Source: https://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?031+ful+CHAP0976
Timestamp: 2018-02-23 04:45:55
Document Index: 426838236

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 18', '§ 18', '§ 18', '§ 18', '§ 18', '§ 18', 'art 178', '§ 9', '§ 9', '§ 9', '§ 2', '§ 18', '§ 18', '§ 9', '§ 101', '§ 101', '§ 18', '§ 18', '§ 18']

CHAPTER 976 An Act to amend and reenact §§ 18.2-282, 18.2-284, 18.2-287.4, 18.2-308.1, 18.2-308.2:01, 18.2-308.2:2, 18.2-308.2:3, 18.2-308.7, 18.2-433.1 and 22.1-277.07 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the definition of firearms. [H 1856] Approved April 2, 2003
1. That §§ 18.2-282, 18.2-284, 18.2-287.4, 18.2-308.1, 18.2-308.2:01, 18.2-308.2:2, 18.2-308.2:3, 18.2-308.7, 18.2-433.1 and 22.1-277.07 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
A. It shall be unlawful for any person to point, hold or brandish any firearm, as hereinafter described, or any air or gas operated weapon or any object similar in appearance to a firearm, whether capable of being fired or not, in such manner as to reasonably induce fear in the mind of another or hold a firearm or any air or gas operated weapon in a public place in such a manner as to reasonably induce fear in the mind of another of being shot or injured. However, this section shall not apply to any person engaged in excusable or justifiable self-defense. Persons violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor or, if the violation occurs upon any public, private or parochial elementary, middle or high school, including buildings and grounds or upon public property within 1,000 feet of such school property, he shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony.
B. Any police officer in the performance of his duty, in making an arrest under the provisions of this section, shall not be civilly liable in damages for injuries or death resulting to the person being arrested if he had reason to believe that the person being arrested was pointing, holding, or brandishing such firearm or air or gas operated weapon, or object which that was similar in appearance to a firearm, with intent to induce fear in the mind of another.
C. For purposes of this section, the word "firearm" shall mean means any weapon in which ammunition may be used or discharged by explosion or pneumatic pressure that will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel single or multiple projectiles by the action of an explosion of a combustible material. The word "ammunition," as used herein, shall mean a cartridge, pellet, ball, missile or projectile adapted for use in a firearm.
No person shall sell, barter, exchange, furnish, or dispose of by purchase, gift or in any other manner any toy gun, pistol, rifle or other toy firearm, if the same shall, by means of powder or other explosive action of an explosion of a combustible material, discharge blank or ball charges. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor. Each sale of any of the articles hereinbefore specified to any person shall constitute a separate offense.
For purposes of this section, "firearm" means any (i) semi-automatic center-fire rifle or pistol which that expels a projectile single or multiple projectiles by action of an explosion of a combustible material and is equipped at the time of the offense with a magazine which will hold more than twenty 20 rounds of ammunition or designed by the manufacturer to accommodate a silencer or equipped with a folding stock or (ii) shotgun with a magazine which will hold more than seven rounds of the longest ammunition for which it is chambered.
A. If any person possesses any (i) stun weapon or taser as defined in this section, (ii) knife, except a pocket knife having a folding metal blade of less than three inches, or (iii) weapon, including a weapon of like kind, designated in subsection A of § 18.2-308, other than a firearm, upon (i a) the property of any public, private or parochial elementary, middle or high school, including buildings and grounds, (ii b) that portion of any property open to the public used for school-sponsored functions or extracurricular activities while such functions or activities are taking place, or (iii c) any school bus owned or operated by any such school, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
B. If any person possesses any firearm designed or intended to propel a missile of any kind expel a projectile by action of an explosion of a combustible material while such person is upon (i) any public, private or parochial elementary, middle or high school, including buildings and grounds, (ii) that portion of any property open to the public used for school-sponsored functions or extracurricular activities while such functions or activities are taking place, or (iii) any school bus owned or operated by any such school, he shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony; however, if the person possesses any firearm within a public, private or parochial elementary, middle or high school building and intends to use, or attempts to use, such firearm, or displays such weapon in a threatening manner, such person shall not be eligible for probation and shall be sentenced to a minimum, mandatory term of imprisonment of five years, which shall not be suspended in whole or in part and which shall be served consecutively with any other sentence.
