SB217: Firearm or pneumatic gun; allowing access by children age six or younger, penalty.
SENATE BILL NO. 217
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 18.2-56.2 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 18.2-56.2. Allowing access to firearms by children; penalties.
A. It shall be is unlawful for any person to
recklessly leave a loaded, unsecured firearm in such a manner as to endanger
the life or limb of any child under the age of
fourteen 14.
Any person violating the provisions of this subsection shall
be is guilty
of a Class 3 misdemeanor.
B. It is unlawful for any person knowingly to authorize a child six years of age or younger to use a firearm or a pneumatic gun under any circumstances. Any person violating the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
C. It
shall be is unlawful
for any person knowingly to authorize a child seven
years of age or older but under the age of twelve 12 to
use a firearm except when the child is under the supervision of an adult. Any
person violating this subsection shall be is guilty of a Class 1
misdemeanor.
D. For
purposes of this subsection section, "adult" shall mean means
a parent, guardian, person standing in loco parentis to the
child, or a
person twenty-one 21
years of age or over older who has the permission
of the parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis to supervise the
child in the use of a firearm.