[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6329810,"mediaKeyId","2315605-846dbc6e272b72ddc68fb198ec8052c2","parentId",2315605,"title","Senate restores broader concealed-carry reciprocity and adds active-duty military exception","audioSeconds",359,"startMs",4349000,"endMs",4708000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2315605-846dbc6e272b72ddc68fb198ec8052c2&start=4349&end=4708","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2315605-846dbc6e272b72ddc68fb198ec8052c2/thumbnail_4349000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6329810/Virginia/Senate-restores-broader-concealed-carry-reciprocity-and-adds-active-duty-military-exception","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6329810-63274887573269fba7233f106593c00f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143477&Signature=KptG5gVP6C1oHi~H0FH3xxcgMLt8hiTFoF8dpOxW4l5THpF3HNqXN4EClTRcJRp0dJB6-cjiBvFyNDfyNbUL82Wbh1gi5GOqMXR6MRzt4RkL0lriULnH6nSxdpjhMan~ZiFCXkeQdJ8LWsZdtPaupgcCIZmJETWTlexZctCFNEYXo8zRUgq-qmRh4YwOTQwq-CxYoyydaBvJjBT4x-hg1izeYt7Y88nDBYPeiKFdZEqy7xNcvXJHruObgIFDE8ayJ5tjncec4dv3~hGbhPdwZOfGDhCwRjixQ0VmQKHB0X~LEV8yoOCR9k57AaOFQfty0oZM1a2osmfE75KSRaOLLg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","State of Virginia","date","2025-02-14T00:00:00Z","article","The Virginia Senate on Feb. 14 voted to pass House Bill 17 97, restoring broader reciprocity for concealed-handgun permits from other states and adding a carve-out to protect active-duty military who are relocated to Virginia.

Senator Sarravel moved the committee amendment and explained the bill would restore the preexisting reciprocity framework that had been narrowed by an earlier Attorney General opinion. She described the change as intended to ensure other states’ permitting standards are aligned before reciprocity applies and to avoid disadvantaging active-duty service members who cannot choose where they live.

During floor debate, senators recounted the history of earlier legislative compromises on firearm-related matters. One senator recalled that the original reciprocity arrangement was adopted during the McAuliffe administration and was part of a larger compromise tied to protective-order and domestic-violence changes. Speakers on both sides emphasized the trade-offs made to secure earlier policy gains.

The Senate recorded the roll-call vote as \"Eyes 21, nose 14.\" The clerk announced the bill passes.

Why it matters: The bill affects whether Virginia recognizes concealed-carry permits issued by other states, which has direct consequences for residents and nonresidents carrying in Virginia and for cross-border law enforcement. The active-duty exception preserves permit validity for relocating service members under the amended language.

What happens next: The measure will be enrolled and sent to the governor for consideration; implementation questions involve the Virginia State Police and guidance to local law-enforcement authorities.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","February 14, 2025 - Regular Session - 11:00 am","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate passed House Bill 17 97 to restore reciprocity for other states' concealed-handgun permits, adding an exception for active-duty military transferred to Virginia. The floor debate referenced prior Attorney General guidance and earlier bipartisan compromise; the bill passed 21–14.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature VA, Virginia","taxId",77687,"location","Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6329814,"Senate narrows access to video testimony for child witnesses, adopts moderate-trauma standard",235,3915000,4150000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2315605-846dbc6e272b72ddc68fb198ec8052c2&start=3915&end=4150","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2315605-846dbc6e272b72ddc68fb198ec8052c2/thumbnail_3915000.jpg","/articles/6329814/Virginia/Senate-narrows-access-to-video-testimony-for-child-witnesses-adopts-moderate-trauma-standard","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6329814-9c2bba116caa6f297ff8138d42ec95fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143477&Signature=e7Rt7fropgAGihqpg9JKfRZLMbyMX7nCVn8dlBNATdPFj75AB9VbP6vSjZ1Z4CicfvBxJMvPWNjMQYgQ7nYt0e~FI-vQeZjbSJ-L5wh-f94GTnAHJHrDqErep7jHHM02CQTLruTIqAKOOZM7LDoqv7ZCas50fjqC5NtQLBkKdxRW6t5UsRBWpIqQNU5tNMKZV2uSjnJvZmJz8GQ0swHOv0Pl940z~WOuZFiBR1rD7iW2i-irsFYsqBLFpu0nG~0jKb~I62gOVo99sds7fZbusivYkykNqePcsJ-SswQoRQ6Ny2w5OW7VsTtNWY8olPx1px0duAESALtJBIWJDUnIUw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Virginia Senate on Feb. 14 passed House Bill 17 28, a measure that updates when a child victim or witness may testify by secure two-way video instead of appearing live in court.

Senator Sarravel, who carried the motion on the floor, said the measure reflects years of work to balance victims' trauma and defendants' constitutional confrontation rights. She described the committee amendments adopted on the floor as narrowing the standard from the House version and adding procedural safeguards.

The committee and floor amendments require three principal elements for a judge to allow video testimony without live confrontation: an evidentiary showing of \"moderate trauma\" (a higher threshold than mere stress), expert testimony establishing that condition, and a requirement that the motion be filed at least 14 days before the trial date. The sponsor noted the amendments also limit the proposed relief to circumstances where a child's ability to communicate in court would be impaired.

Senator Sarravel said the existing law sets a higher bar to protect a defendant's Sixth Amendment confrontation rights and that the amendment group reflects a compromise between advocates for victims and concerns about constitutional protections. She noted she had voted against an earlier, broader House version in committee because that draft used a lower trauma threshold.