The exemptions set out in § 18.2-308 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the provisions of this section. The provisions of this section shall not apply to (i) persons who possess such weapon or weapons as a part of the school's curriculum or activities, (ii) a person possessing a knife customarily used for food preparation or service and using it for such purpose, (iii) persons who possess such weapon or weapons as a part of any program sponsored or facilitated by either the school or any organization authorized by the school to conduct its programs either on or off the school premises, (iv) any law-enforcement officer while engaged in his duties as such, (v) any person who possesses a knife or blade which he uses customarily in his trade, or (vi) a person who possesses an unloaded firearm which that is in a closed container, or a knife having a metal blade, in or upon a motor vehicle, or an unloaded shotgun or rifle in a firearms rack in or upon a motor vehicle. For the purposes of this paragraph, "weapon" includes a knife having a metal blade of three inches or longer.
"Stun weapon" means any mechanism that is (i) designed to emit an electronic, magnetic, or other type of charge that exceeds the equivalency of a five milliamp sixty 60 hertz shock and (ii) used for the purpose of temporarily incapacitating a person; and
§ 18.2-308.2:01. Possession or transportation of certain firearms by aliens.
It shall be unlawful for any person who is not a citizen of the United States or who is not a person lawfully admitted for permanent residence to knowingly and intentionally possess or transport any assault firearm or to knowingly and intentionally carry about his person, hidden from common observation, an assault firearm. A violation of this section shall be punishable as a Class 6 felony. Any firearm possessed, transported or carried in violation of this section shall be forfeited to the Commonwealth and disposed of as provided in § 18.2-310.
For purposes of this section, "assault firearm" means any semi-automatic center-fire rifle or pistol which that expels a projectile single or multiple projectiles by action of an explosion of a combustible material and is equipped at the time of the offense with a magazine which will hold more than twenty 20 rounds of ammunition or designed by the manufacturer to accommodate a silencer or equipped with a folding stock.
B. 1. No dealer shall sell, rent, trade or transfer from his inventory any such firearm to any other person who is a resident of Virginia until he has (i) obtained written consent as specified in subsection A, and provided the Department of State Police with the name, birth date, gender, race, and social security and/or any other identification number and the number of firearms by category intended to be sold, rented, traded or transferred and (ii) requested criminal history record information by a telephone call to the State Police and is authorized by subdivision B 2 of this section to complete the sale or other such transfer. To establish personal identification and residence in Virginia for purposes of this section, a dealer must require any prospective purchaser to present one photo-identification form issued by a governmental agency of the Commonwealth or by the United States Department of Defense, and other documentation of residence. Except where the photo-identification was issued by the United States Department of Defense, the other documentation of residence shall show an address identical to that shown on the photo-identification form, such as evidence of currently paid personal property tax or real estate tax, or a current (a) lease, (b) utility or telephone bill, (c) voter registration card, (d) bank check, (e) passport, (f) automobile registration, or (g) hunting or fishing license; other current identification allowed as evidence of residency by Part 178.124 of Title 27 of the Code of Federal Regulations and ATF Ruling 79-7; or other documentation of residence determined to be acceptable by the Department of Criminal Justice Services, that corroborates that the prospective purchaser currently resides in Virginia. Where the photo-identification was issued by the Department of Defense, permanent orders may be used as documentation of residence. Additionally, when the photo-identification presented to a dealer by the prospective purchaser is a driver's license or other photo-identification issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles, and such identification form contains a date of issue, the dealer shall not, except for a renewed driver's license or other photo-identification issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles, sell or otherwise transfer a firearm to the prospective purchaser until thirty 30 days after the date of issue of an original or duplicate driver's license unless the prospective purchaser also presents a copy of his Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles driver's record showing that the original date of issue of the driver's license was more than thirty 30 days prior to the attempted purchase.
3. Except as required by subsection D of § 9.1-132, the State Police shall not maintain records longer than thirty 30 days, except for multiple handgun transactions for which records shall be maintained for twelve 12 months, from any dealer's request for a criminal history record information check pertaining to a buyer or transferee who is not found to be prohibited from possessing and transporting a firearm under state or federal law. However, the log on requests made may be maintained for a period of twelve 12 months, and such log shall consist of the name of the purchaser, the dealer identification number, the unique approval number and the transaction date.
C. No dealer shall sell, rent, trade or transfer from his inventory any firearm, other than a rifle or a shotgun, to any person who is not a resident of Virginia unless he has first obtained from the Department of State Police a report indicating that a search of all available criminal history record information has not disclosed that the person is prohibited from possessing or transporting a firearm under state or federal law. The dealer shall obtain the required report by mailing or delivering the written consent form required under subsection A to the State Police within twenty-four 24 hours of its execution. If the dealer has complied with the provisions of this subsection and has not received the required report from the State Police within ten 10 days from the date the written consent form was mailed to the Department of State Police, he shall not be deemed in violation of this section for thereafter completing the sale or transfer.
