HB 173

  • Virginia House Bill
  • 2024 Regular Session
  • Introduced in House Jan 03, 2024
  • Passed House Feb 02, 2024
  • Passed Senate Mar 01, 2024
  • Governor

Plastic firearms & unfinished frames, etc.; manufacture, import, etc. prohibited, penalties.

Abstract

Manufacture, import, 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, making it unlawful 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 creates a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable as a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense, making it unlawful 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 portions of the bill prohibiting unfinished frames or receivers and unserialized firearms have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025; however, the portions 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, 2025. This bill is identical to SB 100.

Manufacture, import, 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, making it unlawful for any person 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 creates a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable as a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense, making it unlawful for any person to knowingly possess a firearm that it not imprinted with a valid serial number, or 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 portions of the bill prohibiting unfinished frames or receivers and unserialized firearms have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025.

Manufacture, import, 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, making it unlawful for any person 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 creates a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable as a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense, making it unlawful 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 portions of the bill prohibiting unfinished frames or receivers and unserialized firearms have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025.

Bill Sponsors (19)

Votes


Actions


Apr 17, 2024

Office of the Governor

Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 17, 2024

House

Communicated to Governor

House

Speaker ruled Governor's amendments not germane

Apr 02, 2024

House

Impact statement from VCSC (HB173H2)

Mar 27, 2024

House

Governor's substitute printed 24109222D-H2

Mar 26, 2024

House

Governor's recommendation received by House

Mar 11, 2024

House

Impact statement from DPB (HB173ER)

Office of the Governor

Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 8, 2024

House

Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 11, 2024

Mar 08, 2024

Senate

Signed by President

Mar 07, 2024

House

Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB173ER)

House

Signed by Speaker

House

Enrolled

Mar 04, 2024

House

VOTE: Adoption (52-Y 44-N 1-A)

House

Senate substitute agreed to by House 24107868D-S1 (52-Y 44-N 1-A)

Mar 01, 2024

Senate

Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute HB173S1

Senate

Committee substitute agreed to 24107868D-S1

Senate

Reading of substitute waived

Senate

Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N)

Senate

Read third time

Feb 29, 2024

Senate

Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N)

Feb 28, 2024

Senate

Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)

Feb 23, 2024

House

Impact statement from DPB (HB173S1)

Feb 21, 2024

House

Impact statement from VCSC (HB173S1)

Feb 19, 2024

Senate

Committee substitute printed 24107868D-S1

Senate

Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (8-Y 5-N)

Senate

Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations

Feb 05, 2024

Senate

Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

Senate

Constitutional reading dispensed

Feb 02, 2024

House

Read third time and passed House (52-Y 48-N)

House

VOTE: Passage (52-Y 48-N)

Feb 01, 2024

House

Read second time

House

Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB173H1

House

Committee substitute agreed to 24105692D-H1

House

Impact statement from DPB (HB173H1)

Jan 31, 2024

House

Read first time

Jan 29, 2024

House

Reported from Appropriations (12-Y 9-N)

Jan 24, 2024

House

Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 3-N)

Jan 21, 2024

House

Assigned App. sub: Transportation & Public Safety

Jan 19, 2024

House

Committee substitute printed 24105692D-H1

House

Impact statement from VCSC (HB173H1)

House

Referred to Committee on Appropriations

House

Reported from Public Safety with substitute (12-Y 9-N)

Jan 18, 2024

House

House subcommittee amendments and substitutes offered

House

Subcommittee recommends referring to Committee on Appropriations

House

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 3-N)

Jan 15, 2024

House

Impact statement from DPB (HB173)

Jan 13, 2024

House

Assigned PS sub: Firearms

Jan 04, 2024

House

Impact statement from VCSC (HB173)

Jan 03, 2024

House

Referred to Committee on Public Safety

House

Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/24 24104103D

Bill Text

Bill Text Versions Format
Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/24 24104103D PDF HTML
Committee substitute printed 24105692D-H1 PDF HTML
Committee substitute printed 24107868D-S1 PDF HTML
HB173ER PDF HTML
Governor's substitute printed 24109222D-H2 PDF HTML

Related Documents

Document Format
Fiscal Impact Statement: HB173FH2160.PDF PDF
Fiscal Impact Statement: HB173FER122.PDF PDF
Fiscal Impact Statement: HB173FS1122.PDF PDF
Fiscal Impact Statement: HB173FS1160.PDF PDF
Fiscal Impact Statement: HB173FH1122.PDF PDF
Fiscal Impact Statement: HB173FH1160.PDF PDF
Fiscal Impact Statement: HB173F122.PDF PDF
Fiscal Impact Statement: HB173F160.PDF PDF
Amendment: HB173AG HTML

Sources

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