# Virginia Plan to Reduce Gun Violence Act of 2024

This bill makes several significant changes to federal gun laws, focusing on background checks for private sales, limits on handgun purchases, and new tools for removing guns from people considered dangerous.

The first major change requires that almost all gun transfers between private individuals go through a licensed dealer. If you want to sell or give a gun to someone who isn't a family member, that person must first go to a licensed dealer who will conduct a background check—just like buying from a gun store. There are some exceptions: you can give guns to immediate family members, lend them for hunting or shooting at a range, or transfer them temporarily in emergencies. The law takes effect 180 days after passage. Gun dealers can charge a fee for handling these transfers, but the government cannot set a limit on what they charge.

The second part limits handgun purchases to one per person every 30 days, with some exceptions. Law enforcement, security professionals, licensed collectors, and people who pass an enhanced background check through their state can buy more. This is designed to prevent "straw purchases," where someone buys multiple guns quickly to resell them to people who can't legally buy them themselves.

The bill also establishes a federal grant program to help states and local governments create "extreme risk protection orders"—court orders that temporarily remove guns from people deemed to be in crisis or a danger to themselves or others. These orders work similarly to restraining orders and require a judge's approval. The grants fund training for police and judges on how to identify and handle these cases. States that pass extreme risk protection order laws get preference for other federal law enforcement grants.