E. If any buyer or transferee is denied the right to purchase a firearm under this section, he may exercise his right of access to and review and correction of criminal history record information under § 9.1-132 or institute a civil action as provided in § 9.1-135, provided any such action is initiated within thirty 30 days of such denial.
"Assault firearm" means any semi-automatic center-fire rifle or pistol which expels a projectile single or multiple projectiles by action of an explosion of a combustible material and is equipped at the time of the offense with a magazine which will hold more than twenty 20 rounds of ammunition or designed by the manufacturer to accommodate a silencer or equipped with a folding stock.
"Firearm" means any handgun, shotgun, or rifle which expels a projectile that will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel single or multiple projectiles by action of an explosion of a combustible material.
"Handgun" means any pistol or revolver or other firearm originally designed, made and intended to fire a projectile single or multiple projectiles by means of an explosion of a combustible material from one or more barrels when held in one hand.
J. All licensed firearms dealers shall collect a fee of two dollars $2 for every transaction for which a criminal history record information check is required pursuant to this section, except that a fee of five dollars $5 shall be collected for every transaction involving an out-of-state resident. Such fee shall be transmitted to the Department of State Police by the last day of the month following the sale for deposit in a special fund for use by the State Police to offset the cost of conducting criminal history record information checks under the provisions of this section.
Every firearms dealer shall conspicuously post the written notice which shall be at least eight and one-half inches by eleven inches in size and printed in boldface type of a minimum size of ten 10 points. A licensed firearms dealer shall not be liable for damages for injuries resulting from the discharge of a firearm purchased from the dealer if, at the time of the purchase, the dealer failed to provide the form or failed to post the written notice.
Q. Except as provided in subdivisions 1, 2 and 3 of this subsection, it shall be unlawful for any person who is not a licensed firearms dealer to purchase more than one handgun within any thirty 30-day period. A violation of this subsection shall be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor.
1. Purchases in excess of one handgun within a thirty 30-day period may be made upon completion of an enhanced background check, as described herein, by special application to the Department of State Police listing the number and type of handguns to be purchased and transferred for lawful business or personal use, in a collector series, for collections, as a bulk purchase from estate sales and for similar purposes. Such applications shall be signed under oath by the applicant on forms provided by the Department of State Police, shall state the purpose for the purchase above the limit, and shall require satisfactory proof of residency and identity. Such application shall be in addition to the firearms sales report required by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). The Superintendent of State Police shall promulgate regulations, pursuant to the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.), for the implementation of an application process for purchases of handguns above the limit.
f. A person whose handgun is stolen or irretrievably lost who deems it essential that such handgun be replaced immediately. Such person may purchase another handgun, even if the person has previously purchased a handgun within a thirty 30-day period, provided (i) the person provides the firearms dealer with a copy of the official police report or a summary thereof, on forms provided by the Department of State Police, from the law-enforcement agency that took the report of the lost or stolen handgun; (ii) the official police report or summary thereof contains the name and address of the handgun owner, the description of the handgun, the location of the loss or theft, the date of the loss or theft, and the date the loss or theft was reported to the law-enforcement agency; and (iii) the date of the loss or theft as reflected on the official police report or summary thereof occurred within thirty 30 days of the person's attempt to replace the handgun. The firearms dealer shall attach a copy of the official police report or summary thereof to the original copy of the Virginia firearms transaction report completed for the transaction and retain it for the period prescribed by the Department of State Police; or
3. For the purposes of this subsection, "purchase" shall not include the exchange or replacement of a handgun by a seller for a handgun purchased from such seller by the same person seeking the exchange or replacement within the thirty 30-day period immediately preceding the date of exchange or replacement.
D. The Department of State Police, upon receipt of an individual's record or notification that no record exists, shall submit an eligibility report to the requesting dealer within thirty 30 days of the applicant beginning his duties for new employees or within 30 days of the applicant's birthday for a person employed prior to July 1, 2000.
I. Any person who willfully and intentionally requests, obtains, or seeks to obtain criminal history record information under false pretenses, or who willfully and intentionally disseminates or seeks to disseminate criminal history record information except as authorized by this section and § 18.2-308.2:2, is shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.
J. Any person willfully and intentionally making a materially false statement on the personal descriptive information required in this section is shall be guilty of a Class 5 felony. Any person who offers for transfer any firearm in violation of this section is shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Any dealer who willfully and knowingly employs or permits a person to act as a firearm seller in violation of this section is shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
M. Any person who willfully and intentionally makes a false statement in the affidavit as set out in subdivision C 1 is shall be guilty of a Class 5 felony.
