SB1163: Firearms; trigger activators designed to increase the rate of fire, prohibition, penalty.

SENATE BILL NO. 1163

Offered January 9, 2019
Prefiled January 2, 2019
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 18.2-308.5:1, relating to prohibition on trigger activators designed to increase the rate of fire of firearms; penalty.
Patrons-- Saslaw, Favola, Howell, Marsden and McPike

Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 18.2-308.5:1 as follows:

§ 18.2-308.5:1. Manufacture, importation, sale, possession, transfer, or transportation of trigger activators designed to increase rate of fire of firearms prohibited; penalty.

A. It is unlawful for any person to manufacture, import, sell, offer for sale, possess, transfer, or transport in the Commonwealth a trigger activator, including a trigger crank or a bump-fire device, that is designed to increase the rate of fire of a semiautomatic rifle but does not convert the semiautomatic rifle into a machine gun.

B. A violation of this section is punishable as a Class 6 felony.

2. That the provisions of this act may result in a net increase in periods of imprisonment or commitment. Pursuant to § 30-19.1:4 of the Code of Virginia, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation cannot be determined for periods of imprisonment in state adult correctional facilities; therefore, Chapter 2 of the Acts of Assembly of 2018, Special Session I, requires the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission to assign a minimum fiscal impact of $50,000. Pursuant to § 30-19.1:4 of the Code of Virginia, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation cannot be determined for periods of commitment to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.