Firearms shows; mandatory background check.
Do you support it?
Want to know if it passes?
We'll email you when SB 543 moves — a committee vote, a floor vote, or a signature. Nothing else.
Free forever · unsubscribe in one click.
Your answer was recorded either way.
Which district are you in?
Your ZIP is all we need to match you to your own representatives — so we can tell you how they voted on SB 543.
You're tracking SB 543
We'll email you the moment it moves.
SB 543 — Firearms shows; mandatory background check.
Last action — Approved by Governor-Chapter 828 (effective 7/1/20)
No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.
-
✓Introduced
-
✓In Committee
-
✓Passed Senate
-
✓Passed House of Delegates
-
✓To Executive
-
6Enacted
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 07, 2020. Enacted.
Prognosis
Where this bill stands today.
Odds of enactment
HighHow often bills like it became law.
-
Enacted
Current position in the legislative process.
-
1 sponsor
1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.
-
Cleared a recorded vote
Passed 5 recorded votes so far.
Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.
Summary
Firearms shows; mandatory background check.Requires the Department of State Police to perform a criminal history record information check on the prospective purchaser ortransferee prior to the completion of any firearms transaction ata firearms show held in the Commonwealth. Current law requires theDepartment of State Police to be available at every firearms showheld in the Commonwealth to perform criminal history record informationchecks but does not require such checks to be performed unless requestedby a party involved in the transaction.
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
7 added · 124 removedPlain-language change summary
The updated version of Bill SB 543 includes a new section that offers guidance on what to do if users encounter a website error, such as reloading the page or contacting support. Additionally, there were significant deletions related to tracking and accessing legislative information that are no longer part of the text. These changes enhance user navigation by providing clear instructions for troubleshooting while simplifying the legislation by removing outdated content. This matters because it makes the bill easier to understand and improves the support process for those interacting with the legislative system.
Bill Tracking - 2020 session > Legislation Virginia General AssemblyLIS HomeLIS HelpPrivacy StatementLive Help LIS ClassicLoginSEARCHSorry, SITEyour QUICKquery LINKScould -not -be -completed. - - - - - - - - - - - Log in LIS Home General Assembly Home - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Session Tracking:
BillsPlease &reload/refresh Resolutionsthis Memberspage Committeesto Meetingsretry Calendarsyour Communicationslast Houserequest. Minutes Senate Minutes Statistics Lobbyist-in-a-Box Personal lists - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Search:
CodeIf ofthis Virginiacondition Administrativepersists, Codeplease Billsemail &us, Resolutionswith Summariesthe OTHERerror SESSIONScodes listed -below, -so -that -we -may -fix - - - - - - - - Session Session Special Session I Session Special Session I Special Session II Session Session Session Special Session I Session Special Session I Session Special Session I Session Special Session I Session Special Session I Session Session Special Session I Session Special Session I Special Session II Session Session Special Session I Session Session Special Session I Special Session II Session Session Session Special Session I Session Session Session Special Session I Session Session Session Session Special Session I Special Session II VIRGINIA LAW PORTALCode of VirginiaVirginia Administrative Code Constitution of VirginiaChartersAuthoritiesCompacts Uncodified ActsRIS Users (account required) SEARCHABLE DATABASESBills & Resolutionssession legislationBill Summariessession summaries Reports to the Generalproblem. AssemblyHouse and Senate documents Legislative LiaisonsState agency contactsACROSS SESSIONS Subject Index:
SinceIf 1995Billsyou &feel Resolutions:you need more immediate attention, please call our help desk at (804) 786-9631.
Since74.220.50.48 1994Summaries:
Since 1994 Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
SESSION history | hilite | pdf | print version VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- CHAPTER An Act to amend and reenact § 54.1-4201.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to firearms shows;
mandatory background check.
[S 543] Approved Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1.
That § 54.1-4201.2 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 54.1-4201.2.
Firearm transactions by persons other than dealers;
mandatory background checks.
A.
The Department of State Police shall be available at every firearms show held in the Commonwealth to and shall make determinations in accordance with the procedures set out in § 18.2-308.2:2 of whether a prospective purchaser or transferee is prohibited under state or federal law from possessing a firearm prior to the completion of any firearm transaction at a firearms show held in the Commonwealth.
The Department of State Police shall establish policies and procedures in accordance with 28 C.F.R.
§ 25.6 to permit such determinations to be made by the Department of State Police.
Unless otherwise required by state or federal law, any party involved in the transaction may decide whether or not to have such a determination made.
The Department of State Police may charge a reasonable fee for the determination.
B.