"Firearm" means any handgun, shotgun, or rifle, which expels a projectile that will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel single or multiple projectiles by action of an explosion of a combustible material.
It shall be unlawful for any person under eighteen 18 years of age to knowingly and intentionally possess or transport a handgun or assault firearm anywhere in the Commonwealth. For the purposes of this section, "handgun" means any pistol or revolver or other firearm originally designed, made and intended to fire a projectile single or multiple projectiles by means of an explosion of a combustible material from one or more barrels when held in one hand and "assault firearm" means any (i) semi-automatic centerfire rifle or pistol which expels a projectile single or multiple projectiles by action of an explosion of a combustible material and is equipped at the time of the offense with a magazine which will hold more than twenty 20 rounds of ammunition or designed by the manufacturer to accommodate a silencer or equipped with a folding stock or (ii) shotgun with a magazine which will hold more than seven rounds of the longest ammunition for which it is chambered. A violation of this section shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor. Any handgun possessed or transported in violation of this section shall be forfeited to the Commonwealth and disposed of as provided in § 18.2-310.
"Firearm" means any weapon which that will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel any projectile single or multiple projectiles by the action of an explosive explosion of a combustible material; or the frame or receiver of any such weapon.
"Law-enforcement officer" means any officer as defined in subdivision 9 of § 9.1-101 or any such officer or member of the armed forces of the United States, any state, any political subdivision of a state, or the District of Columbia, and such term shall specifically include, but shall not be limited to, members of the National Guard, as defined in § 101 (9) of Title 10, United States Code, members of the organized militia of any state or territory of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia, not included within the definition of National Guard as defined by such § 101 (9), and members of the armed forces of the United States.
A. In compliance with the federal Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 (Part F-Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994), a school board shall expel from school attendance for a period of not less than one year any student whom such school board has determined, in accordance with the procedures set forth in this article, to have brought a firearm onto school property or to a school-sponsored activity as prohibited by § 18.2-308.1, or to have brought a firearm as defined in subsection D on school property or to a school-sponsored activity. A school administrator, pursuant to school board policy, or a school board may, however, determine, based on the facts of a particular situation, that special circumstances exist and no disciplinary action or another disciplinary action or another term of expulsion is appropriate. A school board may promulgate guidelines for determining what constitutes special circumstances. In addition, a school board may, by regulation, authorize the division superintendent or his designee to conduct a preliminary review of such cases to determine whether a disciplinary action other than expulsion is appropriate. Such regulations shall ensure that, if a determination is made that another disciplinary action is appropriate, any such subsequent disciplinary action is to be taken in accordance with the procedures set forth in this article.
B. The Board of Education is designated as the state education agency to carry out the provisions of the federal Improving America's Schools Act of 1994, and shall administer the funds to be appropriated to the Commonwealth under this act.
"Destructive device" means (i) any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas, bomb, grenade, rocket having a propellant charge of more than four ounces, missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of more than one-quarter ounce, mine, or other similar device; (ii) any weapon, except a shotgun or a shotgun shell generally recognized as particularly suitable for sporting purposes, by whatever name known that will, or may be readily converted to, expel a projectile by the action of an explosive or other propellant, and that has any barrel with a bore of more than one-half inch in diameter; and (iii) any combination of parts either designed or intended for use in converting any device into any destructive device described in this subsection and from which a destructive device may be readily assembled. "Destructive device" shall not include any device that is not designed or redesigned for use as a weapon, or any device originally designed for use as a weapon and that is redesigned for use as a signaling, pyrotechnic, line-throwing, safety, or other similar device.
"Firearm" means any weapon prohibited on school property or at a school-sponsored activity pursuant to § 18.2-308.1, or (i) any weapon, including a starter gun, that will, or is designed or may readily be converted to, expel a projectile single or multiple projectiles by the action of an explosive explosion of a combustible material; (ii) the frame or receiver of any such weapon; (iii) any firearm muffler or firearm silencer; or (iv) any destructive device. "Firearm" shall not include any weapon in which ammunition may be discharged by pneumatic pressure.
E. The exemptions set out in § 18.2-308 regarding concealed weapons shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the provisions of this section. The provisions of this section shall not apply to persons who possess such firearm or firearms as a part of the curriculum or other programs sponsored by the schools in the school division or any organization permitted by the school to use its premises or to any law-enforcement officer while engaged in his duties as such.
F. This section shall not be construed to diminish the authority of the Board of Education or the Governor concerning decisions on whether, or the extent to which, Virginia shall participate in the federal Improving America's Schools Act of 1994, or to diminish the Governor's authority to coordinate and provide policy direction on official communications between the Commonwealth and the United States government.