Signed by Governor Ralph Northam

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report and pass a bill that requires a background check for the transfer of firearms.

Highlights:

• Prohibits a firearm dealer from selling, renting, trading, or transferring any firearm to another resident of Virginia until they have obtained written consent and other required information (Sec. 1).

• Requires any person purchasing a firearm from a dealer to provide consent in writing, on a form to be provided by the Department of State Police, to have the dealer obtain their criminal history record information (Sec. 1).

• Requires the above-mentioned form to include (Sec. 1):

• The written consent; 

• The name, birth date, gender, race, citizenship, and social security number or other identification number;

• The number of firearms by category to be sold, rented, traded, or transferred; and

• Answers by the applicant to a list of questions.

• Requires the above-mentioned list to include the following questions (Sec. 1):

• Has the applicant been convicted of a felony offense, been found guilty, or been adjudicated delinquent as a juvenile 14 years of age or older at the time of the offense to a delinquent act that would be a felony if committed by an adult; 

• Is the applicant subject to a court restraining order from harassing, stalking, or threatening the applicant’s child or intimate partner, or child of such partner, or is the applicant subject to a protective order; and

• Has the applicant ever been acquitted by reason of insanity, been adjudicated legally incompetent, mentally incapacitated, or adjudicated an incapacitated person, been involuntary admitted to an inpatient facility or involuntarily ordered to outpatient mental health treatment, and is therefore prohibited from purchasing a firearm, or been the subject of a temporary detention order and subsequently agreed to a voluntary admission?

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires a criminal history record information check for firearm transfers.

Highlights:

• Prohibits a firearm dealer from selling, renting, trading, or transferring any firearm to another resident of Virginia until they have obtained written consent and other required information (Sec. 1).

• Requires any person purchasing a firearm from a dealer to provide consent in writing, on a form to be provided by the Department of State Police, to have the dealer obtain their criminal history record information (Sec. 1).

• Requires the above-mentioned form to include (Sec. 1):

• The written consent; 

• The name, birth date, gender, race, citizenship, and social security number or other identification number;

• The number of firearms by category to be sold, rented, traded, or transferred; and

• Answers by the applicant to a list of questions.

• Requires the above-mentioned list to include the following questions (Sec. 1):

• Has the applicant been convicted of a felony offense, been found guilty, or been adjudicated delinquent as a juvenile 14 years of age or older at the time of the offense to a delinquent act that would be a felony if committed by an adult; 

• Is the applicant subject to a court restraining order from harassing, stalking, or threatening the applicant’s child or intimate partner, or child of such partner, or is the applicant subject to a protective order; and

• Has the applicant ever been acquitted by reason of insanity, been adjudicated legally incompetent, mentally incapacitated, or adjudicated an incapacitated person, been involuntary admitted to an inpatient facility or involuntary ordered to outpatient mental health treatment, and is therefore prohibited from purchasing a firearm, or been the subject of a temporary detention order and subsequently agreed to a voluntary admission?

Full Bill Text