Bill Text: VA HB1992 | 2019 | Regular Session | Prefiled
Bill Title: Localities; regulation of firearms in government buildings.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-02-05 - Left in Militia, Police and Public Safety [HB1992 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2019-HB1992-Prefiled.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §15.2-915 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§15.2-915. Control of firearms; applicability to authorities and local governmental agencies.
A. No A locality shall may
adopt or enforce any ordinance, resolution,
or motion, as permitted by §15.2-1425, and no an authorized agent of such
locality shall may
take any an
administrative action,
governing the purchase,
possession, transfer, ownership, carrying, storage or
transporting of firearms, ammunition, or components or combination
thereof other than those expressly authorized by statute.
For purposes of this section, a statute that does not refer to in, or carrying of firearms,
ammunition, or components or combination thereof into, shall not be construed to provide express authorization any building owned or used by such locality for
governmental purposes.
Nothing in this section
shall prohibit a locality from adopting workplace rules relating to terms and
conditions of employment of the workforce. However, no locality shall adopt any
workplace rule, other than for the purposes of a community services board or
behavioral health authority as defined in §37.2-100, that prevents an employee
of that locality from storing at that locality's workplace a lawfully possessed
firearm and ammunition in a locked private motor vehicle. Nothing in this
section shall prohibit a law-enforcement officer, as defined in §9.1-101, from
acting within the scope of his duties.
The provisions of this section
applicable to a locality shall also apply to any authority
or to a local governmental
entity, including a department or agency, but not including any
local or regional jail, juvenile detention facility, or state-governed entity,
department, or agency.
B. Any local ordinance,
resolution or motion adopted prior to the effective date of this act governing
the purchase, possession, transfer, ownership, carrying or transporting of
firearms, ammunition, or components or combination thereof, other than those
expressly authorized by statute, is invalid.
C. In addition to any
other relief provided, the court may award reasonable attorney fees, expenses,
and court costs to any person, group, or entity that prevails in an action
challenging (i) an ordinance, resolution, or motion as being in conflict with
this section or (ii) an administrative action taken in bad faith as being in
conflict with this section.
D. For purposes of this
section, "workplace" means "workplace of the locality."
