Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states.

Removed draft markings, committee notes, and placeholder text (e.g., 'ENGROSSED', 'AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE') that were present in the working version but are not part of the final law.

Adjusted line breaks and spacing to conform to the standard formatting required for enrolled bills ready for the Governor's signature.

Authority to determine which states meet reciprocity requirements was moved from the Superintendent of State Police to the Office of the Attorney General.

The standard for foreign state laws changed from being 'adequate' to preventing permit misuse to being 'substantially similar' to Virginia's own requirements.

The requirement for Virginia and foreign states to execute a formal reciprocal recognition agreement was removed, allowing the Attorney General to publish a list of qualifying states without a formal treaty.

The timeline for reviewing and revoking reciprocity agreements remains unchanged, set for July 1, 2027, and December 1, 2027.

The bill header was changed from 'Courts of Justice Substitute' to 'Public Safety Substitute,' and the proposing committee was updated from the Senate Committee for Courts of Justice to the House Committee on Public Safety.

The effective date for the bill's provisions was moved from July 1, 2027, to July 1, 2028.

The deadline for the Superintendent of State Police to revoke non-compliant reciprocity agreements was moved from December 1, 2026, to December 1, 2027.

The responsibility for reviewing and revoking reciprocity agreements was transferred from the Office of the Attorney General to the Superintendent of State Police.

The standard for evaluating other states' laws was changed from 'substantially similar' to 'adequate' to prevent possession of permits by ineligible persons.

The requirement for the Superintendent to determine if states meet qualifications was moved from a standalone duty to a consultation with the Office of the Attorney General.

Changed the standard for reciprocity from requiring other states' laws to be 'adequate' to requiring them to be 'substantially similar' to Virginia's requirements.

Transferred the duty to review existing reciprocity agreements and maintain the registry of qualifying states from the Superintendent of State Police to a joint responsibility between the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of State Police.

Added a specific reference to Article 6.1 of Chapter 7 of Title 18.2 when defining the standards for reciprocity, clarifying exactly which Virginia laws must be matched.