---
type: "Bill"
title: "Handguns in unattended motor vehicle; definitions, penalty."
description: "Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; penalty. Creates a Class 4 misdemeanor for any person who, when leaving a handgun in an unattended vehicle, fails to securely store such handgun in a locked hard-sided container, including a locked container that is affixed to the vehicle's interior by steel cable, bolt, or welding. The bill provides that such locked container includes a locked glove compartment or a locked center console. The bill contains certain exemptions, including an exemption for a person who reports the theft or loss of such firearm to a law-enforcement agency as provided in relevant law. This bill is identical to HB 110."
jurisdiction: "us/states/va"
legislature: "Virginia General Assembly"
session: "2026"
identifier: "SB 496"
citation: "Virginia SB 496 (2026)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["David W. Marsden"]
version_count: 10
action_count: 76
vote_count: 11
first_action: "2026-01-13"
last_action: "2026-04-13"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/0d648ba5-0a07-4671-bc00-439eb9e54ef5"
source_url: "https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB496"
source_hash: "5cee62475bf48ad771d46e86bec7d3583bdd164c71def7fb388613280156208a"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-va"]
---

# Virginia SB 496 (2026) — Handguns in unattended motor vehicle; definitions, penalty.

Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; penalty. Creates a Class 4 misdemeanor for any person who, when leaving a handgun in an unattended vehicle, fails to securely store such handgun in a locked hard-sided container, including a locked container that is affixed to the vehicle's interior by steel cable, bolt, or welding. The bill provides that such locked container includes a locked glove compartment or a locked center console. The bill contains certain exemptions, including an exemption for a person who reports the theft or loss of such firearm to a law-enforcement agency as provided in relevant law. This bill is identical to HB 110.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090532.PDF)
2. **Chaptered** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218641.PDF)
3. **Conference Report** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212072.HTML)
4. **Conference Report Substitute** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212068.PDF)
5. **Courts of Justice Amendment** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145051.HTML)
6. **Courts of Justice Substitute** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1099062.PDF)
7. **Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1147818.PDF)
8. **Public Safety Substitute** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187695.PDF)
9. **Senator Marsden Amendments** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1148135.HTML)
10. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214440.PDF)

## Votes

- S Senate requested second conference committee — **21–18** (pass) · upper
- Concur House Substitute R — **0–40** (fail) · upper
- Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute — **9–5** (pass) · upper
- Accede Conference Committee R — **40–0** (pass) · upper
- H VOTE: — **63–36** (pass) · lower
- Passage R — **20–19** (pass) · upper
- Adopt Conference Committee Report R — **21–18** (pass) · upper
- Reported from Public Safety with substitute — **15–7** (pass) · lower
- Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments — **9–6** (pass) · upper
- Constitutional reading dispensed R — **39–0** (pass) · upper
- H VOTE: — **60–36** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- David W. Marsden — primary (person)
- Adam P. Ebbin — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2026-01-13** Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104067D `filing, introduction`
- **2026-01-13** Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice `referral-committee`
- **2026-01-20** Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB496)
- **2026-01-26** Senate committee offered
- **2026-01-26** Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (9-Y 5-N) `committee-passage`
- **2026-01-27** Read first time `reading-1`
- **2026-01-27** Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
- **2026-01-27** Rules suspended
- **2026-01-27** Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- **2026-01-27** Passed by for the day
- **2026-01-28** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2026-01-28** Committee substitute printed 26106227D-S1 `substitution`
- **2026-01-28** Passed by for the day
- **2026-01-29** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2026-01-29** Passed by for the day
- **2026-01-30** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2026-01-30** Passed by for the day
- **2026-02-02** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2026-02-02** Passed by for the day
- **2026-02-03** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2026-02-03** Motion to recommit to Courts of Justice agreed to
- **2026-02-03** Recommitted to Courts of Justice
- **2026-02-05** Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB496)
- **2026-02-11** Senate committee offered
- **2026-02-11** Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (9-Y 6-N) `committee-passage`
- **2026-02-13** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2026-02-13** Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to
- **2026-02-13** Floor offered Senator Marsden Amendments
- **2026-02-13** Senator Marsden Amendments withdrawn `amendment-withdrawal, withdrawal`
- **2026-02-13** Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to `amendment-passage`
- **2026-02-13** Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute as amended (Voice Vote) `substitution`
- **2026-02-16** Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB496)
- **2026-02-16** Read third time and passed Senate (20-Y 19-N 0-A) `passage, reading-3`
- **2026-02-19** Placed on Calendar
- **2026-02-19** Read first time `reading-1`
- **2026-02-19** Referred to Committee on Public Safety `referral-committee`
- **2026-02-27** Reported from Public Safety with substitute (15-Y 7-N) `committee-passage`
- **2026-03-02** Committee substitute printed 26108965D-H1 `substitution`
- **2026-03-03** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2026-03-04** Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB496)
- **2026-03-04** Read third time `reading-3`
- **2026-03-04** committee substitute agreed to `substitution`
- **2026-03-04** Engrossed by House - committee substitute `substitution`
- **2026-03-04** Passed House with substitute (63-Y 36-N 0-A) `passage`
- **2026-03-06** House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A)
- **2026-03-09** House insisted on substitute `substitution`
- **2026-03-09** House requested conference committee `referral-committee`
- **2026-03-10** Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- **2026-03-10** Conferees appointed by Senate
- **2026-03-10** Senate Conferees: Marsden, Surovell, Obenshain
- **2026-03-12** Conferees appointed by House
- **2026-03-12** House Conferees: Laufer, Clark, Morefield
- **2026-03-13** Conferees appointed by House
- **2026-03-13** House Conferees: Laufer, Simon, Morefield
- **2026-03-13** House Conferees: Laufer, Simon, Morefield
- **2026-03-14** Conference Report released
- **2026-03-14** Conference Report released
- **2026-03-14** Senate requested second conference committee (21-Y 18-N 0-A) `referral-committee`
- **2026-03-14** Second conferees appointed by Senate
- **2026-03-14** Senate Conferees: Marsden, Surovell, Obenshain
- **2026-03-14** Second Conference Report released
- **2026-03-14** House acceded to request for second conference committee
- **2026-03-14** Conferees appointed by House
- **2026-03-14** House Conferees: Laufer, Simon, Morefield
- **2026-03-14** Conference report agreed to by House (60-Y 36-N 0-A) `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-03-14** Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-03-17** Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB496)
- **2026-03-30** Enrolled `enrolled`
- **2026-03-30** Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB496ER) `passage`
- **2026-03-30** Signed by President `passage`
- **2026-03-31** Signed by Speaker `passage`
- **2026-03-31** Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 `enrolled, executive-receipt`
- **2026-03-31** Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 `executive-receipt`
- **2026-04-07** Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB496)
- **2026-04-13** Approved by Governor-Chapter 561 (effective 7/1/2026) `executive-signature`
- **2026-04-13** Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0561)

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/0d648ba5-0a07-4671-bc00-439eb9e54ef5`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Virginia legislature records).