18101610D<br><center><b>
HOUSE BILL NO. 950
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Offered January 10, 2018
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Prefiled January 9, 2018
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<i>A BILL to amend and reenact &sect;<a href="http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/18.2-56.2">18.2-56.2</a> of the Code of 
 Virginia, relating to allowing access to firearms by children; penalty.</i>
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Patron-- Lopez
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Committee Referral Pending
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<p>Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:</p>
 
 
<p>1. That &sect;<a href="http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/18.2-56.2">18.2-56.2</a> of the Code of Virginia is amended and 
 reenacted as follows:</p>
 
 
<p>&sect;<a href="http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/18.2-56.2">18.2-56.2</a>. Allowing access to firearms by children; penalty.</p>
 
 
<p>A. It<s class=str> shall be</s><i class=new> is</i> 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<s class=str> 
 fourteen</s><i class=new> 14</i>. 
 Any person violating the provisions of this subsection<s class=str> 
 shall be</s><i class=new> is</i> 
 guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.</p>
 
 
<p>B.<i class=new> It 
 is unlawful for any person to knowingly authorize a child four 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.</i></p>
 
 
<p><i class=new>C.</i> It<s class=str> shall be</s><i class=new> is</i> unlawful for any person 
 knowingly to authorize a child<i class=new> five 
 years of age or older but</i> under 
 the age of<s class=str> twelve</s><i class=new> 12</i> to use a firearm except 
 when the child is under the supervision of an adult. Any person violating this 
 subsection<s class=str> shall be</s><i class=new> is</i> guilty of a Class 1 
 misdemeanor.</p>
 
 
<p><i class=new>D. </i>For 
 purposes of this<s class=str> subsection</s><i class=new> section</i>, "adult"<s class=str> shall mean</s><i class=new> 
 means</i> a parent, guardian, person standing in loco parentis 
 to the child<i class=new>,</i> 
 or<s class=str> a</s> person<s class=str> 
 twenty-one</s><i class=new> 21</i> 
 years<i class=new> of age</i> or<s class=str> over</s><i class=new> older</i> who has the permission 
 of the parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis to supervise the 
 child in the use of a firearm.</p>