The promoter, as defined in § 54.1-4201.1, shall give the Department of State Police notice of the time and location of a firearms show at least 30 days prior to the show.
The promoter shall provide the Department of State Police with adequate space, at no charge, to conduct such prohibition determinations.
The promoter shall ensure that a notice that such determinations are available is prominently displayed at the show.
C.
No person who sells or transfers a firearm at a firearms show after receiving a determination from the Department of State Police that the purchaser or transferee is not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a firearm shall be liable for selling or transferring a firearm to such person.
D.
The provisions of § 18.2-308.2:2, including definitions, procedures, and prohibitions, shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the provisions of this section.
Action History
-
Approved by Governor-Chapter 828 (effective 7/1/20)
-
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 11, 2020
-
Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 12, 2020
-
Impact statement from DPB (SB543ER)
-
Signed by Speaker
-
Signed by President
-
Enrolled
-
VOTE: Passage (54-Y 44-N)
-
Passed House (54-Y 44-N)
-
Read third time
-
Read second time
-
Reported from Public Safety (15-Y 7-N)
-
Referred to Committee on Public Safety
-
Read first time
-
Placed on Calendar
-
Read third time and passed Senate (26-Y 14-N)
-
Read second time and engrossed
-
Constitutional reading dispensed (37-Y 0-N)
-
Reported from Judiciary (8-Y 5-N)
-
Impact statement from DPB (SB543)
-
Moved from Courts of Justice to Judiciary due to a change of the committee name
-
Referred to Committee on the Judiciary
-
Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/08/20 20101849D
Sponsors
- John S. Edwards · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 147 not signed on · 56 voted No
Sponsors (1)
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (147)
147 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 147 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 53 | 44 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | 53 | 44 | 0 | 2 |
| % of votes cast | 54% | 44% | 0% | 2% |
How each member voted (99)
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 15 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 15 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 68% | 32% | 0% | 0% |
How each member voted (22)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Alfonso H. Lopez | — | Yea |
| Batten, Amanda E. | — | Nay |
| Bourne, Jeffrey M. | — | Yea |
| Campbell, Ronnie R. | — | Nay |
| Carroll Foy, Jennifer D. | — | Yea |
| Coyner, Carrie E. | — | Yea |
| Dan I. Helmer | — | Yea |
| Davis, Glenn R. | — | Yea |
| Fariss, C. Matthew | — | Nay |
| Jenkins, Clinton L. | — | Yea |
| Joshua G. Cole | — | Yea |
| Kory, Kaye | — | Yea |
| Levine, Mark H. | — | Yea |
| Marcia S. "Cia" Price | — | Yea |
| Patrick A. Hope | — | Yea |
| Plum, Kenneth R. | — | Yea |
| Robinson, Roxann L. | — | Nay |
| Rush, Nick | — | Nay |
| Sam Rasoul | — | Yea |
| Shelly A. Simonds | — | Yea |
| Thomas C. Wright, Jr. | — | Nay |
| Tony O. Wilt | — | Nay |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 26 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 26 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 65% | 35% | 0% | 0% |
How each member voted (40)
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 37 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Total | 37 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| % of votes cast | 93% | 0% | 0% | 8% |
How each member voted (40)
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 62% | 38% | 0% | 0% |
How each member voted (13)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| McClellan, Jennifer L. | — | Yea |
| Chafin, A. Benton "Ben" | — | Nay |
| Morrissey, Joseph D. | — | Yea |
| Edwards, John S. | — | Yea |
| Jennifer B. Boysko | — | Yea |
| L. Louise Lucas | — | Yea |
| Mark D. Obenshain | — | Nay |
| Norment, Thomas K., Jr. | — | Nay |
| Petersen, J. Chapman | — | Yea |
| R. Creigh Deeds | — | Yea |
| Ryan T. McDougle | — | Nay |
| Scott A. Surovell | — | Yea |
| William M. Stanley, Jr. | — | Nay |
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What does SB 543 do?
- Firearms shows; mandatory background check.Requires the Department of State Police to perform a criminal history record information check on the prospective purchaser ortransferee prior to the completion of any firearms transaction ata firearms show held in the Commonwealth. Current law requires theDepartment of State Police to be available at every firearms showheld in the Commonwealth to perform criminal history record informationchecks but does not require such checks to be performed unless requestedby a party involved in the transaction.
- Who sponsors SB 543?
- SB 543 is sponsored by Edwards, John S..
- What is the current status of SB 543?
- This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 07, 2020. Enacted.
- Where can I track SB 543?
- Track SB 543 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
Make your voice heard on SB 543
Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.
Stay ahead of SB 543
Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously
One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.
Track this bill →