Subcommittee adopts substitute to conform SB 643 to HB 1525, reports bill 6–3

The House Public Safety subcommittee on firearms voted to report Senate Bill 643, with a substitute conforming it to House Bill 1525, on a 6–3 roll call.

Delegate Helm presented the bill to the subcommittee, explaining that SB 643 "prohibits any person younger than 18 years of age from knowingly intentionally possessing or transporting a handgun or assault firearm within the commonwealth" and that it "prohibits any person nearing the 21 years of age with certain exceptions ... purchasing a handgun or assault firearm in the commonwealth." He added the proposal incorporates language from Senate Bill 797 and that a violation would be a Class 1 misdemeanor.

A motion to conform SB 643 to HB 1525 was made and seconded; the committee opened the electronic scoring board and the substitute passed by a vote of 6 to 3. The Chair said the bill was conformed in the Senate and House and is likely to proceed to a conference committee to reconcile House and Senate language.

No formal fiscal impact discussion specific to SB 643 was recorded in the subcommittee transcript; the committee moved on after the vote.

The bill will proceed to the next legislative steps through the House process as reported by the subcommittee.