State correctional facilities; visitation policies, reports.
Summary
State correctional facilities; visitation policies; report. Requires the Department of Corrections to establish and publicly post on its website and in the lobby of each state correctional facility an objective dress code for individuals visiting a state correctional facility and specifies certain requirements for and limitations on what such dress code may include. The bill prohibits any state correctional facility from enforcing a dress code that is more restrictive than the dress code posted by the Department.The bill also prohibits any individual from being denied in-person visitation unless such individual is in clear violation of visitation rules or policies. Prior to denying entry to a visitor, the bill requires the reasoning to be (i) reviewed in person by the facility administrative duty officer and (ii) approved by a regional administrator or superior. The bill requires the Department to submit a report annually on or before November 1 to the General Assembly and the Governor with information on visitors denied entry to state correctional facilities, including the following information disaggregated by facility and by month: (a) the number of visitors denied entry and (b) the reasoning for such denials, including the specific rules or policies such visitors were alleged to have violated.The bill requires the Department to convene a work group consisting of relevant stakeholders to consider goals and develop practical policy and legislative recommendations related to facilitating visitation within state correctional facilities and report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than November 1, 2026.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 9, 2026
Signed Apr 8, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons
What changed between versions
Enrolled
→
Chaptered
·
1 edit
MINOR
The bill was formally enacted into law as Chapter 380 of the 2026 Virginia Acts of Assembly. The substantive policy text regarding visitation rules, dress codes, and the required work group remains identical to the enrolled version, with no changes to the actual legal requirements or deadlines.
Scope change
The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; the text applies to the same state correctional facilities and stakeholders as before.
TECHNICAL
The primary changes are formatting and layout adjustments, such as adding page headers, footers, and spacing, which are standard when a bill is printed as an official chaptered act.
Floor votes · Senate Mar 3, 2026 · House of Delegates Feb 5, 2026
How they voted
39–0
Passed
Total votes 39
Mar 3, 2026
D
Democratic20
100% Yea
R
Republican19
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
31
Key actions
13
Committee
7
Amendments
3
Apr 8, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 380 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive
Mar 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 12, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 12, 2026
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB296ER)
lower
Mar 5, 2026
Lower · Passed
Senate amendments agreed to by House (71-Y 27-N 0-A)
lower
Mar 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate with amendments Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
upper
Mar 3, 2026
Introduced
Engrossed by Senate as amended
upper
Mar 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate Amendments agreed to
upper
Mar 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
upper
Feb 27, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with amendments (15-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 27, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate committee offered
upper
Feb 6, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services
upper
Feb 5, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House (95-Y 3-N 0-A)
lower
Jan 30, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from Public Safety (21-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 29, 2026
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 16, 2026
Committee
Assigned HPS sub: Subcommittee #2
lower
Jan 9, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Public Safety
lower
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor
Sponsors
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