SB 323 Virginia Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Plastic firearms or receivers, etc., transfer, etc., prohibited; penalties.

Summary
Manufacture, importation, sale, transfer, or possession of plastic firearms and unfinished frames or receivers and unserialized firearms prohibited; penalties. Creates a Class 5 felony for any person who knowingly manufactures or assembles, imports, purchases, sells, transfers, or possesses any firearm that, after removal of all parts other than a major component, as defined in the bill, is not detectable as a firearm when subjected to inspection by the types of detection devices, including X-ray machines, commonly used at airports, government buildings, schools, correctional facilities, and other locations for security screening. The bill updates language regarding the types of detection devices that are used at such locations for detecting plastic firearms. Under current law, it is unlawful to manufacture, import, sell, transfer, or possess any plastic firearm and a violation is punishable as a Class 5 felony.The bill also creates a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable as a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense, for any person to knowingly possess a firearm or any completed or unfinished frame or receiver that is not imprinted with a valid serial number or to knowingly import, purchase, sell, offer for sale, or transfer ownership of any completed or unfinished frame or receiver, unless the completed or unfinished frame or receiver (i) is deemed to be a firearm pursuant to federal law and (ii) is imprinted with a valid serial number. The bill also creates a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable as a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense, for any person to manufacture or assemble, cause to be manufactured or assembled, import, purchase, sell, offer for sale, or transfer ownership of any firearm that is not imprinted with a valid serial number. The provisions of the bill prohibiting unfinished frames or receivers and unserialized firearms have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027; however, the provisions of the bill prohibiting the knowing possession of a firearm or any completed or unfinished frame or receiver that is not imprinted with a valid serial number have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 40.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Signed Apr 10, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Enrolled Chaptered · 2 edits
MINOR
This bill formally enacts the legislation passed in the 2026 session by assigning it a chapter number and adding a specific approval date. It does not alter the substantive legal text regarding plastic firearms or penalties, serving only to finalize the bill's status as law.
Scope change
The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; this is a procedural update reflecting the transition from an enrolled bill to a chaptered act.
TECHNICAL

Added the specific chapter number (532) and the exact approval date (April 10, 2026) to the header.

Removed the generic 'Approved' placeholder text.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 5, 2026 · House of Delegates Feb 16, 2026

How they voted

390
Passed
Total votes 39
Feb 5, 2026
D Democratic20
20 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican19
19 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
44
Key actions
13
Committee
9
Apr 10, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter532 (Effective -see bill)
executive
Mar 31, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 30, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 30, 2026
Upper · Passed
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB323ER)
upper
Mar 14, 2026
Upper · Passed
Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
upper
Mar 14, 2026
Lower · Passed
Conference report agreed to by House (62-Y 35-N 0-A)
lower
Mar 14, 2026
Legislature · Passed
Conference Report released
legislature
Feb 19, 2026
Committee
House requested conference committee
lower
Feb 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed House with substitute (62-Y 35-N 0-A)
lower
Feb 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from Public Safety with substitute (13-Y 7-N)
lower
Feb 12, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Public Safety
lower
Feb 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)
upper
Feb 5, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
upper
Feb 4, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)
upper
Jan 26, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N)
upper
Jan 13, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
upper
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors

Sponsors