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HB217Introduced in the House of Delegates

Assault firearms & certain ammunition feeding devices; purchase, sale, etc., prohibited, penalties.

Passed

Introduced by Dan Helmer, District 10

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

Writing a plain-English summary of this bill… this can take a few seconds the first time.

Official description

Purchase, sale, transfer, etc., of assault firearms and certain ammunition feeding devices prohibited; penalties. Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person who imports, sells, manufactures, purchases, or transfers an assault firearm, as that term is defined in the bill with some exceptions, and prohibits a person who has been convicted of such violation from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm for a period of three years from the date of conviction. The bill provides that an assault firearm does not include any firearm that is an antique firearm, has been rendered permanently inoperable, or is manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action. The bill also prohibits the sale of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, as that term is defined in the bill. The bill provides that any person who willfully and intentionally (i) sells an assault firearm to another person or (ii) purchases an assault firearm from another person is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor and that any person who imports, sells, barters, transfers, or purchases a large capacity ammunition feeding device is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. This bill is identical to SB 749.

Where it stands

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1106)

May 14, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

House of Delegates votes

4 recorded votes · each counted separately

Senate votes

4 recorded votes · each counted separately

House of DelegatesStage: Senate substitute agreed to by House (60-Y 35-N 0-A) · March 11, 2026

60

Yes

35

No

4

Absent or Not Voting

99 delegates recorded in this House of Delegates vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.

See how each delegate voted

DelegateDistrictVote
Patrick Hope1Yes
Adele McClure2Yes
Alfonso Lopez3Yes
Charniele Herring4Yes
Kirk McPike5Yes
Richard Sullivan6Yes
Karen Keys-Gamarra7Yes
Irene Shin8Yes
Karrie Delaney9Yes
Dan Helmer10Yes

Bill history

  1. Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100315D

  2. Referred to Committee on Public Safety

  3. Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/8/2026 5:09 pm)

  4. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB217)

  5. Assigned HPS sub: Firearms

  6. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB217)

  7. House subcommittee offered

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

  9. Reported from Public Safety with substitute (13-Y 6-N)

  10. Committee substitute printed 26106682D-H1

  11. Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/2/2026 10:25 am)

  12. Read first time

  13. Read second time

  14. committee substitute agreed to

  15. Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  16. Read third time and passed House (58-Y 34-N 0-A)

  17. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  18. Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  19. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB217)

  20. Senate committee offered

  21. Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N)

  22. Committee substitute printed 26108593D-S1

  23. Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/27/2026 3:48 pm)

  24. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB217)

  25. Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (10-Y 5-N)

  26. Committee substitute printed 26109164D-S2

  27. Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (3/5/2026 8:55 am)

  28. Rules suspended

  29. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  30. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  31. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB217)

  32. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  33. Read third time

  34. Committee substitute rejected (Voice Vote)

  35. Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to

  36. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  37. Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  38. Senate substitute agreed to by House (60-Y 35-N 0-A)

  39. Enrolled

  40. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB217ER)

  41. Signed by President

  42. Signed by Speaker

  43. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  44. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  45. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB217)

  46. Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (4/3/2026 1:26 pm)

  47. Governor's recommendation received by House

  48. Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (4/14/2026 4:33 pm)

  49. Passed by for the day

  50. Passed by for the day

  51. Communicated to Governor

  52. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 23, 2026

  53. Approved by Governor-Chapter 1106 (effective 7/1/2026)

  54. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1106)

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