SB14: Trigger activators; prohibition, penalty.


VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- CHAPTER
An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 18.2-308.5:1, relating to manufacture, importation, sale, etc., of trigger activators; prohibition; penalty.
[S 14]
Approved

 

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 prohibited; penalty.

A. As used in this section, "trigger activator" means a device designed to allow a semi-automatic firearm to shoot more than one shot with a single pull of the trigger by harnessing the recoil energy of any semi-automatic firearm to which it is affixed so that the trigger resets and continues firing without additional physical manipulation of the trigger by the shooter.

B. It is unlawful for any person to manufacture, import, sell, offer for sale, possess, transfer, or transport a trigger activator in the Commonwealth.

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

D. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a person from manufacturing, importing, selling, offering for sale, possessing, receiving, transferring, or transporting any item for which such person is in compliance with the National Firearms Act (26 U.S.C. § 5801 et seq.).

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 854 of the Acts of Assembly of 2019 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.


SENATE BILL NO. 14
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary
on February 3, 2020)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Senator Saslaw)
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 18.2-308.5:1, relating to manufacture, importation, sale, etc., of trigger activators; prohibition; penalty.

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 prohibited; penalty.

A. As used in this section, "trigger activator" means a device designed to allow a semi-automatic firearm to shoot more than one shot with a single pull of the trigger by harnessing the recoil energy of any semi-automatic firearm to which it is affixed so that the trigger resets and continues firing without additional physical manipulation of the trigger by the shooter.

B. It is unlawful for any person to manufacture, import, sell, offer for sale, possess, transfer, or transport a trigger activator in the Commonwealth.

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

D. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a person from manufacturing, importing, selling, offering for sale, possessing, receiving, transferring, or transporting any item for which such person is in compliance with the National Firearms Act (26 U.S.C. § 5801 et seq.).

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 854 of the Acts of Assembly of 2019 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.

SENATE BILL NO. 14

Offered January 8, 2020
Prefiled November 18, 2019
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 18.2-308.5:1, relating to manufacture, importation, sale, etc., of trigger activators; prohibition; penalty.
Patron-- Saslaw

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 prohibited; penalty.

A. As used in this section, "trigger activator" means:

1. A device designed to be attached to a semi-automatic firearm, which allows the firearm to discharge two or more shots in a burst by activating the device, including a bump-fire device or a binary trigger, but does not convert the semi-automatic firearm into a machine gun; or

2. A manual or power-driven trigger activating device designed so that when attached to a semi-automatic firearm it increases the rate of fire of that firearm, including a trigger crank, but does not convert the semi-automatic firearm into a machine gun.

B. It is unlawful for any person to manufacture, import, sell, offer for sale, possess, transfer, or transport a trigger activator in the Commonwealth.

C. 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 854 of the Acts of Assembly of 2019 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.