Firearms Subcommittee

Thursday, January 29, 2026·2h 33m·▶ Watch / Listen

Virginia's Firearms Subcommittee advanced seven gun-related bills and tabled one, with the most contested vote being a 4-3 approval of a sweeping firearm purchaser licensing bill (HB1359) requiring a five-year license from state police before any firearm purchase, while a bill setting a 90-day processing deadline for non-resident concealed carry permits was tabled 6-3 after testimony revealed a roughly $500,000 gap between VSP processing costs and fees collected.

Key Actions

·HB702 – Local Firearm Give-Back and Buy-Back ProgramsNo Vote

+ 8 more actions

Controversies

HB1359 – Projected effectiveness of firearm purchaser licensing

Patricia Webb (VCDL) stated that 'according to the Johns Hopkins study that was presented during the crime commission, this bill was projected to reduce firearm deaths by less than 1%,' while Josh Horowitz of Johns Hopkins testified that firearm purchaser licenses reduce firearm homicides, suicides, and diversion of guns to criminal use, and Delegate Hope cited Johns Hopkins research showing a 40% reduction in firearm homicide in Connecticut following its permit-to-purchase law. The two sets of figures appear to reference different metrics or studies; the transcript does not resolve the discrepancy.

+ 5 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“Had we adopted FPL in 1995 when Connecticut did, Virginia would expect there would have been 720 fewer firearm homicides and 966 fewer firearm suicides over just the first 10 years. That's nearly 1700 fewer gun death in just 10 years.”
Delegate Hope (bill patron, HB1359) — Delegate Hope was presenting the projected impact on Virginia of the firearm purchaser licensing bill, HB1359, drawing on Johns Hopkins research and the Connecticut permit-to-purchase experience.

+ 3 more quotes

Votes

Report HB1359 as substituted and amended, refer to Committee on AppropriationsPassed

Lay HB1303 on the table (moved by Delegate Helmer)Passed

Report HB702 as substituted and amended, refer to Committee on AppropriationsPassed

Report HB871 (first vote)Failed

Report HB871 (second vote, after reconsideration moved by Delegate Pope Adams)Passed

Report HB93 (moved by Delegate McClaire)No Vote

Report HB229 with amendmentPassed

Report HB110 with amendmentsPassed

Report HB1300Passed

Report HB626Passed

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TranscriptPreview

Everyone. Oh, hello. We are going to. The subcommittee on firearms will come to order and we will actually. Let me see who's walking through the door. Okay. We're actually going to go. At ease too. Thank you. Hello again, everyone. The committee. The subcommittee on public for public safety for firearms will come to order. Madam Clerk, if you can open a row for attendance. Awesome. We have a quorum. First thing first, we just have a couple administrative things to do. HB969, at the request of the patron has been asked to go by for the day. Some of. Second. All right, we have. It has been. Motion to move and second it for the bill to go by. All in favor say aye. All opposed? Awesome. HB969 has gone by for the day. All right, first bill up, we have Delegate Hope, HB 1359. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Members of the subcommittee, you should have a substitute. Second. Motion to move the substitute. And second. All in favor say aye. All opposed? The substitute is before us. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Members of the subcommittee, this is a bill that I carried a couple of years ago…

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