HB1736 proposed establishing the Virginia Center for Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention within the Department of Criminal Justice Services. This center would serve as the state's primary resource for "research," "best practices," and "strategies" aimed at reducing firearm violence through "community-based" programs.
The Virginia State House of Delegates passed HB1736 on February 18, 2025 by a vote of 52 to 43. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill unnecessarily expands government by creating a new state office whose underlying purpose appears to be an infringement on the Second Amendment-protected right to keep and bear arms. Rather than promoting public safety, the bill paves the way for increased regulation and oversight that could be used to restrict lawful gun ownership.
