Firearms; Class 1 misdemeanor to discharge in certain areas. (HB236)

Introduced By

Del. Bill Janis (R-Glen Allen)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Shooting firearms in certain areas.  Makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor to discharge a firearm towards a subdivision within the range of the firearm, or to discharge a firearm towards any person or structure, when no barrier exists that would prevent the projectile from striking a person or animal or structure. With these changes, a locality would no longer be able to prohibit hunting generally within a half-mile radius of a subdivision, but would still be able to prohibit hunting within a subdivision. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/11/2010Committee
01/11/2010Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/10 10101623D
01/11/2010Referred to Committee on Militia, Police and Public Safety
01/18/2010Impact statement from DPB (HB236)
01/28/2010Assigned MPPS sub: #1
02/04/2010Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 0-N)
02/12/2010Reported from Militia, Police and Public Safety with substitute (20-Y 1-N) (see vote tally)
02/12/2010Committee substitute printed 10105185D-H1
02/14/2010Read first time
02/15/2010Read second time
02/15/2010Committee substitute agreed to 10105185D-H1
02/15/2010Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB236H1
02/16/2010Read third time and passed House (79-Y 19-N)
02/16/2010VOTE: --- PASSAGE (79-Y 19-N) (see vote tally)
02/17/2010Impact statement from DPB (HB236H1)
02/17/2010Constitutional reading dispensed
02/17/2010Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
03/01/2010Assigned Courts sub: Special
03/08/2010Left in Courts of Justice

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 2 clips in all, totaling 3 minutes.

Comments

Thomas Crouch writes:

I appreciate the intent, however, the range of a firearm is a variable. Refinement of the term "reckless" is the only real fix required here. For example, modern shotgun slugs are accurate to 300-600 feet, but the same weapon has a very short range when firing bird shot. What range is used? If left to the discretion of an overly zealous LEO, this could be bad news.