SB 491 Virginia Senate · 2024 Regular Session

Firearm industry members; creates standards of responsible conduct, civil liability.

Summary
Firearm industry members; standards of responsible conduct; civil liability. Creates standards of responsible conduct for firearm industry members and requires such members to establish and implement reasonable controls regarding the manufacture, sale, distribution, use, and marketing of the firearm industry member's firearm-related products, as those terms are defined in the bill. Such reasonable controls include reasonable procedures, safeguards, and business practices that are designed to (i) prevent the sale or distribution of a firearm-related product to a straw purchaser, a firearm trafficker, a person prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law, or a person who the firearm industry member has reasonable cause to believe is at substantial risk of using a firearm-related product to harm themselves or unlawfully harm another or of unlawfully possessing or using a firearm-related product; (ii) prevent the loss of a firearm-related product or theft of a firearm-related product from a firearm industry member; (iii) ensure that the firearm industry member complies with all provisions of state and federal law and does not otherwise promote the unlawful manufacture, sale, possession, marketing, or use of a firearm-related product; and (iv) ensure that the firearm industry member does not engage in an act or practice in violation of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The bill also provides that a firearm industry member may not knowingly or recklessly create, maintain, or contribute to a public nuisance, as defined in the bill, through the sale, manufacturing, importing, or marketing of a firearm-related product. The bill creates a civil cause of action for the Attorney General or a local county or city attorney to enforce the provisions of the bill or for any person who has been injured as a result of a firearm industry member's violation to seek an injunction and to recover costs and damages.
Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2024
Committee Review
Feb 2024
Senate Passage
Apr 2024
House of Delegates Passage
Feb 2024
Vetoed
Mar 2024
Introduced Jan 9, 2024 Vetoed Mar 26, 2024
Floor votes · Senate Feb 12, 2024 · House of Delegates Feb 21, 2024

How they voted

21–19
Passed
Total votes 40
Feb 12, 2024
D Democratic21
21 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican19
19 Nay
100% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
32
Key actions
12
Committee
7
Amendments
3
Apr 17, 2024
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day
upper
Mar 26, 2024
Vetoed
Vetoed by Governor
executive
Feb 28, 2024
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Feb 26, 2024
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Feb 26, 2024
Upper · Passed
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB491ER)
upper
Feb 21, 2024
Lower · Passed
VOTE: Passage (51-Y 49-N)
lower
Feb 21, 2024
Lower · Passed
Passed House (51-Y 49-N)
lower
Feb 16, 2024
Lower · Passed
Reported from Public Safety (12-Y 10-N)
lower
Feb 15, 2024
Committee
Referred to Committee on Public Safety
lower
Feb 12, 2024
Upper · Passed
Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N)
upper
Feb 9, 2024
Introduced
Engrossed by Senate as amended SB491E
upper
Feb 9, 2024
Upper · Passed
Committee amendments agreed to
upper
Feb 9, 2024
Introduced
Reading of amendments waived
upper
Feb 7, 2024
Upper · Passed
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)
upper
Jan 29, 2024
Committee
Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations
upper
Jan 29, 2024
Upper · Passed
Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (9-Y 6-N)
upper
Jan 29, 2024
Upper · Passed
Senate committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
upper
Jan 9, 2024
Committee
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
upper
1 primary · 3 co-sponsors

Sponsors