                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

CONTROL OF FIREARMS; APPLICABILITY TO AUTHORITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL
AGENCIES (§ 15.2-915)

A. No locality shall adopt or enforce any ordinance, resolution, or motion, as
permitted by &#xA7; 15.2-1425, and no agent of such locality shall take any
administrative action, governing the purchase, possession, transfer, ownership,
carrying, storage, or transporting of firearms, ammunition, or components or
combination thereof other than those expressly authorized by statute. For
purposes of this section, a statute that does not refer to firearms, ammunition,
or components or combination thereof shall not be construed to provide express
authorization.
			Nothing in this section shall prohibit a locality from adopting workplace
rules relating to terms and conditions of employment of the workforce. However,
no locality shall adopt any workplace rule, other than for the purposes of a
community services board or behavioral health authority as defined in &#xA7;
37.2-100, that prevents an employee of that locality from storing at that
locality&#8217;s workplace a lawfully possessed firearm and ammunition in a
locked private motor vehicle. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a
law-enforcement officer, as defined in &#xA7; 9.1-101, from acting within the
scope of his duties.
			The provisions of this section applicable to a locality shall also apply to
any authority or to a local governmental entity, including a department or
agency, but not including any local or regional jail, juvenile detention
facility, or state-governed entity, department, or agency.

B. Any local ordinance, resolution, or motion adopted prior to July 1, 2004,
governing the purchase, possession, transfer, ownership, carrying, or
transporting of firearms, ammunition, or components or combination thereof,
other than those expressly authorized by statute, is invalid.

C. In addition to any other relief provided, the court may award reasonable
attorney fees, expenses, and court costs to any person, group, or entity that
prevails in an action challenging (i) an ordinance, resolution, or motion as
being in conflict with this section or (ii) an administrative action taken in
bad faith as being in conflict with this section.

D. For purposes of this section, &#8220;workplace&#8221; means &#8220;workplace
of the locality.&#8221;

E. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, a locality may adopt an
ordinance that prohibits the possession, carrying, or transportation of any
firearms, ammunition, or components or combination thereof (i) in any building,
or part thereof, owned or used by such locality, or by any authority or local
governmental entity created or controlled by the locality, for governmental
purposes; (ii) in any public park owned or operated by the locality, or by any
authority or local governmental entity created or controlled by the locality;
(iii) in any recreation or community center facility operated by the locality,
or by any authority or local governmental entity created or controlled by the
locality; or (iv) in any public street, road, alley, or sidewalk or public
right-of-way or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public
and is being used by or is adjacent to a permitted event or an event that would
otherwise require a permit. In buildings that are not owned by a locality, or by
any authority or local governmental entity created or controlled by the
locality, such ordinance shall apply only to the part of the building that is
being used for a governmental purpose and when such building, or part thereof,
is being used for a governmental purpose.
			Any such ordinance may include security measures that are designed to
reasonably prevent the unauthorized access of such buildings, parks, recreation
or community center facilities, or public streets, roads, alleys, or sidewalks
or public rights-of-way or any other place of whatever nature that is open to
the public and is being used by or is adjacent to a permitted event or an event
that would otherwise require a permit by a person with any firearms, ammunition,
or components or combination thereof, such as the use of metal detectors and
increased use of security personnel.
			The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to the activities of (i) a
Senior Reserve Officers&#8217; Training Corps program operated at a public or
private institution of higher education in accordance with the provisions of 10
U.S.C. &#xA7; 2101 et seq. or (ii) any intercollegiate athletics program
operated by a public or private institution of higher education and governed by
the National Collegiate Athletic Association or any club sports team recognized
by a public or private institution of higher education where the sport engaged
in by such program or team involves the use of a firearm. Such activities shall
follow strict guidelines developed by such institutions for these activities and
shall be conducted under the supervision of staff officials of such
institutions.

F. Notice of any ordinance adopted pursuant to subsection E shall be posted (i)
at all entrances of any building, or part thereof, owned or used by the
locality, or by any authority or local governmental entity created or controlled
by the locality, for governmental purposes; (ii) at all entrances of any public
park owned or operated by the locality, or by any authority or local
governmental entity created or controlled by the locality; (iii) at all
entrances of any recreation or community center facilities operated by the
locality, or by any authority or local governmental entity created or controlled
by the locality; and (iv) at all entrances or other appropriate places of
ingress and egress to any public street, road, alley, or sidewalk or public
right-of-way or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public
and is being used by or is adjacent to a permitted event or an event that would
otherwise require a permit.

HISTORY: 1987, c. 629, § 15.1-29.15; 1988, c. 392; 1997, cc. 550, 587; 2002, c.
484; 2003, c. 943; 2004, cc. 837, 923; 2009, cc. 735, 772; 2012, c. 757; 2020,
cc. 1205, 1247.