower
2. Jan 8, 2026 Referred to Committee on Public Safety · lower
3. Jan 8, 2026 Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/8/2026 5:05 pm) · lower
4. Jan 16, 2026 Assigned HPS sub: Firearms · lower
5. Jan 28, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB229) · lower
6. Jan 29, 2026 House subcommittee offered · lower
7. Jan 29, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 3-N) · lower
8. Jan 30, 2026 Reported from Public Safety with substitute (15-Y 6-N) · lower
9. Feb 2, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26106607D-H1 · lower
10. Feb 2, 2026 Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/2/2026 10:31 am) · lower
11. Feb 3, 2026 Read first time · lower
12. Feb 3, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB229) · lower
13. Feb 4, 2026 Read second time · lower
14. Feb 4, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
15. Feb 4, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
16. Feb 5, 2026 Read third time and passed House (63-Y 34-N 0-A) · lower
17. Feb 6, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) · upper
18. Feb 6, 2026 Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice · upper
19. Feb 23, 2026 Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 4-N) · upper
20. Mar 4, 2026 Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N) · upper
21. Mar 5, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
22. Mar 5, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
23. Mar 5, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
24. Mar 6, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
25. Mar 9, 2026 Read third time · upper
26. Mar 9, 2026 Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A) · upper
27. Mar 14, 2026 Enrolled · lower
28. Mar 14, 2026 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB229ER) · lower
29. Mar 14, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
30. Mar 14, 2026 Signed by President · upper
31. Mar 17, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB229) · lower
32. Mar 25, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026 · lower
33. Mar 25, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
34. Apr 11, 2026 Governor's recommendation received by House · executive
35. Apr 15, 2026 Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (4/15/2026 7:32 am) · lower

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.

• Governor's Recommendation · HTML
• Governor Substitute · PDF
• Governor Substitute · HTML
• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · 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