Floor debate acknowledged the law's complexity and the need for clarity. Supporters said the measure will allow courts to reduce emotional harm to child witnesses while maintaining standards used by judges to protect confrontation rights. Opponents cautioned that lowering the bar too far risks interfering with defendants' rights.

The Senate recorded the roll-call vote as \"Eyes 32, nose 4.\" The clerk announced the bill passes.

Why it matters: The bill changes the evidentiary threshold and process for courts considering remote testimony by child victims, affecting how trials in child-victim cases will be conducted across Virginia. Courts and defense and prosecution offices will need to integrate the expert-evidence and timing requirements into pretrial practice.

What to watch for next: Implementation steps by trial courts and possible guidance from the Supreme Court of Virginia or judicial training to ensure consistent application of the \"moderate trauma\" standard and the expert testimony requirement.","After multi-year committee work, the Virginia Senate passed House Bill 17 28 with amendments that require a higher showing (\"moderate trauma\") supported by expert testimony and a 14-day pre-trial motion before a judge may allow a child to testify by secure video to protect confrontation rights.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6329819,"Virginia Senate advances broad slate of bills on guns, elections and local policy in Friday session",5936,1091000,7027000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2315605-846dbc6e272b72ddc68fb198ec8052c2&start=1091&end=7027","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2315605-846dbc6e272b72ddc68fb198ec8052c2/thumbnail_1091000.jpg","/articles/6329819/Virginia/Virginia-Senate-advances-broad-slate-of-bills-on-guns-elections-and-local-policy-in-Friday-session","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6329819-a1d2a24c0d99850b2fd8f4d77657e992/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143477&Signature=Km6psOgWcZTnGlDBgN3XzEVlDhffroqiREbgXKHsJsJVaier46NcExijZfgV217s5554PpmGrJO~~AV5QRbhZOd5Ff5nITw6z8Kj4odzXH4pnJGk-uPLBL9F36n8Bq6W6WhMQsa9A-skDRoJdIpto4ZdK2XinmY82Hl6XEG4nYApmx4D9puE24kZDsK59~x71~oMqM33dw1GG4z5Oi6zoH6c9Gjxt5iwbU1KiRyzY9DkD7YdkHswwwvb1X3rEGg2fIYf-UIgJNEKlqGMt5gYYJn188Wg7UJUEVzpFwMxi0vAx-akclPp58Bb5d5RYspwUznFJbdwbFkAwkuwlPUNCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Virginia Senate on Feb. 14 passed a long list of bills during a busy floor session, approving an uncontested block of House bills and recording roll-call votes on multiple contested measures that touched firearms policy, elections administration and environmental management.

The Senate approved an uncontested block of House bills without debate, with the tally recorded as \"Ayes 36, no 0.\" The body then considered and voted on a series of individual House and Senate measures across policy areas.

Votes at a glance (selected items recorded on the floor):

- House Bill 16 07 (assault firearms prohibition, House cognate to Senate Bill 11 81): Passed. Vote recorded: \"Ayes 21, noes 15.\" (Clerk: \"Eyes 21, nose 15. The bill passes.\")

- House Bill 16 08 (firearm industry standards of responsible conduct, civil liability): Passed. Vote recorded: \"It's 21, no's 15. The bill passes.\" (Clerk roll call recorded at 21–15.)

- House Bill 17 28 (testimony by child victims/witnesses using two-way closed circuit or secure video): Passed after floor amendments. Vote recorded: \"Eyes 32, nose 4. The bill passes.\" (Clerk roll call recorded at 32–4.)

- House Bill 17 97 (concealed handgun permit reciprocity with other states, with committee amendment): Passed after floor debate. Vote recorded: \"Eyes 21, nose 14. The bill passes.\" (Clerk roll call recorded at 21–14.)

- House Bill 26 30 (tree canopy fund / developer fee replacement, \"Liam's Law\"): Passed. Vote recorded: \"Eyes 27, nose 9. The bill passes.\" (Clerk roll call recorded at 27–9.)

- House Bill 27 82 (amendments related to fisheries / removal of size limit on blue catfish in specified waters, as amended on the floor): Passed. Vote recorded: \"Eyes 35, nose 1. The bill passes.\" (Clerk roll call recorded at 35–1.)

- Block of uncontested House bills (pages 13–26, House Bills 15 79 through 27 83): Placed on final passage in the block and passed; majority voice and clerk confirmation recorded as unanimous for the block (36–0 where recorded on the floor when the block passed).

Other contested measures passed or disposed of on the floor with recorded tallies as shown in the official roll calls. Several bills were taken \"by for the day\" (held) for later consideration; others were sent to conference or rejected as noted on the floor.

Why it matters: The Friday calendar advanced multiple measures that address public safety (firearms and related liability), elections administration, environmental and natural resources management, and local government authority. Several were closely divided on party lines, as reflected in roll-call margins in the low-to-mid 20s and teens.

What happened next: The Senate adjourned until 12 noon Monday, Feb. 17. Committees were scheduled to meet over the weekend and Monday, with additional committee action and any conference committee planning to follow based on bills that were concurred in or taken to conference during the session.","The Virginia Senate on Feb. 14 moved a large number of House and Senate measures, approving an uncontested block of bills and recording roll-call votes on several contested measures including firearm limits, election rules and environmental changes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate restores broader concealed-carry reciprocity and adds active-duty military exception

Senate narrows access to video testimony for child witnesses, adopts moderate-trauma standard

Virginia Senate advances broad slate of bills on guns, elections and local policy in Friday session