HB 1797 Virginia House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states.

Summary
Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states. Provides that the Superintendent of State Police, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, shall determine whether other states meet the statutory qualifications for Virginia to recognize the concealed handgun permit of a person from such other state. Under current law, any out-of-state permit is recognized in the Commonwealth, provided that (i) the issuing authority provides the means for instantaneous verification of the validity of all such permits or licenses issued within that state, accessible 24 hours a day; (ii) the permit or license holder carries a photo identification issued by a government agency of any state or by the U.S. Department of Defense or U.S. Department of State and displays the permit or license and such identification upon demand by a law-enforcement officer; and (iii) the permit or license holder has not previously had a Virginia concealed handgun permit revoked. The bill prevents a Virginia resident, except for an active duty service member or such service member's spouse, who has not been issued a valid resident concealed handgun permit from using a concealed handgun or concealed weapon permit or license issued by another state to carry a concealed handgun in the Commonwealth. The foregoing provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.The bill requires the Superintendent of State Police, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, to review any agreements for reciprocal recognition that are in place with any other states as of July 1, 2025, to determine whether the requirements and qualifications of those states' laws are adequate to prevent possession of a permit or license by persons who would be denied a permit in the Commonwealth and revoke any reciprocity agreement or recognition of any states that do not meet such requirements or qualifications by December 1, 2025. The bill requires the Attorney General to provide a written explanation for any determination that a state's laws are adequate to prevent possession of such permit or license by persons who would be denied such permit in the Commonwealth.
Bill status vetoed 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
House of Delegates Passage
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Feb 2025
Vetoed
Mar 2025
Introduced Jan 6, 2025 Vetoed Mar 24, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossed Enrolled · 2 edits · Feb 23, 2025
MINOR
This bill transitioned from its Engrossed version to the final Enrolled version with no substantive policy changes. The only differences are formatting adjustments, including the addition of the official Enrolled header, page numbers, and a new Section 3 that sets the effective date of the act to July 1, 2026.
TIMELINE

Added Section 3 establishing that the provisions of the act become effective on July 1, 2026.

TECHNICAL

Changed the document header from 'ENGROSSED' to 'ENROLLED' and added official formatting elements such as page numbers and bill identifiers.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 13, 2025 · House of Delegates Jan 23, 2025

How they voted

400
Passed
Total votes 40
Feb 13, 2025
D Democratic21
21 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
33
Key actions
12
Committee
5
Amendments
6
Apr 2, 2025
Vetoed
House sustained Governor's veto
lower
Mar 24, 2025
Vetoed
Vetoed by Governor
executive
Feb 23, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Feb 20, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Feb 20, 2025
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1797ER)
lower
Feb 18, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate Amendment agreed to by House (51-Y 45-N)
lower
Feb 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate with amendment (21-Y 14-N)
upper
Feb 14, 2025
Introduced
Engrossed by Senate as amended
upper
Feb 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Finance and Appropriations Amendment agreed to
upper
Feb 14, 2025
Introduced
Reading of amendment waived
upper
Feb 13, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day
upper
Feb 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported from Finance and Appropriations with amendment (10-Y 5-N)
upper
Feb 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N)
upper
Jan 24, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
upper
Jan 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House (49-Y 47-N)
lower
Jan 22, 2025
Introduced
Engrossed by House as amended
lower
Jan 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Public Safety Amendment agreed to
lower
Jan 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported from Public Safety with amendment(s) (12-Y 10-N)
lower
Jan 6, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Public Safety
lower
1 primary · 4 co-sponsors

Sponsors