HB54: Handgun; person with lawful possession may carry into courthouse.

HOUSE BILL NO. 54
Offered January 13, 2010
Prefiled December 22, 2009
A BILL to amend and reenact § 18.2-283.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to handguns in courthouses.
Patron-- Cole

Committee Referral Pending

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 18.2-283.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 18.2-283.1. Carrying weapon into courthouse.

It shall be unlawful for any person to possess in or transport into any courthouse in this Commonwealth any (i) gun or other weapon designed or intended to propel a missile or projectile of any kind, (ii) frame, receiver, muffler, silencer, missile, projectile or ammunition designed for use with a dangerous weapon and (iii) any other dangerous weapon, including explosives, stun weapons as defined in § 18.2-308.1, and those weapons specified in subsection A of § 18.2-308. Any such weapon shall be subject to seizure by a law-enforcement officer. A violation of this section is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. However, nothing in this section shall prohibit a person who may lawfully possess a handgun from possessing in or transporting into any courthouse a handgun when such courthouse is being used for purposes other than judicial proceedings or official judicial activities.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to any police officer, sheriff, law-enforcement agent or official, conservation police officer, conservator of the peace, magistrate, court officer, or judge while in the conduct of such person's official duties.