The Virginia Plan to Reduce Gun Violence Act of 2024 is a comprehensive federal firearms reform bill introduced by Virginia representatives in June 2024. The legislation creates new restrictions on firearm sales and transfers, requiring all non-licensed sellers to use licensed dealers as intermediaries for private gun sales. It limits unlicensed individuals to purchasing no more than one handgun every 30 days, though law enforcement, licensed security professionals, and those with enhanced background check certificates are exempt from this restriction. The bill takes effect 180 days after enactment for these provisions.
The legislation establishes an extreme risk protection order system allowing courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals deemed dangerous to themselves or others. It creates a federal grant program to help states and tribal governments implement these orders, with at least 25 percent of grant funds directed toward law enforcement training. The bill also includes several firearm safety requirements, such as mandating that firearm owners report lost or stolen weapons to law enforcement within 48 hours or face civil penalties up to $250, and prohibiting adults from recklessly leaving loaded, unsecured firearms accessible to children under 14 years old, which carries criminal penalties of up to one year imprisonment and $2,500 in fines.
Additionally, the bill expands existing prohibitions to prevent individuals convicted of stalking misdemeanors from possessing firearms and establishes criminal liability for caregivers who knowingly enable children to access firearms after being notified the child poses a risk of violence, with penalties up to ten years imprisonment. The bill provides exceptions for legitimate purposes like hunting, sport shooting, and family transfers, and includes protections for good-faith reporting of lost or stolen weapons.
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