SEARCH SITE
VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL
- Code of Virginia
- Virginia Administrative Code
- Constitution of Virginia
- Charters
- Authorities
- Compacts
- Uncodified Acts
- RIS Users (account required)
SEARCHABLE DATABASES
- Bills & Resolutions
session legislation - Bill Summaries
session summaries - Reports to the General Assembly
House and Senate documents - Legislative Liaisons
State agency contacts
ACROSS SESSIONS
- Subject Index: Since 1995
- Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994
- Summaries: Since 1994
Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
2011 SESSION
11100311DBe it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 18.2-56.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 18.2-56.1. Reckless handling of firearms; reckless handling while hunting.
A. It shall be unlawful for any person to handle recklessly any firearm so as to endanger the life, limb or property of any person. Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
B. If this section is violated while the person is engaged in
hunting, trapping or pursuing game, the trial judge may, in addition to the
penalty imposed by the jury or the court trying the case without a jury, revoke
such person's hunting or trapping license and privileges to hunt or trap while
possessing a firearm for a period of one year to life not to exceed five years.
C. Upon a revocation pursuant to subsection B hereof, the clerk of the court in which the case is tried pursuant to this section shall forthwith send to the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (i) such person's revoked hunting or trapping license or notice that such person's privilege to hunt or trap while in possession of a firearm has been revoked and (ii) a notice of the length of revocation imposed. The Department shall keep a list which shall be furnished upon request to any law-enforcement officer, the attorney for the Commonwealth or court in this Commonwealth, and such list shall contain the names and addresses of all persons whose license or privilege to hunt or trap while in possession of a firearm has been revoked and the court which took such action.
D. If any person whose license to hunt and trap, or whose
privilege to hunt and trap while in possession of a firearm, has been revoked
pursuant to this section, thereafter hunts or traps while in possession of a firearm,
he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor, and, in addition to any penalty
imposed by the jury or the court trying the case without a jury, the trial
judge may revoke such person's hunting or trapping license and privileges to
hunt or trap while in possession of a firearm for an
additional a
period of one to five years year to life. The clerk of the
court shall notify the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries as is provided
in subsection C herein.